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in December last & almost a month after the occurrence had taken place. The Conductor of the Ga Rail Road in order to Exculpate himself from any intention of fraud made an affidavit before Capt W F White A.S.A. Commss'r at Augusta Ga & placed the same on file in the office of the Georgia Rail Road in which he states that there were only (87) transported over the Road from Augusta to Atlanta & the reason he gives for inserting the full number in the receipt is that he was under the impression that the number mentioned in the receipt must agree with the number stated in the body of the order, & that he had intended to notify R L Rhodes Supt of transportation that only 87 received transportation & have the receipt corrected if neccessary but he had neglected & forgotten to do so until his attention was called to it by Mr Rhodes after Brig'd Genl Sewalls visit to the office in Augusta.

It appearing to me that fraud was evidently intended in this transaction, & was only prevented by the timely appearance of Brigd Genl Sewall & deeming the excuse offered by the Conductor a very unsatisfactory one & fearing that the fraud attempted to be practiced here, had been carried out on the other Rail Roads within the limits of your Command I intended to proceed to Atlanta to ascertain the disposition of the other orders issued at the same date with this, but meeting Brig'd Genl Sewall at Augusta & being informed by him that he had investigated this matter on the Rail Roads north & west of Augusta & having found every thing connected with