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Bailey wrote a letter to him, antedated the 1st of December, disclosing the material facts of the case, and pleading, for himself, that his motive had been only to save the honor of
Floyd, which was compromised by illegal advances.
Thompson returned to
Washington on the 22d, when the letter was placed in his hands.
After consultation, it is said, with
Floyd, he revealed the matter to the
President, who was astounded.
The farce of discovering the thief was then performed,
Thompson being chief manager.
The
Attorney-General, and
Robert Ould the
District Attorney (who afterward became one of the most active servants of the confederated conspirators at
Richmond), were called to take a part.
Neither the robber, nor the key of the safe in which the bonds were kept, could be found.
Mayor Berret was required to detail a special police force to guard every avenue leading to the Interior Department, so that no clerks might leave.
These clerks were all examined touching their knowledge of the matter.
Nothing was elicited.
Then the safe was broken open, and the exact amount of the theft was speedily made known.
At length
Bailey was discovered, and made a full confession.
The wildest stories as to the amount of funds stolen immediately wert abroad.
It was magnified to millions.
1 It was already known that
Cobb had impoverished the Treasury; it was now believed that plunder was the business of the
Cabinet, for the public held
Floyd and
Thompson responsible for the crime which
Bailey had confessed.
The blow given to the public credit was a staggering one.
The Grand Jury of
Washington soon acted on the matter, and
Floyd was indicted on three counts, namely, malversation in office, complicity in the abstraction of
the Indian Trust Fund, and conspiracy against the
Government.
The House of Representatives appointed a Committee to make a thorough investigation of the affair, and they concluded their report
with the expression of an opinion, mildly drawn.
that
Floyd's conduct in the matter “could not be reconciled with purity of private motives and faithfulness to public trusts.”
2 When the indictment of the
Grand Jury and the report of the
Committee were made,
Floyd was far beyond the reach of marshals and courts.
He had fled in disgrace from the
National Capital, and was an honored guest of the public authorities at
Richmond,
3 who boldly defied the national power.
The excitement on account of the robbery in the Interior Department was followed by intelligence of the proceedings at
Pittsburg, already mentioned,
4 where an immense meeting of the citizens was held in the street, in front of the
Court House, in the evening of the 27th,
and they resolved that it was the duty of the
President “to purge his ”
