The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-15
PAYING THE TROOPS.
Col. w. It. Durbin,- Acting as Paymas-
ter. Is Hard at Work.

Col. w. II. Durbin, Acting as Paymas-
ter. Is Hard at Work.
The work of paying the soldiers at Camp
Mount has begun, and it is gigantic I'M
dertaking. Governor Mount yesterday morn
ing assigned Colonel w T. Durbin, of his
staff, to act as paymaster in the absence
of Colonel Russell B. Harrison the regu-
lar paymaster and Colonel Durbin worked
all day and far into the night getting the
rolls of the One hundred -fifty-seventh
Regiment ready so that the money may be
distributed this morning before the regiment
leaves for Chickamauga. mistake in the
rolls was made Friday which necessitated
all the work being done again.
A great deal of work which would be I'M
necessary for the payment of the Indiana
National Guard under ordinary circum-
stances is being done now in order to COM
ply with the conditions that will be re-
quired by the United States government
when the time comes for a settlement.
There are three classes of men to be paid
those who have been mustered into the vol
unteer service, those who were rejected by
the United States examining surgeons and
those who deserted the camp under the con-
ditions Of the Governors proclamation.
The payment of the last two named classes
is a simple matter, as it comes only under
the laws of the State and the rules that
obtain during camps Of instruction. Ac-
cording to the opinion of the attorney gen.
eral the rejected men receive pay for the
number of days they were actually subject
to the orders of their superior officers, and
the deserters will be given three days pay
With the paying of the men who are now
in the volunteer service there are complica-
lions. 1t is expected the government will
refund to the State the amount in salaries
the men would have received from the gov
eminent had they been mustered in at once
The State pays the men $50 day, and the
government allows privates $3.50 month
The difference between the two must be
borne by the State The State now pays
the full amount and will expect the gov
eminent to refund Its portion at some future
time. At the suggestion Of Deputy state
Auditor Hart who was an assistant auditor
under the administration of President Har-
rson, and had experience in settling, just
such claims of States, the rolls are being
prepared in such a way that the government
will not question them. Every man is re-
quired to sign his name to the pay roll in
triplicate, and one copy will be sent to the
auditor at Washington. These pay rolls, re-
ceipted, must be presented to the state
auditor before warrant for the money will
be drawn.
The effort last night was to get the rolls
of the e-hundred-and- ffty-seventh Regi-
ment ready so that the men could be paid
this morning. The rolls were signed W the
men yesterday afternoon, and it required
clerical force Of twenty men to go over
them last night and verify them. Treasurer
Scholz and Deputy Auditor Hart remained
in their offices until the work was done;
The deputy auditor accepted the receipted
rolls and drew a warrant for approximately
So, GOO upon the treasurer. This was present
ed to Colonel Durbin7 and the money was
counted out to him. Another three hours
task then devolved upon the clerical force,
for it was necessary that the portion due
each man be placed in an envelope and
sealed. All the envelopes were then placed
in a safe, and this morning the safe will
be opened at Camp Mount and the money
distributed HosC
Treasurer Scholz was obliged to act
little irregularly last night in supplying the
money on the auditors office. He has over
a half million dollars in cash in the vaults
In his office, and it is customary to keep
this money under a time lock, which is
closed at o'clock each evening and which
cannot be opened until 8 o'clock in the
morning. Yesterday evening he left $125,OC0
out of the big vault in order to accommo-
date the soldiers. He did this on condition
The guard was furnished in the shape of
lieutenant and ten prixates. They were d-
vided INTO two shifts aild guarded the Office
all night. Three men patrolled the corridor
in front of the Office and two kept guard
in the auditors office at the door commu-
nicating with the treasuTer's office. while the
other detail slept in the treasurer's office.
Brigadier General Mckee and his staff.
the signal corps and the hospital corps were
paid yesterday, receiving 81 892. OF, $464O6 and
1914. respectively Tt is estimated that the
pay roll of the entire camp will amount to
a little over 800 900.