The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-26

Indiana Carpenter Receivers ON
United states Notes.
Washington Post.


Washington Post
After one hours session yesterday the
House adjourned till noon of Jan. 4. 1899.
There was little egisls ton and that COM
priSed private bills. These were OF no gem
eral interest, save an enactment in favor of
John Vceley, of New Albany, Ind. a humble
constituent of Representative Zenor The
bill that the House passed yesterday for his
relief. and which the Senate has already
voted favorably upon, authorizes payment
on five United States treasury notes, each
the total nearly $1,000. Over these notes,
which have a romantic history. treasury
officials have wrangled at different times
curing the last thirty years, and in more
than once instance have given exhibitions
of tyranny and insolence.
The claimant was, on the 29th day of Sep
tember 1868, employed in Louisville, KY, as
a carpenter by the Louisville & Nashville
Railroad Company, and while tearing out
the END of an old box car. which was under
repair, he found five United States treasury
notes payable to bearer. of $100 each. The
noses were somewhat mutilated and APP
peared TO have formed part of a rats nest,
but there seems to have been no difficulty in
determlnlng their character, their demon
marion and date, and the issue and series
TO which each belonged.
Upon the advice of friend Mr.. Veeley
took the notes to the Louisville custom
Warded to the Treasury Department for re-
demption, but the department refused to re-
deem them, and with the approval of the
secretary they were returned to him by ex-'
press In February, 1869. He then sold them
10 one julius Welman, a broker. for $500.
In March, 1859 Mr.. Wellman had them sent
again to the Treasury Department, and the
matter was referred to the first controller,
who decided, on the 3lst day of July, 1859.
That they should neither be redeemed nor
returned to Mr. Wellman.
Mr.. Wellman then made a demand upon
Mr.. Veeley for the return of the purchase
money. and it is alleged that an officer was
sent to intimidate him and force a settle
ment Mr. Veeley had in the meantime dis
posed of the $500, and, being dependent upon
"a Sxyf RI IA
money but he at length did so by INSTALL
ments, and whatever rights were acquired
by the original finding were revived in him
by this repayment.
Mr.. Veeley subsequently renewed his eff
forts to secure payment from the Treasury
Department. and his counsel presented his
case from time to time and asked that 1t
might be reopened but the request was de-
MED, and the notes still remain in the hands
deemed. The final refusal was contained in
letter of the first controller to Mr.. Veeley's
attorneys, dated March "a, 1890. bill was
then introduced in the Senate for Mr.. Wee
ey's relief during. the Fifty.first Congress
on the 18th day Of April 1890, and in each
duced the present bill, which now goes to
the President for his signature, March 49,
1897, and it was favorably reported by Sen
ator Pasco, of the committee on claims. On
investigation at the Treasury Department
Mr. Veeley's claim was seen to be well
notes was obtained:
United States note, March, 10, 1862, num-
DereQ 60SJ3, cneck letter "A, United Sta1eS
note, March 10, 1862, numbered 99S3l. check
letter G, both of the foregoing bearing no
interest; compound interest note, Aug. Is,
1864, numbered 2712S, check letter A; COM
pound interest note, Aug. Is, 1864, numbered
27229, check letter G.. both of the last-named
bearing interest at the rate Of $40 per cent.
per annum and redoemable three years from
date; one-year per cent note, act of March
3, 1863. numbered 223l0. check letter ID. bear
ing interest at the rate of per centum per
annum, and redeemable one year from
date.
The senators who had the matter in hand
formulated a report for the committee on
claims. which was Endorsed by the House
committee and which was presented at that
end of the Capitol by Representative Clardy,
of Kentucky. 1t read:
THE committee is impressed with the JUS
tice of the claim Veeley was evidently an
honest finder of the treasury notes, they
are payable to bearer; he made no conceal
ment of the manner in which they had come
into his possession. After he had sold them
to a person better versed than himself in
the value of money matters and the rights
of those who find and lose money and the
purchaser had failed to get them cashed,
he returned the money to Wellman that he
years have elapsed since the finding, and. al
though the circumstances were published
in the public newspapers at the time, no
claimant has appeared for the treasury
notes. and the committee is Informed that
no inquiry has ever been made by any par
be losers of the notes. Even If other claim
ants should appear. the government would
be under no obligations to pay the amount
of these notes to them whether Veeley is
paid not"
The bill was passed by the House yester-
day without opposition, and will probably
prove a welcome Christmas present to Car
penter Veeley, of New Albany