The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-01
Tho Story OF a Lost Check.

Mi. FREDERICK MACMoNNIEs. the sculp.
tor, was employed by the Government to de.
sign and furnish certain bronze doors for
the new Library Of Congress. He carried
out his contract, and the time came for him
to receive the $I5, 900 due to him in part
payment.
Under the system by which the Govern.
ment pays its debts, q check for $15, 600
upon the Treasurer of the United States
was Drawn by BERNARD r. GREEN, superin.
tendent of the library building. The check
was numbered 439,8 47. Mr.. MAoMoNN1Es
was then in Paris. The check is said to have
been mailed to him by MIR. GREEN. 1t has
never reached the sculptor, and it is as.
sumed that the letter inclosing It was lost
in transmission through the mails. This
was in March Of last year.
Now, in order to get his money, which
failed to reach him through no fault or
carelessness Of his own, MI. MAcMoNN1Es
is obliged to wait fully q year while the
following measures for his relief are in
progress:
1. Congress assemblies.
2. A bill, Senate No. $3.50, directing the
Treasurer to issue q duplicate check to Mr..
MAcMoNNEs, in lieu Of the check which
he never received, is introduced into the
Senate by Mr.. WETMoRE of Rhode Island
on Dec. 13.
3. It il referred to the Senate Committee
on Finance, and ordered to be printed.
4. 1t is considered by that august body,
which sends to the Treasury Department
for information concerning the facts.
8. 1t is reported back to the Senate by
the Committee on Finance, through Mr..
PLATT Of Connecticut, with an explana-
tion of the circumstances, and a recon-
mendation that the bill should pass without
amendment.
9. There being nc objection, the Senate
orders the bill to be engrossed for a third
reading.
T., 1t is read the third time and is passed
by the Senate ON Jan. IL.
8. With the attestation of the Secretary Of
the Senate, Bill No. 2,739 goes over to the
House on jar. 10, where 1t is referred in
regular order to the House Committee on
Claims.
8. The House Committee on Claims sends
the bill again to the Treasury Department
for a report on its merits.
10. Mr.. F. A. VANDERBILT, Acting Secre-
tary of the Treasury, returns the bill to
the Committee ON Claims and writes a
letter, saying that 1t has been ex-
amined, and, II tho original check is
properly described therein, the bill is
deemed by the Treasury to be correct In
form and similar to other bills heretofore
enacted into law for a like purpose. It
should be explained that the provisions of
the act of Feb. 10, 1885, amending section
3,646 Of the Revised Statutes. authorizing
disbursing officers and agents of the United
States to issue duplicates of lost checks,
apply only to checks drawn for 90, 800 or
less. Mr.. MAoMoNNIEs's lost check was
for $1o, 900. Hence the need of special
legislation.
IL. MI. CoLsoN of Kentucky, from the
Committee on Claims, reports the bill for
MIR. MAoMoNNIEs's relief back to the
House, with a favorable recommendation,
IN Jan. %.
IL. The bill is committed to the Com
mittee of the Whole House, and ordered to
DO printed.
10. The bill is referred to the private
calendar.
This 10 a. far as the unfortunate sculptor
has got at the present writing. If wind
and tide continue to be favorable for Mr..
MAoMoNNnss ultimate relief from the
consequences of carelcssness or accident
for which he was in no way responsible, the
further stages Of progress will DO these;
Ia. The House In Committee of the
Whole will take the bill from the private
calendsr. and. II there 10 no objection. de-
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