Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-11
VERY SENSATIONAL.
RUNORED DEFICIENCY IN AtJ0fANT GEs-
ERALS OFFICE OF Pennsylvania
Creates Soms CONSERVATION at ihs Capital Of the
Keystone State-Rghly Exaggerated Reports
Of the Mattr- Nothing Reflects Oh tie
Integrity Of Rx-Adiutant Ger
era Hastings.

PHILADELPHIA. pa, February TO-
A special to the Rcc0d from Harris
burg says: A rumor that Il shortage OF
nearly 500. .O00 had been found In the
accounts of ex-Adjutant General Hast
| ings created sensation at the Capitol
| to-day. In word, the retiring admin
islration left heavy deficiency for the
new administration TO carry. The
amount of the deficiency is not yet
known. as bills are still coming in, but
already the figures reach nearly 500
900.
There is believed to be nothing in the
matter that reflects upon the integrity
of ex-Adjutant General Hastings.
Adjutant General McClelland is chag-
rined that the matter gained such pub
licity. He declared unreSeryedly this
evening that General Hastings integrity
could not be questioned, and that his
Office was lot +. spOnsiblc for the circu-
lation Of sensational rumorS. He says
there is no deficit" that he knows OF,
and he does not believe there Is any.
The Times tomorrow will publish 4
statement of eN-Adiutant General Has
tings, who was IN town to-day, regard
ing the alleged shortage in the Adju-
taut Generals office, i'm which he says:
There is no shortage. On the con-
trary, leave a balance tony successor.
There is nothing to conceal regarding
nv management of the Adjutant Gen
erals Office during the last iour years.
When went into Office there was = de-
iic.t, or outstanding unpaid bills,
amounting to about $780, left over
by the late Adjutant General Guthrie.
These bills were honest and cor
rect. General Guthrie had been
most prudent and economical
in his administration of the office, but
the appropriations were not sufficient TO
meet the expenses of the National
Guard. Oi course paid these bills out
of my years appropriation. When the
new military code became a law, on the
18th Of March, 1887, the annual appro-
priatiUn was increased to 5000 600, but
the additional expenses created by this
law made il still more difficult to keep
within the limits of the appropriation.
During my four years term of Office TWO
division encampments were he'd, the
first in lSS1 and the last in 1890. Di
viSional encampmentS cost from 30 to 80
per cent. more than the rcgimcntdl
trips 10y reason OF the increased length
Of railroad travel and other attendant
expense. IN addition To these two di-
yisional cncampmentS, the division was
assembled on four other additional
times:
First at the Inauguration OF Governor
Beaver: next the Inauguration Of Presi- |
dent Harrison, for the third time at the
Constitutional Centennial celebration,
aud lastly the Centennial celebration OF
WaShngton'S Inauguration in New
York city. Each OF these parades en-
tailed a large additional cost, but added
greatly to the already high reputation
cuioycd by the National Guard. Dur
ing no previous term of an adminiStra
tion of the Adiutant General had the
division assembled more than twice, and
usually but once.
In addition ~ this, had other extra |
ordinary expenses tn meet. The State
rifle range at Mount GrCtua cost over
SO. 600. aud / - ent over Sl3,O 900 for adj
ditiona canvas for the use Of the Ma
tional guard in camp. The old forty
five calibrc guns, with which the
division was armed when | en-
tered Office, were comparatively
worthless. purchased in their places
the Springfield new breech-loading rile1
muSkets. the same aS are now used by
the regular army, at an additional cost
Of Sl0S. .O0O. Adding together all these
extraordinary but necessary expenses,
and the cost of assembling the division
al encampment four different times, in
addition to the two division encamp-
ments would amount to almost one
years appropriation.
| now desire to state that after having
paid all these additional expenses Of the
Guard. as well rs the current expenses
of each year, not only paid the deficit
left bv General Guthrie, but | had 10
my credit. after the payment of all bills
To turn over 20 my friend General Me
Clclland 80 start in business with |
the following: had purchased
and left at the State Arsenal about !
$1,000 worth OF Jersey flannel, for
which | paid cash, and which is as good
as cash to my successor, because II he
did not have it,, he would be compelled !
To buy it and issue 1t 10 the troops. !
also left balance of -, 800 cash in the !
Treasury. These two items amount To
about $4,000. and against it there are
some unpaid accounts, held over Tor one
cause or another, amounting to between
$4,000 and Sll.0OO.
The accounts in my office We're as
carefully kept as those OF any banking
institution in the state. / feel lustl-
fable pride in the management OF the
Office during the last four years ia the
splendid condition in which ! leave the
National Guard, and ia the high repu-
tation which it has de>eryedly Won and
now holds. In conclusion, | will say
that do not propose to permit OF any
criticism of my administration OF the
affairs Of the Adjutant-General's office,
not warranted by the facts.