The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-14
MERELY PETTY THIEVERY
ALLEGED FRAUDS AGAIN DISCUSSED
By GENERAL SHAFTER.
Soldiers Who Wanted Money mt San
Francisco Simply Sold Their Ex-
ira Boots and Clothing.

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, June 13.-Speak-
ing of the alleged extensive frauds in dis
posing of military supplies supposed to have
been stolen General Shafter said:
Il am of opinion that the goods found by
the police were purchased from the soldiers
passing in and out of this port More than
$1,000 men have passed through this port
during the war. If one man In every ten
of these soldiers sold to dealers pair of
shoes, 5000 pairs would thus be placed IN
the hands of outsiders. The same rule
standing the fact that those having govern
ment property wrongfully In their posses
sion can be prosecuted on charge OF
felony and given a sentence of from one
tC five years Of confinement, there are
plenty of men willing TO take the chance.
The goods are first class and can be pur-
chased from the soldiers at ridiculously
low figure.
Soldiers can be prevented from selling
the stuff. In disposing of ii he leaves him
men inquiries to the quantity of goods
he has in his possession. IL the officer
thinks he is amply supplied he refuses to
this this manner the enlisted man is prevented
from drawing more than he needs.
I'm my opinion the police and federal
authorities are exposing system OF petty
thieving. Owing TO the large number OF
men these petty dealers have had oppor-
tunity to deal with their thievery has grown
to larger proportions than II otherwise
Now nothing to do with the affair other
than the seizure of government goods founo
in the possession of civilians, the possession
OF which cannot be satisfactorily accounted
for The detection and prosecution OF these
dealers rests with the civil and federal
authorities, and L hope they will make a
success of IL.
$50 far as crookedness existing with
army officers is concerned, candidly, / do
not believe there is any The published state
ment 70 the effect that a large quantity
Of
tain warehouse, the location of which was
rot given, has not, as yet, been suostan-
tiated by any subsequent developments
Capt A. w. Kimball, post quartermaster
at the Preside, speaking to-day of the al
legged frauds, said that all the government
things sold in the pawnshops are sold by
discharged soldiers from the returning vol
unteers regiments.
Col. j. b. Rawles. artillery corps post
commander said "All this talk of fraud is
perfect rot. l am confident that no quar-
termaster sergeant or civilian employe is
implicated in the selling Of even shoe
string
A warrant has been issued for the arrest
of ABE" Abrams, son of Louis Abrams
the secondhand dealer, who. with another
ported 10 the federal authorities to-day
that he found twenty pairs of government
shoes in a Sacramento-street store last
night
Captain Seymour. of the local detective
force said to-day: mo one can say. in
view of all that has transpired within the
past two days, that frauds have not been
going on. The quantities which the Abrams
firm already are able 20 supply their Gus
toners makes il seem conclusive 10 my
mind tha. some one having access to the
quarterfnaster's department is in collusion
with them"
The announcement that a warehouse full
of stolen goods has been found, which was
made yesterday on authority of Captain
Seymour, has been found to be erroneous.
The mistake arose from misunderstanding
OF a telephone message.