New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-07-09

date this division had on hand 1884
packages of uncOunted currency. due
to the facr that for three months Irevi-
GUS the receipts of unfit currency had
been largely in excess of the ability
of the counting force to handle.
How the Money vanishes.
This accumulation had become so
great that the vault in this division
had been filled and the overflow of
necessity was deposited in a conpart-
ment of the silver vault in the sub
basement. On the date mentioned he
package referred TO was placed in a
money wagon with others of thai Gate.
This wagon was locked and under es-
cort of the assistant chief of the divi-
sion vas conveyed TO the vault In the
sub-basement. There the packages
were removed from the wagon and
placed in the vault. They remained
there until February 2S, when they
were removed to be counted. II vas
then found that n package was miss
ing.
The biggest theft of outgoing .le ks
occurred In December, 1918, when a
young army officer, later apprehended
and convicted, took checks a~ggregatins
$4,000. These checks, of course, came
into the treasurer's accounting division
and reclamation was made on the
banks, and all the banks involved rec
ognized their liability except one New
York bank, which refused to pay. The
dishonest officer raised many of the
checks before cashing them.
1t has always been the custom of
congress to relieve the treasurer of the
United States and other officers Of
the government who handle money,
when 1t could be clearly shown that
the losses were not due to any fault Of
theirs. There have been some notable
instances where relief was granted. In
1906 there was a loss of SCI 800 in the
sub-treasury at st. Louis; in 1907, a
loss of $l73,OO0 in the sub-treasury
ut Chicago; in 1907, a loss of $1,000
in the ~subtreasury at Boston, and In
January, 1911, when Lee McClung was
titdNutCi thNtC 90 "a 'o'S ~ h'S ~
demption division Of $l,OOO.40.
While the treasurer is liable under
his bond for the s~fekeeplng of the
public money In his custody. II Is OBJ
viOus that the transactions of his office
are so extensive that he cannot be per
s%onally cognizant of each check pre-
scented to his Office for payment or Of
the evidence presented to establish the
right of a presenter TO receive pay
ment thereon.
startd Liquor Fight Years Ago
The United States army was 20
years ahead OF the country as a
whole in a%bolishing strong drink.
1t was the army that eventually
pointed the way to nationwide pro-
hibition. These statements are made
in a special report on 1.-THE pass
ing of John Barleycorn from the
army" by Colonel John s.. Chambers,
chief of the personnel division Of the
adjutant generals Office. lie shows
that liquor was part of the army ra-
ton up to :hc early part of the civil
war. In 1863, however. due to the re-
stricted supply available, he says. only
one gill per man daily was allowed for
issue In cases OF excessive fatigue or
severe exposure. After the close of the
civil war the issue Of liquor as part
of tie ration was abolished by failure
TO include It's provision In the apprO-
priatiOls for subsistence OF the army.
Thereafter the history Of the career Of
lie : In the army was intimately con-
nected with the gradual evolution OF
the post exchange. In 1862 congress
required the inspector general Of the
arm! to prepare n list Of articles TO be
sold by "%sutlers" TO officers and sol
diers OF the volunteer service. That
list included all articles Of ordinary
merchandise and showed that the sale
OF intoxicating liquors was prohibited.
Following the civil war the army
was scattered mostly ut isolated posts
in what was then the great West"
and the vicinity OF the post became
cluttered with saloons. gambling Joints
and similar places designed to sep
arate the soldier from his pay. To
remedy that situation congress In 1870
authorized the maintenance OF one or
more trading establishment mt frontier
posts by persons appointed by the Sec
rotary of war. II also was provided
that these traders should be under the
protection and military control Of the
commanding officers as camp follow
ers." Then grew up a custom OF SELL
ing light wines aad beers. which in
those days were not regarded as in
toxicntIng."
Chief Source Of Revenue.
Colonel Chambers says that the sale
Of these liquors was the chief source Of
evenue of the Traders inter 1868. rs
an enterprising commissary general
supplied the soldiers with most of the
ordinary articles OF merchandise.
That said Colonel Chambers.
"was the real beginning OF outpost
commissaries." The am Of the post
suffers was gradually changed TO that
OF post traders and ail other traders
were prohibited from doing business
on military reservations. Orders were
issued In 1889 authorizing the estab-
lishment Of military c%anteens where
there were not post traders. TIE sale
or use of ardent spirits In the cantee,
was strictly prohibited. but light wines
and beer were authorized to be sold