The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-22
NEW AND OLD SCANDALS.


HOwgate ARair-DistressingS Sequel
Chicago Journals Washington Special.
John F. Gaynor and Benjamin D. Greene
have managed pretty we'll so far in keeping
out of the clutches of the law. The crime
of which they are accused was committed,
according to the governments evidence.
previous to July 1, 1897. The conspiracy to
defraud the government in harbor improve
ment work was formed in 1891. According
to the evidence which convicted Captain
Oberlin NJ. Carter the first division of spoil
occurred Dec Is of that year. when Carter
deposited $4,000 TO his account The evil
dence in the Carter trial showed that the
stealings were divided into thirds, for the
benefit respectively of Carter, Greene and
Gaynor.
From these records it is possible to ap
proXimate the amount for which the gov
eminent was bilked. The total of Carriers
thirds amounted, July 6, 1897. TO 72l103.O2.
Of this amount there was evidence and full,
proof of the various divisions produced at
the court-martial. The share Of Greene
and Gaynor was double this. or S1,44S2O6 -Oi.
and the total amount stolen S2,l72, 9O9.O6.
This will serve to explain in part how it
happens that Messrs. Greene and Gaynor
can pay counsel fees sufficient to retain
about all the highest public officials of Can
ada. The accused were not poor men be-
fore they got these contracts.
1t is proved that Carter invested his
money in gilt-edged railway securities,
which have doubled and quadrupled in
value since ten years ago. 1t is cOnserva-
tive, therefore, to say that Greene and Gay
nor have $4,000, 900 in ready money or con-
" a re
TO use to keep out of the penitentiary. 1t
is now more than three years since Carter
was convicted, and his fellow-conspirator
as they are charged with being-are still
living at fashionable hotels at summer re-
sorts thumbing their noses at the courts
and bailiffs.
Acknowledgement Knox is beginning to
chafe at the condition of affairs. He feels
that he has somewhat of a professional rep
utation to sustain.
In parallel columns with a history Of the
Greene and Gaynor case should be printed
a comparatively recent bit of news which
harks back to an army scandal of another
generation. Some people will remember the
case of Col Henry w. Howgate, at one
time chief of the signal service division of
the regular army. He lived in Washing
ton in an expensive manner, maintained
beautiful house, had a library celebrated
for its rare editions, and was cultivated
and was sought after as a man of talent
and rare social charms. He was married
and the father Of beautiful daughter.
AS is usual in such cases, no one sus-
pected anything until the explosion came.
Then il was discovered that he was MAIN
tanning another establishment and a wom-
an. was embezzing the government
money intrusted to him and was thorough
ly bad He fed He disappeared; dropped
out entirely. All efforts to discover his
whereabouts proved futile. He gen.
orally supposed TO have gone TO South
America or Africa. Finally he was be-
leved to be dead.
Years afterward he turned up in New
10 IF a
secondhand book shop. He was so changed
that his best friend would hardly know
him. From being a fashionable, smart
young officer he was now an old, broken,
gray-bearded man. The law took its course;
he went to the penitentiary and finally he
died
Now comes the sequel. At the time of
the scandal the daughter was just about
to make her debut. She was young, beau
tiful, and accomplished. Her fathers dis
grace and flight left her and her mother
with no means for support. Friends proved
scarce, and there a long time when
the two supported themselves by the quiet
sale of book or piece Of furniture from
the house Finally the daughter secured
a place in the government service al a
very small salary. But still the mother
and daughter appeared in most straight
dragged on an existence which was very
close to starvation. Many people wondered
what became of the salary which the young
woman earned.
Twenty years elapsed before the secret
was disclosed. From the beginning the
daughter never wavered in her fidelity to
her father. She was in communication
with him during all the years of his exile.
She sent nearly half her meager earnings
TO aid in his support; for the bookshop
was little more than a blind. Then, in
addition TO the money which she contrib
uted 70 her fathers support, Miss How
! gate kept up the premiums on a small life
! insurance which her ia Their carried.
Not long ago Howgate died. Now behold
| the zeal OF the government to aVenge its
! pilfered treasury. BY process of law, all
! duly formal and proper, the Department
| of Justice stepped in and took possession of
/ the insurance money, part Of the estate
| of the late deceased. 10 make good in part
! the funds which he had stolen many years
| before, and the daughter-she is wrinkled
and old, and just goes on working
! Verify the mills of the God grind slowly:
| and sometimes they seem TO grind the
| wrong people