The San Francisco call., 1896-04-30

dies no money and has no responsibility
in that line, A paymaster is under heavy
bonds but no bond is ever required of the
clerk. If such were not the case you may
know that the careful department would
soon clap bond on him. On vessels of
the third rate, such as the Yorktown, Con-
cord, Bennington, Adams, Ranger, ETC.,
the pay clerk gets $1,000 year and is not
an officer, but is employed by the depart
ment on the recommendation of the pay
master.
However, Mr.. Webster took his clerk s
$500 under peculiar circumstances. and he
is coming home TO be investigated, as Sec
retary Herbert informed me should be
done. While he is undergoing the court
martial Mr.. McManus and myself, as eX-
ecutors of the late Mrs. Tobin's estate, will
begin suit against Paymaster Webster S
bondsmen for the return of $500.
81 have been told that he was in hole
and the money came to him in the nick of
time. He certainly used it pretty quickly,
for he was hard-up when Tobin asked him
for it few months later in Japan. If the
young fellow had not received his fare
from his mother, he would have been on
the beach in Yokohama yet"
In an interview with Administrator Nc
Manus and also with w. j. Tobin, it is
learned that Edward McGettigan, the
other administrator of the estate of Cath
ton short time since in the interests of
the River and Harbor Commissioners,
called upon Secretary of the Navy Her
bert and had a personal interview with
him in regard to PaymaSter Edwin b.
Webster, U. S. n.
Mr.. McGettigan was informed by the
Secretary that the claim of the admins
traitors was just one and that the pay
master had no right to exact the money
OF Mrs. Tobin, and he would be com PEELED
to refund the same. He asked to have an
acknowledged statement sent him by Mr..
Tobin concerning the full transaction.
This statement was recently forwarded to
the Secretary, giving in detail the entire
proceedings and also copy OF the receipt
signed by Paymaster Webster.
An immediate reply to this statement
was received by Mr.. McGettigan, who in
the meantime had returned from Wash
ington. The purport of the reply from the
Secretary was to the effect that he had or
dered Paymaster Webster's transfer from
the Yorktown to the Concord, which ship
was under orders to proceed from the
Asiatic station to Mare Island. This order
virtually meant that the Secretary did not
desire to incur any additional expense in
sending the paymaster home by mail
steamer.
1t is known that the commandant at
Mare Island has received orders from the
department to carry out the instructions
of the Secretary, which are sufficiently
stated there, as embodied III the letter to
Administrator McGettigan." He (Webster)
shall, upon his return home, make imme-
diate payment of the $2500 obtained from
Mrs. Tobin on a false statement of facts,
and in default of said payment the Secre-
tary will proceed against Webster's bond
men for return of the full amount" The
Secretary says, further, that in case it
should be necessary for Mr.. Tobn to go to
Washington to consult with him regarding
the illegal transaction that Paymaster
Webster shall be compelled to pay all ex-
penses incurred by his trip to the East.
1t is not known what action will be taken
by the cOmmandant on arrival of the
Concord, but it is limited the paymaster
may be sent directly to Washington for a
personal interview with the department.
1t is evident the Secretary intends having
the money refunded without delay, and
also that he will not condone any act tend
ing TO bring disgrace on the pay corps. 1t
is also understood the paymaster is in i'll
repute in the Paymaster-Ge office
for sending statements falsely. Tobin
says the paymaster informed him the
money was obtained for the purpose of
squaring funds which he was short when