New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-24
. DEMOCRATIC DEFALCATIoN RECALLED.
cRITICIsE-sILCOTT's FRIENDS SAY
THAT lie WILL RETURN.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FRIENDS SAY
THAT lie WILL RETURN.
wo,binrton. March 90 (special.-Among the items Oh
,rnropriation of the List Congress, about when Demo
cIats are careful to say nothing in their charges as'"s,
,be majority Of that Congress on account oi "''s0"
aovtr,var,ncc. is one OF $4,000. This sum was ap-
nropriatcd by an act approved April II. 1s'"' ir ''
nav and mileage of delegates and members OF 'c li""'0
80 Peprscntatlvesr on account Of the deficiency o,'''
stoned by the recent defalcation in the Office Of tc iV'
.orcoant.a al arms of the House, The officer teierTeu 10
"a q democratic officer Of "A Democratic l0use-""""
II. Leedon. an cx- Representative from Vh'"' -"
name of his " wicked partner, who was maui a 10Y
~o,, is silcott. a subordinate, who fed from Washing
ron several days befNc the organization "i ~ N
congress. and for whose arrest and delivery 7" '0
,,rshaI OF the United States for the District OF 'oi'in'-
bio , reward OF -. 900 is offered. For several nhoh'hs
Icedom profcssed to be in hot pursuit OF Slco"' az" ~
oy,rosscd a strong determination never to abandon '"o
ouc,t until the fugitive had been brought 10 J"'"''.
:, absorbed did he become In this pursuit thi' "' 7"
or rcc,octcd 70 make good the sum Of III 100, more or
loss. which. according to memoranda fOuhu III III i',.'
safe when il was opened. he had "borro"c' T" y"
,rras IN his Official custody. Mr.. Lecdom's note ior
thc amount named Is understood to be stni ah'ohs Nv
"assctsp Inherited by the present sergeantata'n'
put that was a mere bagatclle as compared Wlul '"o
total shortage. to produce which the timer II
resortcd to forgery as well as to " plain steahhs'
Icodom and Silcott were bosom friends and companions,
as well as political chums, and both OF t'ehi "cio ~
the habit Of " backing their Judgment In respect 10 'c
morris OF hor,eNcsh and the futGrc value OF stocN'
a. we'll as in political " futures" and other speculative
matters. II was asserted that some OF the MISSING
money went into the ohio Democratic campaign ilthu
I'm 14-0. but Nr. Lccdom denied tliS, ana asserted u''
all thc contributions made by him were from his own
uockct. OF course almost everybody, including every
Democrat. believed the stout denial. For several
- IL gr.,.4sr pI,It \ aadnn1 remained IN W dNn-
incton. and reports appeared with great frequency 70
tbc eject that Silcott had been seen in Ncwfork,
i'm Montreal, in Montana, in British Columbia ana IN
various other places too numerous to mention. lie
seemed to be as elusive. and ut the same Tune a.
ubiquitous a, Tascott. There are persons who gave
the subject a careful study who were and still are
ungcncrou, enough to believe that the lat thing when
the cx Scrgcant-at Arms desired or dc,iNs IS Inc
apprehension and trial Of silcott. 1t is certain that
hi, zeal In the pursuit apparently ceased ~ soon a.
an appropriation TO cover the shortage passed the House
two or three months after ~ilcotts disappearance
There are persons in Washington who assert that they
know where ~ilcott is l. .day. and who profess II be
llcvc that he VIII return TO the National Capital IN
December of hi, own accord. II is further asserted
that he i, sojOurnlng near Winnipeg in the Dominion 81
Cauada. ard that the exact place OF hi, ,oJ0nTh Is
known to "a number Of Democrat, who are III, iirhH''
IL il understood that SilCutt', wife, who WAS IN Wash
,urton several weeks ago. had Just returned from a
visit Ia her husband. who, 1t l. alIciHd' i Aot IN
rro,priou, circumstances. and /, determined 10 return
io tic Initcd states and make a clean breast OF Inc
affair which caused his sudden flight.
Whether Mr. LcCdOm Viii alO return to washington
aud demand a. D." yuGicatipu' In The shape OF a ~
election to The Office Of sergeant at Arms by the H"m"
cratic House remains to be- seen. IL was asserted h't
wear that he would seek re- election To Congress IL a
" yiudlratou.T ht he dd not do -. and he appears
To- have dropped ont of ohio Democratic politics.
Their are stories nioat hers to the effect that he
.t-,ud, much time following the races" In the East.
| Int they may be- untrue. \, ~crgrinta AT Arm, OF me
lt-t Democratic House he Wa an expensive Injury
in which the incoming Democratic House VIII not
lc likely 20 indulge.