New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-17
WAR CLAIMS PAID TWICE.

r,u p,rxnrp nRorGHr TO LIGHT THROUGH
THE HONESTY or BENEFIciAHf'
,,.a,,,,,,, 1,,v ia proposed double payment
., oyor a. 90 and an actual double payment Oh
nearly 50 600 have lust been disclosed In the Navy
Department most Of the money going 10 Tue So
of Alabama The facts seem 10 be that at '"e w
break OF the war the old sdewheei ''eai'e,'
Soto and sienvIlie belonging TO the Ne"->o'h az.
New-Orleans Steamship Company. were pu''"'s ,
10. IN. ,.ovornuent and an appropriation was mau9
FOR the naymen, II the stipulated price for "',
~ -. ,--..- --,~..-. duo IN me stockholders Oh
the company living in the Conteuera'e So '.on.
withheld By the Treasury. but in the years me- 80,
ing DE tween 1910 ana ls7i al, these dropped "o",
claims were taken up and paid. Through so"'e W."
dor nrop.r vouchers were not filed win the p"p''
in the Treasury Department This iac' se'"'9
bave como 70 the knowledge OF ex-Congress"'''
Charles NJ shelby of Alabama. who III MI
lands first Administration. was Fonr'' H"u 49,.
the Treasury and ne. presumng IN s"ou i" ,, -
that fact that the claims had NOT pe'n paw -
cur,d nowers of attorney from the claimants anu
prosecuted the claims successfully beioie 'e
~ GAINS and Congress securing an Appropriation
of over s1 100 for that purpose over F''sp Oh 0'"
under this appropriation had been pal"
fact was discovered that all the Claims han "''"'
been paid more than twenty years ago. , =,
This was brought, about through the honest. -
Kenelon II Lewis Of Raleigh, n C., one OF 'ne pen
aecisr,es who returned the check sent him Tor MS
nronortiop of the claim. saying that ne ha' a"'''
been paid and then the error was discovered nv
official EXPLANATION. made by the Navy Depai '"'e,,
Of the reason why claims paid In 1914 were pd''
again n 1896 is as follows: 49,.
IN making a settlement OF the ior'y-oe S,i', 80,
maid in Is7.'72-'7s and IA the bills were inaue ~
In the names of the attorneys ana not ~ the 49,
az The claimants and the papers reiatlns 10 ~" ~
claims were retained at the Navy l)epaI ~, az, IN
were not attached 10 the vouchers hccvIunt 49,
present practice The papers or porn u 3d..
were sent 10 the Bureau OF CONSTRUCTING anu
for safe keeping and it appears ha Ine. W ~
entered on the i,es OF papers reiatinE 70 w. t,n
chase of vese.s and were los. sight o. IN tnao ~
reau The oyerpa ynents made unde: ths app "P,.o
ton appear to he sS35 o. or this anouhti one
claim Of 81 1902 u may be correct. the VI
the auditor into its validity not having peh III u,
Guided The bills in all these cases. eAcept uia' ~.
ar Lewis having been made in the names OF me
ATTORNEYS and not in the names OF the ctaInanis.
Tho reco3rds Of the Auditors Office did not furnish
~ A., cbeck ,,non the payments when made In the
names OF the claimants themselves III waS not uiiti
Inc date names OF attorneys and appropriations oui
~ when PAYMENTS had been made had Deen "
cer;ained by this Department in consequence OF ue
matter having been brought 10 lis attention ny MI
Lewis that the number and amount OF the over
payments discovered
one of the persons paid under the appropriation
Mrs. Tuthill widow Of General A. Tuthill. OF Mo-
bile Ala who received A.256. reports that she mas
spen, the money General Shelby says he - trying
10 arrange for the settlement OF other claims pald
process Of payment