Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-02
STEALING, AND PICKINGS.
How the Government is Robbed
by Republican Officials.
a History OF t!se Arkansas United
States HarsiIaI-s RiaS-Three Re-
ports from the C.licC Of the secret
service Force.

service Force
From the Cincinnati Gazette.
WASHINGTON. Dee. 30.-The com.
plications relating to the question oi
confirming Attorney-Goneral Williams
have called attention to three reports
made in regard to the condition OF
affairs in the Marshal's Office Of the
Western District Of Arkansas. made to
the Attorney General Ia January and
February anJ October Of the pres Mt
year. The reports were made bv II. G.
Whitley. Chief Of the secret service
force, based on the results Of an inyrs-
tigation made by L. b. Whitney Of
that force. and extending from Decem-
hnr. 1872. q August last. The first re-
port, received at the Department Of
Justice Jan. p. last. sets forth that 4.
NJ a Britton. United States Marshal
had serving under him one
hundred and forty Deputy Mar
shals. who derived their support
from fees they could collect. and that
as it was their interest t. make I'll the
cases possible they were allowed TO
roam over the country al w,ll mauUIac-
turing cases; thai onc-third Of al fees
obtained were retained by the Chief
Marshal, besides 10 per cent. on all
gross receipts from fees. which BrittOn
claimed he kept for contingent fund
for balance. He issued check sin the
form Of due bills. which could not be
cashed Tor more than 80 cents on the
dollar. These were bought mp by Post
master Scpttanl judge Story. Cnitei
States District Judge. at a discount IF
- per cent. Col Whitley attended the
court and reported that the cases We're.
Tor the most part. oi trivial character.
and yet were all treated and charged
Cor aS cases before the grand Jury. .
An abstract Of the expenditures Of
the District Court named two hundred
and tfCv persons. said 10 reside at Fort
Smith. and - hare served from jimc u
time a. posse CouiJatus Marshal
Britton certified that ho had paid these
men 50. $40. The invest CATION showed
that of this number Of persons named.
only forty-six resided at EoYt Smith.
that the others yer. unknown IN that
section Of the country. and that of the
forty-six, only twenty-five had ever
served in the capacity stated. Many
of the Deputies employed turned ont t.
ho thieves and murderera. and many
opponents Of the Republican. party,
and all were allowed bv the Marshal t.
range over the whole district and make
arrests when and wherr they pleased.
without process or warrant. for the
most trifing offansez. An were brought
10 Fort Smith When one person
brought IN several prisoners, he would
ret other persons 70 make returns on
the warrants obtained from the
commissioner. and thea collect
the separate miloagas. passes,
fees. and Subsistence, and all these
things were allowed by Commissioner
Brooks and Marshal Brittpn. On one
abstract. Brittou makes oath that he
had paid one Fleming SZ-I. The lat
ter testified that he never received IT,
Britton also swore that he paid one
Watson Sl56 as posse fees. The only
Watson II the place was a servant who
took care uf Britt0n's horse. and who /
never served 4 livery stable keeper |
named Leith. who boarded BTitton's |
horses, was charged with $500 for scr
vices a. deputy treasurer. lie never |
served \ merchant in the place. ac-
cpTjIng t. Britt0n 5 oath. received 1915 /
as deputy. though ne never served as |
such. Al one term of Tia" court, Brit /
ton dismissed one jury. summoned ac-
cDriIng t. law, and mad. Up one "j his |
own selection. OrIJO confined III the |
jail. over n2lf We're discharged when
the court met. because there was NJ
cgu>e against them.
We United States Commissioner was
IN the.habit of issUiHg and dating back
;he warrants of Deputy Marshal, who
had been To the Indian country. The
c5',n is cited Of an Indian woman.
hrought from the Chirkas3w country 10
Fort Smith. on the 2.id # Sept .mher.
and the warrant dated back to the n.
Tho woman was arrested on the state
m,n- of a negro that she had stolen cat
tie. After commitment one day she
was discharged thcnavt. because there
was M evidence. and the full mileage.
subsistence and posse fees pad. Brit
ton sad to the marshal he could not /
allow over 30 IN any case. hutthomar- 4
shalS wcTr urged to take any one /
against whom there was the slightest Z
charge. and hriu- in:o Fort Smith |
without "a warrant. They could yet the !
latter when they arrived When they /
came in with large .g of prisoners j
/, 4 : wcJf allowed, by Ia. marshal to
1T other deputies to mab. rsturas for
part. and thus multiply sa. fees. The
who made oHt these ,N- J
-ra papers were allowed 10 per cent. on