FRAUDS ON THE PENSION BUREAU.--On yesterday a week, U. S. Marshall Wynkoop, and Deputy Marshalls, John Jenkins and George Wynkoop, arrested in this city, Judge Daniel B. Vondersmith and Gen. George Ford, upon a warrant issued by C. F. Heazlitt, U. S. Commissioner on the oath of John Jenkins, charging them with forgery upon the Pension Bureau. The position occupied by the persons, both being members of the Lancaster Bar, and the former an associate Judge of the Court induced the Marshal to make the arrest in person, which he did, and was about to take them to Philadelphia, when he was served with a writ of habeas corpus issued by Judge Long, the President Judge of this Judicial district. Upon the hearing of the writ Thadeus Stevens and William Mathiot, Esqrs., appeared in behalf of the prisoners, and asked that they be admitted to bail by the Judge present, quoting the act of Congress of 1798, as authority for their discharge. Marshall Wynkoop in behalf of the United States, objected to the proceedings--denied the jurisdiction of Judge Long--asserted the impossibility of fixing bail before a hearing was had, and protested solemnly against being obstructed or interferred [sic] with in the execution of his duties. Judge Long, however, decided, that the authority to receive bail was with him, and accordingly admitted the parties to $2000 bail, to appear at the ensuing term of the United States District Court, to be held at Philadelphia. He then wrote a discharge of the prisoners from custody, which was served upon the Marshal.
    In the meanwhile additional information had been received from Washington implicating another person and on Friday afternoon last, Colonel Wynkoop visited our city again, re-arresting Vondersmith and Ford, and also taking into custody Walter G. Evans, an acting Alderman of the South East Ward. As in the first instance, the prisoners again petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus, which was again granted, Messrs. Franklin and Kline, appeared for the petitioners, and claimed under the same act of 1798, the right of discharge on bail. Marshal Wynkoop declined arguing the question, but as before entered his protest against the proceedings. Judge Long after some hesitation and delay, admitted the parties to bail in the sum of $5000 each, and again discharged them from the custody of the Marshal. Col. Wynkoop again as the legal representative of the United States Government, protested, declaring that his official duties were interfered with, and that he was obstructed in the discharge of his duty by superior force and illegal impediments placed in his way.
    It appears from the facts connected with the discovery of these alledged frauds, and as yet they are but imperfectly developed, that they have extended over a space of fifteen years, and that the amount during that period drawn from the United States Treasury will reach the sum of fifty thousand dollars.
    The authority to institute inquiry in relation to them proceeded directly from Washington, and originated from discoveries said to have been made there several months since. The information was then conveyed from the Pension Bureau to the Marshal of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and with his consent, one of the Deputies was employed by the Bureau, to trace out all the evidence necessary to prove and substantiate the charge.
    We have above given all the facts in connection with the affair, that has yet been brought to light. The reason for not noticing in our last issue the arrest of two of the individuals charged with the crime, is, that beyond the fact of their arrest, nothing was definitely known, and we were not disposed to lay before our readers, rumors, which might possible [sic] have been tortured into evidence of the guilt or innocence of the accused.--Lancaster Herald of Thursday.

Source:

Unknown, "Frauds on the Pension Bureau," Village Record, West Chester, Penn., Tuesday, 21 February, 1854, page 3.