New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-16
OFFTcTAL ACCOUNTABILITY.


Arson o. Doolittle, son of ex-senator Doolttle
of Wisconsin, was a weigber in the New-Iork
! Custom House under Collector Smythe. When
he entered upOn the office, he sOlemnly swore
to perform faithfully the duties thereof, which
duties are clearly defined by law and customs
regulations. Among Others, is one requiring
true and accurate accounting for labor per-
formed, for which Government pays at the rate
of forty cents per hour. The same law recog-
nizes no person competent to act officially IN
the weigher's stead hence the entire response
bility for the fulfllment of his official obliga-
tions and trusts devolves upon that officer per-
sonally. The only security or pledge the Gov
eminent has from such officer for a correct and
upright discharge of duties imposed is his
sacred, solemn oath. Now this man DOOlttle
was arrested the other day, as an
nounced in THE TRIBUNE, on the charge Of
having issued false pay-rolls and fraudu-
lently obtained money thereon from
the Government Treasury. The examination
of the prisoner was conducted before u. s.
Commissioner Kenneth G.. White, and resulted
in the discharge of the accused last Saturday
In the investigation, according TO our notions
Of the force of evidence, it was Enthusiastically
proved that Doolittle's accounts were irregular
and fraudulent. Arson +. Adams swore that
he had worked several weeks for Weigher
DOOlttle, and that Doolittle paid him certain
specified sums of money for certain specified
number of weeks work; but it appeared in
evidence also that in each and every instance
Doolittle obtained money from the Govern
ment against Adams's name, consider
ably in excess of the amount claimed
and received by Adams. A similar
discrepancy was shown in the case of William
Foley; while the name of John Long appeared
on Doolittle's rolls nearly every week for some
two years, and yet Mr. Long positively swore
that he never worked day for Doolittle, never
signed q payroll, nor was he aware that his
name was attached to the rolls. Notwithstand-
ing this fact, for quite two years DOolttle
seldom failed monthly to swear that Long had
performed certain specified labor, that he was
entitled to certain specified sums of money
therefor, and upon his individual declaration.
acting in an official capacity, under oath, Off
Ger DOOlttle received from the Government
the moneys purpOrting to belong to Long,
but was proved never to have paid any pOr-
ton thereof to that person.
The defense solely and substantially set up
luuO OuO dCCuoSu udu lubICu W uuOllCI pCl-
son the duties he had sworn to perform him
self Cfor which the Government paid him q
salary of $500 per annum); therefore, he
could not be held responsible, criminally or
otherwise, for the illegal and dishonest acts of
such employee. For two mortal years, certain
manifest frauds, involving thousands Of dollars
was being perpetrated; and yet DOOlittle, with
all his inherited sagacity did not detectit
Such were the grounds Of the defense, on
which Commissioner White discharged the
prisoner. Now, if the action of the Commits
sioner be founded in law and practice, it is
certainly fraught with dangerous consequences.
How convenient bad men may find it to prac-
tice almost unlimited malfeasance in Office
Under this ruling, any Government officer, if
thus inclined, may totally neglect the duties he
has sworn faithfully TO discharge, intrust-
ing them to some plant instrument and
yet steer clear of all responsibility, CEN
sure, or punishment If the Government happens
to get swindled. Perhaps Mr. Commissioner
White Isl learned IL legal lore, and is an 1p-