New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-26

tions under the conscience Fund" caption.
President Madison received In 1911 q sum Of
money from some repentant sinner who wished
to make restitution of stolen money. Then ana
there the fund started, and 1t has been IN
mythical existence ever since. No sum Is TOO
large or too small for entry in the record just
as much pains are taken with the three stamps
that schoolboy sends to make peace with
his inner self as with the fat roll of bank
notes some wealthy importer sends to silence
the still small voice" within his portly breast.
AS soon as money for the Conscience Fund" is
received at the Treasury Department. Secre-
tary Shaw orders a little item placed upon the
bulletin board in his outer office. The news
paper correspondents who go the rounds of the
various offices in the Treasury Building invari-
ably make note of the case. and thus the news
of good example is sent broadcast to the
world.
On February 26 last Secretary Shaw found in
mis- mornings mail letter containing 10 cents.
1t read as follows:
Enclosed you will find 10 cents which send
to pay for two slate pencils which / believe I
took from Indian agency located at that
time at Cotton, Cal This was done when 1
was a small boy about sixteen years old. or
something it. 1t probably was more than
hat. 1 sent the money to the Indian agency at
San Jacinto. Cal. but it sent back to me.
do this because I believe it is Gods WILL 1
nope you will dispose Of the amount so that it
viii go to the proper place"
A few days after the receipt of this letter,
to be accurate, on March a. a somewhat larger
contribution to the Conscience Fund" came in
the mail to the Secretary. The missive which
accompanied the cash did not tell how the money
was taken originally from the government, but
1t was just eloquent of n desire to make
amends, the following copy will show:
Il am sending you herewith inclosed $4,000
% r. he nf a
government. Years ago L defrauded the gov
eminent but have returned it all, and now am
paying fourfold in accordance with the Script
ures. The way of the transgressor is hard, and
no one but God knows how [ have suffered the
consequences and would ask to do a bountiful
restoration May God pardon while the United
states government is benefited. A SINNER"
The poStmark upon the package containing
the $4,000 was very badly blurred. Some Of
the clerks in the Secretary's office were of the
opinion that it had been postmarked NewYork,
while others believed that it came from New
ark, n. j., but there was no doubt about the
amount of money Of the quality of the bills,
which were mostly of $50 and 500 denomna-
lions. The $4,000 contribution the largest
ever received with one exception. The record
was made in 1896 when United States Consul
General Patrick Collins at London transmitted
TO the Secretary of the Treasury S14 225 Is.
which had been given to him by the Rev Preben-
dairy Barff vicar of st. Giles Church in one of
the suburbs of the English metropolis The
vicar informed Consul General Collins that one
of his parishiOners had handed him the money
with the simple request that il be sent to the
United States government Although the papers
at the time were filed with speculations by
various authorities who advanced various theo-
ries to account for the conscience contribu-
ton nothing definite ever learned either
of the conscience smitten person or of the theft
or fraud that he had committed. 1t was gen.
orally supposed that the sender OF the money
had, at some time defrauded the government
through the Customs Bureau, and the same ex-
PLANTATION is now held in regard to the $4,000
package that came to the department on
March IA
Many contributions received at the Treasury
Department are apparently due to recent con-
version at revivals campmeetngs. These
are almost always signed "A Penitent" "a SIM
ner or "A Lost Soul" The fair sex is es-
pecially given to confession, and feminine con-
tributions nearly always accompanied by
long letters telling in detail how they struggled
their diamonds, laces and gifts to friends In
the country without paying duty or used can
celled postage stamps. Many of the letters ara
sent to the President of the United States on
the supposition. probably, that he will see and