GENERAL ORDERS No. 31. WAR DEPARTMENT, The following Acts of Congress are published for the information and government of all concerned: L..AN ACT to punish certain larcenies, and the receivers of stolen goods. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That any person who shall embezzle, steal, or purloin any money, property, record, voucher or valuable thing whatever, of the moneys, goods, chattles, records, or property of the United States, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and on conviction thereof before the district or circuit court of the United States in the district wherein said offense may have been committed, or into which he shall carry or have in possession of said property so embezzled, stolen, or purloined, shall be punished therefor by imprisonment at hard labor in the penitentiary not exceeding five years, or by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, or both, at the discretion of the court before which he shall be convicted. SEC. 2. That if any person shall receive, conceal, or aid in concealing, or have, or retain in his possession with intent to convert to his own use or gain, any money, property, record, voucher, or valuable thing whatever, of the moneys, goods, chattels, records, or property of the United States, which has theretofore been embezzled, stolen, or purloined from the United States by any other person, knowing the same to have been so embezzled, stolen, or purloined, such person shall, on conviction before the circuit or district court of the United States in the district wherein he may have such property, be punished by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, or imprisonment at hard labor in the penitentiary not exceeding five years, one or both, at the discretion of the court before which he shall be convicted; and such receiver may be tried either before or after the conviction of the principal felon; but if the party has been convicted, then the judgment against him shall be conclusive evidence in the prosecution against such receiver that the property of the United States therein described has been embezzled. stolen, or purloin 1. II... AN ACT to provide for de lucting any debt due the United States from any judg ment recovered against the United States by such debtor. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That when any final judgment recovered against the United States or other claim duly allowed by legal authority, shall be presented to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment, and the plaintiff or claimant therein shall be indebted to the United States in any manner, whether as principal or surety, it shall be the duty of the Secretary to withhold payment of an amount of such judgment or claim equal to the debt thus due to the United States; and if such plaintiff or claimant assents to such set-off, and discharges his judgment or an amount thereof equal to said debt or claim, the Secretary shall execute a discharge of the debt due from the plaintiff to the United States. But if such plaintiff or claimant denies his indebtedness to the United States, or refuses to consent to the set-off, then the Secretary shall withhold payment of such further amount of such judgment or claim as in his opinion will be sufficient to cover all legal charges and costs in prosecuting the debt of the United States to final judgment. And if such debt is not already in suit, it shall be the duty of the Secretary to cause legal proceedings to be immediately commenced to enforce the same, and to cause the same to be prosecuted to final judgment with all reasonable dispatch. And if in such action judgment shall be rendered against the United States, or the amount recovered for debt and costs shall be less than the amount so withheld as before provided, the balance shall then be paid over to such plaintiff by such Secretary, with six per cent. interest thereon for the time it has been withheld from the plaintiff. GENERAL ORDERS WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, No. 32. Washington, March 22, 1875. Hereafter, commanding officers of batteries, companies, and detachments, making Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores. will report, upon the face of the Returns, the maximum number of enlisted men under their command during the quarter. BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: OFFICIAL: E. D. TOWNSEND, Jajutant General. |