The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-01-15
.SILCOTTS STEALINGS.
Lengthy Reports Submitted Con-
cerning the Matter.
The Government VIII Make Good the
Loss Of Members Salaries

should the Views of Majority OF the ln-
vestigating Committee be Adopted-The
Minority Oppose This Method OF settle-
ment.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14.-The select
committee to investigate the accounts
OF the Office of the sergeant-at-arms of
the House, commonly known as the
Silcott committee, yesterday submitted
to the House three reports and two bills
bearing on the disposition Of the diff
culties that have arisen concerning the
responsibility for the loss of members
salaries caused by Silcott's defalcation.
Mr.. Adams, the chairman of the COM
mittee, submitted the majority report,
and Messrs. Hemphill and Holman sub
mitted minority reports.
Mr.. Adams report says: "The ques-
tion is whether, according to the rules
Of plain, substantial justice, 1t ought to
be assumed that when the money was
passed to Silcott by the treasury teller
it was received by the members them
selves. Up to that instant the Govern
ment owed certain sum for Congress
sional salaries. Did the Government at
that instant, and by the act Of the treas
ury teller in paying and the act Of Sill
colt in receiving the money, discharge
the obligation? We believe that mem
bers Of Congress- did not then and there
receive the money due them. The Gov
ernment did not then and there dis
charge its obligation to the delegates
and members of the Fifty-arst Con-
gress, or to any one Of them"
The report concludes as follows:
"Your committee believe that delegates
and members Of Congress are entitled to
receive the amount Of the salaries al
lowed them by law for the period end
ing December 4, 1889, and not yet re-
ceived by them, Notwithstanding the
fact that on the 27th and 30th OF last
November large sums Of money intended
for the payment Of said salaries we're
by the cashier OF the treasury placed in
the hands of @. e. Silcott, cashier Of the
late sergeantat-arms, in his official
capacity and in the regular course OF
his official business, and we're by said
Silcott illegally appropriated to his per
sonal use."
Mr.. Holman in his minority report
states that he is unable to concur in the
opinion expressed by the majority Of the
committee that the sergeant-at-arms is
o disbursing officer of the United States.
There is no act Of Congress, he AYERS,
that declares him to be disbursing OFF,
Ger, or that places around the funds
that might come into his hands the safe
guards provided by lswt to protect public
funds in the hands OF disbursing Off
Ger Of the United States.
Mr.. Holman then discussesthe various
legal aspects Of the case and comes ia
the conclusion that the sergeant-at-arms
is simply an officer Of the House Of Rep
resentatives, charged with the disburse-
mont Of certain funds. He holds that
the bonds OF sergeant-at-arms Leedom
and Silcott expired with the Fiftieth
Congress on March 4, 1889, and that the
House was without bonded disbursing
officer when the defalcation occurred.
Mr.. Holman's report is voluminous and
discusses every phase Of the matter at
length.
Mr.. Hemphill, in his report, holds
that the matter is not one that can be
settled by Congress, on account OF its
complicated state, and recommends that
1t be referred to the Court Of Claims for
settlement. lRldb dEI