The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-17
CLOSE SHAVE ON WAR CLAIMS
THE TREASURY DUPLICATES THE
PAYMENT OF $500.

The Fact Disclosed ny the Return
Of check sent TO an Honest Man
Who Had been Paid Twenty
Years AgO-OVer $4,000 on the
Point OF Being Paid Out-A woman
Claims 10 Have spent the sf.255
Sent Her-CareIess PigconhoIinE
OF Vouchers the Cause.
Washington, July 16-A proposed double
payment of over $4,000 and an actual
double payment of nearly 5000 have just
been disclosed In the navy department.
most OF it going to the state OF Alabama.
The facts seem to be that al the outbreak
OF the war the old side wheel steamers
De Soto and Bienvnle. belonging to the
New York and New Orleans Steamship
Company. were purchased by the govern
ment and an appropriation made for the
payment Of their stipulated price. For
a time the proportionate amount due the
stockholders in the company resident in
the confederate states was withheld by
the treasury. but I'm the years intervening
between 1870 and 1874. all these dropped
southern claims were taken up and paid.
Through some laundering the proper
vouchers were not filed with the papers
IN the treasury department. This fact
seems to have come TO the knowledge of
eX-COngressman Charles NJ. Shelley Of
Alabama, who In Mr.. Clevelands first
administration was fourth auditor Of the
treasury, and he. presuming in good faith.
from that fact that the claims had not
been paid. procured powers of attorney
from the claimants, after going out OF
office and prosecuted the claims success
fully before the court of claims and con
gress, securing an appropriation last year
OF over il700 for that purpose.
over $500 Of claims under this appro-
priation had been paid before the fact
was discovered that all the claims had
been actually paid more than twenty years
ago. This was brought about through the
honesty of kenelson II. Lewis Of Raleigh,
N. C., one of the benefciaries, who re-
turner the check sent him for his pro-
portion Of the claim, saying that he mad
already been paid, and then the error
was discovered
The official explanation Of the navy de-
partment OF the reasons why claims paid
In 1874 were paid again in 1896 Is as fol-
lows: In making a settlement OF the for
ty-one shares paid in 1S71-72-7S and "A the
bills were made out IN the names OF the
attorneys, and not I'm the names OF the
claimants, and the papers relating to these
claims were retained at the navy depart
ment and were not attached to the VOuch-
ers according to the present practice
The papers, or a portion of them, were
sent to the bureau of construction and
| repair for safe keeping, and It appears
that they were not entered on the files
Of the papers relating to the purchase Of
the vessels, and were lost sight of dn
| that bureau.
THE over payments made under this
| appropr1at ton appear to he 3, ,535. OF this
amount one claim of 81 ,T02 may be correct,
| the investigation OF the author into its
validity not having been concluded.
"The bills in all these cases, except that
| of Mr.. Lewis, having been made I'm the
names of the attorneys and not in the
names of the claimants the records of
| the auditors Office did not furnish ready
| check upon the payments when made In
the name Of the claimants themselves.
| 1t was not until the date, names of the
attorneys and the appropriations out Of
which payments had been made had been
ascertadned by the department in conse-
| quence of the matter having been brought
TO it's attention by Mr. Lewis that the
number and amount Of overpayments was
discovered"
One of the persons paid under the ap-
propriation, Mrs. Tuthill widow of George
A. Tuthill of Mobile, Ala, who received
| $4,255, reports that she has spent the
money. Gen. Shelley says he Is trying to
claims paid or in process of payment
He explains that the original payment
was made to Mr.. Lewis when he had Just
come of age, and his fathers estate was
in the hands of executors, where it still
| continues, and that his (Shelley's) power
of attorney to collect the claim was OBJ
tained from the executors. When the
check reached Mr.. Lewis he returned II
with such information as stopped further
disbursements, and enabled the depart
ment to trace the vouchers for the pay
ments made twenty-three years ago.
1t is more than probable that but for
Mr.. Lewis prompt action the entire ap-
preparation for these claims would have
been disbursed shortly.