Year: 1863

AN ACT to prevent aud punish frauds upon


the Government of the United States.


BE 1t enacted by the Senate and House Of
Representatives of the United States of Inscr-
sca in Congress assembled, That any person
in the land or naval forces of the United
States, or IN the militia in actual service Of
the United States in time Of war, who shall
make or cause to be made, or present or cause
to be presented for payment or approval to or
by any person or officers in the civil Or mill


tary service of the United States, any claim
upon or against the Government of the United
States, or any department or officer thereof,
knowing such claim to be false, fictitious, or
fraudulent any person in such forces or ser
vice who shall, for the purpose of obtaining,
or aiding in obtaining, the approval or pay
ment of such claim, make, use, or cause to be
made or used, any false bill, receipt voucher,
entry, roll, account, claim, statement. certIi-
cate, affidavit or deposition. knowing tliesame
to contain any false or fraudulent statement Or
entry any person in said forces or service
who shall make or procure to be made, or
knowingly advise the making of any false
oath to any fact, statement or certificate
voucher or entry, for the purpose of obtain
ing, or aiding to obtain, any approval or pay
ment of any claim against the United States
or any department or officer thereof any
person in said forces or service who, for the
purpose of obtaining or enabling any other
person to obtain from the Government of the
United States, or any department or officer
thereof, any payment or allowance, or the ap-
proval or signature of any person in the mill
itary, naval, or civil service of the United
States, of or to any false, fraudulent, or iicti


tious claim. shall forge or counterfeit, or cause
or procure to be forged or counterfeird. any
signature upon any bill, receipt, voucher, ac-
count, claim, rell statement, affidavit or dep
osition; and any person in said forces or SER


vice who shall utter or use the same as true
or genuine, knowing the same to have been
forged or counterfeitcd; any person in said
forces or service who shall enter into any
agreement, combination, or conspiracy to cheat
or defraud the Government of the United
States, or any department Or officer thereof,
by obtaining, or aiding and assisting to oh
tain, the payment or allowance of any false or
fraudulent claim; any person in said forces
or service who shall steal, cmbezzle, or know


ingly or wilfuliy misappropriate or apply to
his own use or benefit, or who shall wrong
fully and knowingly sell, convey. or dispose
of any ordnance, arms, ammunition, clothing,
subsistence stores, money. or other property
Of the United States, furnished or to be used
for the military Or naval service of the United
States; any contractor, agent, paymaster
quartermaster, or other person whatsoever in
said forces or service having charge. posses


sion, custody, or control of any money Or
other public property, used or to be used in
the military or naval service of the United
States, who shall, with intent to defraud the
United States, or willfully to conceal such
money or other property, deliver or cause to
be delivered to any other person having al,-
thOrity to receive tho same any amount of
such money or other public property less than
that for which he shall receive certificate or
receipt; any person in said forces or service
who is or shall be authorized to make or de-
liver any certificate, voucher, Or receipt. Or
other paper certifying the receipt Of arms,
ammunition, provisions, clothing, or other
public property so used or to be used, who
shall make or deliver the same to any person
without having full knowledge of the truth of
the facts stated therein, and with intent to
cheat, defraud, or injure the United States
any person in said forces or service who shall
knowingly purchase Or receive, in pledge for
any obligations or Indebtedness. from any SOL
dier, officer, or other person called into or en-
ployed in said forces or service, any arms,
equipments, ammunition, clothes, or military
stores, or otEer public property. such soldier.
officer, or other person not having the lawful
right to pledge or sell the same, shall be
deemed guilty Of criminal offense, and shall
be subject to the rules and regulations made
for the government of the military and naval
forces Of the United States, and Of the mill