New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-26
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.

PHASES OF THE WAR BETWEEN THE MEMoRIALIsTs
AND TIE RING-THE BOARD REQUEST THE RE-
MOvAL OF THEIR ASSOCIATE WHOSE TESTIMONY
WAS so DAMAGING TO GOV. sHEPHERD-THE
PRESIDENT COMPLIES, AND APPOINTS AN ARMY
OFFICER TO FILL THE vACANCY-UNFAvoRABL
COMMENTS UPON HIS ACTION
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THB TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, May 2j.-The contest between the
memoralsts and the District Ring grows hotter day
by day. Tie EreRiRg star prints this afternoon the
following correspondence:
To HIS Erceency L. 6. GRANT, President Of the United
states.
SIR: In view Of the many Misrepresentation and
erroneous statements the correctness OF the
urements made by the Board Of Public Works, and in
order tina truth tmay be established and made known,
we have the honor request that you will direct the
Secretary OF War 10 detail engineer of the army to
remeasure all work under the Board and port
al once. ALEX. r. SHEPHERD.
II. A. WILLARD.
JAMES A. MAGRUDER
JOHN b. BLAKE.
May rs. 1874
To His Exeelencv ne President Of The United States.
SIR: have the honor to transmit certified copy of
resolutions passed by the Board of PuoIc Works at
formal meeting held this morning. Very respectfully
FRANK T. HOWE Chief Clerk.
Whereas Adolf Cuss, in his testimony the 22d inst,
Resoleed, That cannot recognize him as u
officer have charge Of the Eaguc@. department OF
this Board.
ResoIre6 Juriher, That in view Of the fact that for
months the business OF the Board has been retarded
and delayed by the action of said person. the order
dated Dec &C. 1872, requesting Adolf Cluss 10 take
charge Of the Engineer Department, and empowering
him TO make such changes in Its organization as he
night deem necessary, be and is hereby revoked.
ReeoJ Tired firlh "A
transmitted to the President Of the United States.
MAY rs, 1874.
Adolf Cluss esq.
SIR: am directed by the Board to;transmt the
companying certified copy OF resolutions passed at
formal meeting held this day.
Very respectfully, &C.,
FRANK I. HOWE. Chief Clerk.
The President sent to the Senate, this afternoon
the name of Lieut. Richard l.. Hoxe of the En-
qineer Corps to be Engineer member of the Board
of Public Works. in the place of Adolf Cluss, re-
moved The action of the President as well as
that of the Board of Public Works, has astonished
every one, and greatly panied the friends of the
former. In the first place Lieut. HoXie, who is an
officer of the Engineer Corps of the army on the
active list, is ineligible to the position to which he
has been appointed, unless he desires to leave the
army. Both the President and his Ring advisers
probably forgot the act of July Is, 1870, the 18th
section of which is as follows: and be it further
enacted That it shall not he lawful for any officer of
the army Of the United States the active list to
hold any civil Office, whether by election appoint
ment and any such officer accepting or exercising
the functions of civil office, shall at once cease TO
De an officer Of the army, and his commission shall
be vacated thereby"
Bat the President is not 50 much criticised for
amounting a man III M Cuss's place VINO cannot
hold the Office as fol- unnecessarily taking sides IA