The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-28
COL. BURNSIDE GOES FREE
Indictments Against Him Quashed
by Mr.. Birney.
He Is Now in st. Eliza beth's and His
Mental Condition Was the Cause
OF the Action

District Attorney Birncy, acting under
Instructions from Attorney General Har-
mon, will dismiss the Indictments against
Col. j. o. P. burnside, formerly disbursing
officer of the Post Office Department,
and who has been confined i'll the Govern
mcnt Insane Asylnm for Twelve years.
Col. Burnside was charged with mis-
appropriadng gevc rpment funds in his
custody, and was seat to the asylum as
being irresponsible for his actions in re-
gard to the defalcGtion. This action
VIII clear the way for his discharge from
confinement If his mental condition per-
mits. Col. burnside stood very high
socially before his arrest
Col. Burnside had been diSbursng Of
ficer of the department for nine years
and had been fally trusted. When Gen.
Gresham came INTO office he proposed 10
investigate every detail of his depart
ment, but was told by his advisers. No
need to go into Furnishes office; it's
pure gold"
So il occurred that no fun examination
OF his accounts had been made since 1881.
BY a change in the law In 1882 he was
allowed TO draw $4,000 at a time without
voucher. He would pay out something
| like $4,000 Of this and keep the re-
mainder on hand.
When partial examination of his ac-
counts was made on December 81, 1883,
$50 900 was not accounted for except by
Col. Burnside's personal word. This was
taken unqucstiOned, however. on March
81 he should have again accounted, but for
this period a statement had not been OBJ
tanned up TO the time of his arrest. This
delay. Joined to a rumor that he had lost
heavily in oil speculation with John II.
| Lewis, led TO his downfall.
When questioned by Gen. Gresham re-
garding the Lewis matter lie said he had
| lost his own and his wife's money, not the
| government Gen. Gresham was not sa T.
isfied, and on May 81 appointed Chief In
| spector A G. Sharpe, chief of finance divis-
| ion; W. G.. Wellcs and Chief BookkeepeI
James T. Smith to investigate. Within
! forty-eight hours they had discovered, a
| shortage of S45,71s.
! Col. Burnside upon arrest, did not deny
the embezzlement, but said he had not lost
this money with Lewis, who had fled, but
| in Wall street. He said there were certain
credits not taken into account, and that his
| speculation was begun to make up loss by
q safe robbery year or two before.
Col. Burnside was taken before Judge
| Smell and committed for the grand jury
under $45, 200 bonds. Judge Jere Wilson
| and S. K. Bond got this reduced TO $50 900
| d. Baldwin, George II. Plant, r. ]. Bean
| which he gave on June 10, with William
| George T. Keene, John Coughlin and Ed
ward B. Tadelv as surcties. George Gross
came in June 81 in place of Kcene and
Coughlin.
| On October 81 two indictments for EN-
beZZlement were returned and on November
II upon testimony of DIR. Godding, Lyons
N S. Lincoln, and A. j. Murphy, he wa
committed as affected with ''rneIancholii
characterized by sleeplessness and halluci
| nations"
| He has continued in this condition to tn,
! present time. He is able to be out and il
| apparently much ike other men, but i
constantly harasscd by thoughts OF the in
dctment. and his malady, which becomes
more intense atintervals, is prevented from
| cure.
| Col. BurDSide's bondsmen for his office
were ~ l. Jeffries, H. NJ. Hutchinson, Z. C.
| IngersoIl, Wash. b. Williams, William
| Rutherford and JGhn Coughlin, held joint,
for $50, 900. Messrs. ngerson and Hutch
inson were dead, and Mr.. Williams had
withdrawn. From the others about SIS,
QUO as recovered by civil suit.