Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-26
WE PAID FOR IT ONCE.
The Almost-Forgotten War Claims Scan
daI7Over S13O,OO0 Commissions on the
Direct Tax Twenty Years Ago-The
Leader Died Poor


of a million of the States money. The highest
officers of the Commonwealth were charged
with knowledge of, if not completely in. this
affair, and while some were exonerated and
afterwards attained TO higher honors, one, at
least, suffered a blow from which his proud
spirit never recovered and which many claim
hastened him to the grave.
1t was during the Gubernatorlal campaign Of
1872 that this scandal was most prominently
before the people of Pennsylvania. That was
perhaps the btterest political fight ever waged
within her borders. Following the advice of
Vallandigham uttered but short time before
bullet. accidentally directed by his own hand,
had ended his stormy life, the Democratic
party "took new departure" and nominated
for President their foe for nearly 40 years,
Horace Greeley. Anything to beat Grant,
was the cry with which the leaders attempted
to silence the objections of the rank and file.
and as the old political watchword, "As
goes Pennsylvania, SO goes the Union"
had not lost its force, the State
yet voting in October, it was made
the battle ground. and with Andrew G. Curtin,
Galusha A. Grow, A. K. Mcclure and other
Republicans of lesser, prominence as their
allies, the Democracy attempted to storm the
very citadel of Republicanism. Their candi-
date for Governor was Charles r. Buckalew.
who in 1863, by bare majority of one vote, had
succeeded David Wilmot of "Wilmot Proviso,,
fame. in the United States Senate. The Repub
lican nominee was Major C1eneraI John F. Hart
rauft. soldier with a brilliant record and one
of the most popular young Republicans of the
State He had twice been elscted Auditor
General, and when nominated was serving In
that capacity by direction of the Legislature,
David Stanton, elected in 1871 to succeed him,
having died before assuming office.
"
as Sum As ne was nominated II was enArseo
saii'' nm 'n"'' aS huui'oi al ne nAu
nau guhty connection Win tne war
Olaiins steal, anu aitnougn the legislative
commlttee appointed TO lnTestgate tne matter,
OF wnicn ex-opeaker, tnen senator, James l..
Graham' OF allegheny, was CnalrmaD. Win
"lliam "A. Wallace, since Onlteu states SEN
ator' ana Harry White, now Judge OIL lndlana
county. as the other members from the senate.
and b. L. Hewitt, OF Blair. since Speaker; A.
I. Noyes, OF Chnton, eiected state treasurer
ny Ine democrats In 1917; u. N. nlee' OF Al
legheny, Il. A Mcconnell, of Greene, and j. b.
Hancock, of Philadelphia. from the House.
had fully exonerated him from all blame, he
was made the target for the bitterest abuse
ever heaPed upon candidate, ABUSE whlch
my oo@u oe ooo "nen 'ne peopIo N"u .nou
in W 'ooOo ""Jor, Anu 81 oaso
ureeleyS eager CHASE lor the rresidenoy d
turn WHICH endeo only In oeleaI' maoneS0 anu
oestn.
Inc history OF TINS war claims analr' as gwen
In tne report OF the investigating committee'
reVeais surprising Dlendlns Oh crail' weak
ness, ampltion, credullty ana dsnonesty, all
enaing In oisappolntment' raliure ana disgrace.
inc man VINO was put 10" 60 TOD tne "'ate
oleo In poverty anu opseurity' disgrace leh
upon those VINO mad used MIN, and ne whose
political fortunes were to have been advanced,
II such. indeed. was part OF the plan had
blot, justly or un1ustly, placed upon cnar-
acter hitherto lrreproachaele
Briefly given the story is this: On March !,
1867, the United States owed Pennsylvania
s., 2,0S7, ,3S4, money expended In equipping troops,
while the State owed the National Govern
ment 81, 5527 7l9, of which sl,946 7l9 was for the
direct tax levied in 1861, and s606 600 cash ad-
vanced by the United States. The Legislature
authorized Governor Curtin to release to the
United States these claims, to be applied on
the direct tax, ETC., and to pay the hlance in
cash, which was done. No final settlement
was made, there being simply mutual ap-
preparation OF the accounts TO the liquidation
of each.
The States Claims DisaIiowed.
Tn Iss5 tho Iovernment .ttsmnt.d to s.ata
this acconnt and annarentIv ignorant of the
sattlement in 1890 sdisalIowed and snsnsnded ~
-,.-oI- - -, ,oo,,,,;ooI -..o -,
rho Stata;s oIain,s a1oonr sI1o so Tha ,o,,+or
To- l., +hIs snor,a Ill Ise7 ,,har n ~ Eorra1
editor of the wasbinptop Post and
Rro,,n Of Tho. c;.,, ro, nv, . soha,,o for ,ho;-
oo,lao1,on io;nr rasoIntion uos nron,rod
.S.-: C -
n,. " appo,ns
-,isnrnasm Jt - - - oI,nansa.;a.
80 D., o,soo5 IN ,,a- 80. 80 .h. o.,o,,..s -,
ooIIeo,od ond to ho roi, ont of sroh ooIIao,io,s
Ca- n - -. =. =. 49,
n oIse y. -'".S VS. " 70 .ne ~ss snu
10 ..o,.'sa - as ,.O...e, 20 sAe
80 sSa,,fd IN. ~, en- ooo ~ -, soo
mo- Evans swore tba, he had 1,aid Rro,vr his
- H., IA nnI,. ,,o;d -, &c noo
- 49, -oio,,,t;o, - 80.
L@n' 'ooA ,ane umo W anu
o.d n ~ Gnrarnor Co. .nmnIn,aS Evpns pu -, ~,
sho 80 d.r n tra w., Us. Sa
r., ,.tt,, rnarro,ors oaIsrit, s,.d 80
want ~ tho claims wi,b IN. Tbird nd;tor ~
Wasbinotor ord 90 ron,dlv uos tho u,orI, A..
that ON ApriI "a. but 81 days after his appoint.
ment. the Third Auditor and Second Controller
reversed the former decision and credited
PENNSYLVANIA with Sl,9S9, l55 of these claims
before "disallowed and suspended" The Sec
ond Controller afterward testified that this
was a simple carving through of the forms of
auditing and adjustment"
Of this sum 81, ,3O4. I'll was carried by a counter
warrant to the credit Of the direct tax Neither
money nor warrants passed through Evans
hands for these sums and vet upon the whole
81 9s9 I55 he claimed 10 per cent commission, or
sl9S 9l5 for less than 30 days work. The Secre-
tary of the Treasury, on May /, 1867, drew his
check for a balance of SB SIG due the State