Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-03-20
The Charges Against the Commits
s1Oner of Pensions.
: EKPLY TO IRIS. II. NJ. BA
PETITION.


GRN. BAKERS ERPLY TO MRS. II. NJ. BARNARo's
PETITION.
Gen. Baker, commissioner of Pensions, yes
terday forwarded TO the Speaker Of the House
Of Representatives his reply to the petition OF
Mrs. Helen NJ. Barnard calling for his i'm
parchment on various grave charges affecting
his integrity as public officer. The reply il
long and first takes up the charge that he has
borne clerks on his rolls who have done moth
ing but draw their pay. He says that Helen NJ
Barnard has been the only drone in the Pension
hive, with the exception OF one X. j. Hinton.
She came on the rolls of the Pension Office
without his consent, and went of with his full
knowledge and at his earnest personal request
he STATE that Mrs. Barnard was appointed a
clerk IN the Fifth Auditors Office in 1859, and
was dismissed the same year for general
worthlessness and mischief making.S The
commissioner issued an order requiring sill
copyists to report at the bureau daily for duty.
This order Mrs. Barnard disregarded, and only
came 10 the Office to draw her paw, while such
work as was sent to her home was 80 lily done,
mlsspelled, and generally incorrect that IL had
all to be recopied in the office. For this reason
the commissioner asked in person that she be
dropped from the rolls. He says he also caused
me discharge OF her brother who was clerk In
his office for prolonged absence without leave
and general bad conduct. The commissioner
touches up another party, who, he alleges Is
concerned in conspiracy against him, a. fol-
lowe
"One r. j. Hinton was transferred TO INV
Office from the Census Office, June I, 1874
Hinton had been In the Census Office two years
drawing full pay as a clerk, and during the
whole time had never rendered a DAYS service
found his name upon the rolls OF my off ce; he
never reported for duty, and never appeared
except TO draw his paw. From the beginning I
determined to drive this class of persons from
my rolls. finally succeeded, and from that
day 10 this this newspaper correspondent has
persistenty assailed rue in the columns Of every
journal into which he could gain admission. In
addition to his two years in the Census Office
ne enjoyed ten months salary I'm the Pension
Office without rendering service. As journal
list, whose chief delight IL appears to be to cen
sure and malign others, be has the rare oppor
tupity of pointing the moral of mis- tale by an
illustration drawn from his own dishonorable
practice"
The commissioner produces copies of tele-
grams and letters from Gen. 4. ID. Townsend,
Gen. K. n. Dodge, and, Gen. Beveridge, certi-
tying to his honorable military services during
the late war. He admits the use of government
furniture In his private room, and says be IL
often compelled TO work out of Office hours; that
these articles Of furniture are borne upon the
lists of public property belonging 20 the Pen
SION Office; that he never claimed or dreamed
Of claiming them as his private property, and
only the wantonness Of malice itself could i'm
pute such motives. IL has long been the usage
OF the heads Of departments and other public
officers to provide themselves with suitable con-
viences for dispatching the public business out
to be Temporarily 90 used, and thereafter re-
The commissioner emphatically denies that
ne mas ever uraNh one cent OF money as mile
age except when travelling on some public
duty; also, that he ever sent DIR. Hood TO Min
nesota to professionally attend his wife and
paid him any money for such service ont of the
contingent fund. He admits the purchase OF q
horse and ysgon out of the contingent fund,
out defends himself on the ground that such
purchases were imperatively neoessary. APP
pended to the reply OF the cemmiaionsr are
statements from George w. Roosevelt and j.
w. Babson, Of the Pension ONCE, certifying
that what little work Mrs. Barnard did Was 90
imperfect By being mispeIled, blotted, and
otherwise disfgured; that 1t had 30 Be recopied
~ Rhode Island has p.s.sd the lag giving