Congressional Edition Volume 1587 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1874 Excerpt: ... States Nary, respectfully submit the following report: It appears from the facts stated, and as verified by the record, that this officer was tried by a court-martial, and sentenced, on the 7th of April, 1872, to be dismissed the service, for an alleged embezzlement of public money while discharging his duties as paymaster on board the United States ship Mahaska, from the 27th of August, 1867, to the 18th of September, 1868, and who now prays that he and his sureties may be relieved from the liability involved, amounting to $25,104.98, including interest, as certified by the Fourth Auditor of the Treasury, on the ground that he is not morally responsible for the amount, and that the facts and circumstances relating to the case fully exonerate him from all liability. After a careful examination of the record of the court-martial, as also that relating to the services of this officer, your committee find that he entered the service of the United States in 1852; and, after discharging his duties most creditably, he was successively promoted, and assigned to duty as paymaster on the United States ship Mahaska, at New Orleans, on the 14th day of August, 1866, and remained until the 18th of September, 1868. During this time he was in the performance of his duties until the 27th of August, 1867, when the yellow fever broke out as an epidemic, and raged with extreme violence. A large number of officers and men were down with the disease, and 25 per cent, of the complement died. Paymaster Mellach, at a time, was the only officer on board the ship, and his duties were principally confined to caring for the sick and dying, which is fully proved by Commander Young's testimony (the officer in command) before the court-martial. The epidemic prevailed for a long time, bu...