116 THE FREEDMEN’S SAVINGS BANK 
tect depositors the commissioners ruled that no 
assignments would be allowed, and the pass 
books began to flow in.® 
METHODS EMPLOYED BY THE COMMISSIONERS 
When all of the accounts of the branch banks 
that could be obtained were collected in Wash- 
ington, it was found impossible to reduce them 
to good order. Many Freedmen’s Bureau ac- 
counts were turned in from the branch banks 
and papers belonging to the Freedmen’s Bank 
were found in the Bureau archives. There was a 
difference of $42,297.50 between the accounts of 
the branches and the accounts at headquarters 
as to the balance due depositors. Pass books 
were found to be more nearly correct than the 
ledgers, so the depositors were paid according to 
their pass books. Each loan had to be investi- 
gated to see how much had been repaid and how 
much was still due. Seldom could a loan be col- 
lected without a lawsuit. Between 1874 and 1879 
over three hundred cases were carried to court 
by the commissioners, but frequently the law- 
yers’ fees took all, or nearly all, of the collections. 
Every obstacle was put in the way of the com- 
missioners. There was strong opposition by de- 
positors in some localities to the sending to 
Washington of the proceeds of collections, as 
they believed that the money would never be 
returned. The courts in the different states and 
in the District of Columbia were easily prevailed 
upon to issue injunctions preventing the sale of 
property for the bank. Much property belonging 
2 Report of Commissioners, Dec. 14, 1874, in Ho. Misc. Doc., No. 
16, 43 Cong., 2 Sess.; Bruce Report, p. 17, and Appendix, p. 6.