The evening times., 1896-12-21
SUTLER MALPIN'S REFUND
Biil Passed to Restore Money
Wrongfully Collected.
Claimant Once Wealthy, But DIED at
Hyattsville and Was Buried
by strangers.

fhe House of Representatives has Just
passed hill for the reiler 81 the estate Vi
George McAipin, deceased, VINO was
sutler during the war, afterwards aihassihS
a. fortune which was swept from MN os
fire in ST Louis, and who returned 10 tnis
section without means, and died dtwomoh'hs
ormore ago, only 10 be buried atthe expense
of a widowed friend at or near ii sattsViiie'
whose name Is not disclosed.
The circumstances brought out by the de-
bate of the measure stamps the case as
upioue among war claims, and as probably
without parallel.
McAlpin was appointed sutler OF the
Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry ana served
as such during the years lSo2, ID, o.
and SO. His regiment was part OF the
Army of the James, which did duty IN
Virginia. He purchased the greater part
of his goods in Baltimore, and under the
law was required 10 pay to the customs
officer in that city 3 per cent ON the value
of his consignments, which were shlppeu
TO him at various points-Newport News,
Old Point Comfort, Suffolk. Portsmouth,
Norfolk and elsewhere. His purch ases
during the period of his services amounted
to S235 ,OT4.69, and these We're cleared
through the Baltimore custom hooe, under
the provisions of the law governing such
transactions, Mr. McAlpin complying with
all requirements.
1t is alleged that, through mistake in
the custom house the sutler was charged
per cent and 8 per cent fees on all his
shipments, he having been treated on the
books and in the transaction as trader IN
stead of sutler, his excess OF payments
argregating Sc ,eO6.1s. The bill was to
provide for a refund of that amount, which,
II was shown, was paid underprotest
When Mr.. McAlpin's wealth was gone,
through the misfortune noted, he came TO
Congress for the only thing left hlm-the
yalue Of his claim. A bill for his relief
asirtrnduccd in the Fifty-third Congress
and through the efforts of Representatives
Mahon and Wolverton 1t was reported for
favorable action, but failed to pass.
The measure was reintroduced at the
last session, and progressed to the stage
of admission to a favorable place on the
calendar, but was left with the unfin-
ished business when Congress adjourned.
McAlpiu had no relatives upon whom he
could depend, it is said, and for three
years resided with strangers until Few
weeks ago, WREN he died, at the age OF
eighty-five. Like many another claimant,
hewas not permitted to realize the frultlon
of his hopes in legislation.
The bill authorizing the refund ran the
gauntlet of the committee of the whole
and came out shorn of about two-thirds
of the original amount, but il was favor
ably reported, with an amendment proyid
ing that the money to be appropriated shall
go to McAIpin's administrator, to be ap-
Piled, first, to pay the poor woman living
out at Hyattsville who took care of him
and buried him. such sum s might be
Justly due. ''and the balance, if there is
any, to go to his son. his only legal
heir, who is very poor and pelpless
cripple, living in the city OF Tyrone, Pa.''
The sum finally agreed upon as due under
the claim, after Chairman Cannon. of the
Appropriations Committee, had applied his
pruning knife, was S2,25O.
Mr. Cannon discovered a clause in the law
which seemed to make il impossible that
the overchargc could amount to more than
that. and although Mr.. Mahon, in charge Of
the bill, insisted that every cent asked foi
was Justly due, consented to the pairing,
upon the grounds that he was willing to
take half loaf rather than to do without
bread"