Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-07-22
The Case OF Judge Fisher.

HIS REMOVAL DETERMINED UPON.
The case of Judge Fisher as for -hadowed
in yesterdays STAR has been decldc d against
him beyond doubt, and he will retire from
Office as soon as ex-Gov. Wells, row abJent
from Washington, returns to the city.
When the question came before the Cabinet
yesterday, the President stated that he had
asked a suspension of the order of removal
until he could consult with his advisers, that
he did not expect, nor did he desire, to
act antagOnistic to the request of his Cabi-
net. A discussion on the case developed the
fact that the Cabinet was unit on his re-
TO Attorney General Pierrepont that he
could make the change at any time To suit
his convenience. That convenience will be
suited when Gov. Wells returns, which will
be in few days
AMONG THE NUMEROUS CHARGES
against Attorney Fisher is one that he con-
Quoted the negotiations on behalf of the gov
eminent In the transfer of the property
necessary for the extension of the CapitIl
grounds with lOOseness almost ineXcusa-
Die. The particulars of this transaction are
said TO be as follows On the Sth of Nav,
1872, Congress passed an act providing for the
enlargement of the public grounds around
the United States Capitol. This act stipu-
lated that the Department of the Interior
should purchase from the owners such prom
erty as was needed for the enlargement at
Its actual cash value, or at sum not to
exceed the appraisal made by a commission
OF nine In report made to Robert Oald,
United States district attorney for the Dis
trfct of Columbia, on the 21st of January.
1861. 1t further provided that, so far as pay
ments were concerned they should be made
by the Department of the Interior; but il
also imposed on the Department of Justice,
.,Ihat before such payment shall be made,
ches owner e, or owners OF the property pur-
deeds, in due form of law, and approved by
the Attorney General, fully release and con-
vey 10 the United States all their and each
OF their several and respective rights in said
titles TO such lands and property so pur-
chased"
This act is merely quoted to show the re-
ment of Justice as to the validity of the title
and the proper drafts of the deeds. Now for
the story as ii is circulated. To establish the
validity OF the title Attorney General VIII
hams, then occupying that position, pur-
chased from Wal ,er S. Cox, of this city, alb
stracts of title which he had made previous
TO Su6 hf TRh the of esds is no %
Cox's opinion OF title, and il is good and
clear and absolute in its transfer to the
United states: After having satisfied him
self That the title was clear, Attorney Gen
erol Williams directed Judge Fisher as
United States attorney for the District. to
prepare the deeds and other necessary con
Neyanclng. This Judge Fisher did. The deeds
We approved by the Attorney General ami
by him sent 10 the Department OF the Int
rior. which was made under the law tue GUS
todian the1eoi. II Is charged by the property
holders that Fisher, although a United
states officer, and actirg for the govern
meat a. the purchaser, made them pay him
Tor such service, in prices ranging from
twenty To three hundred dollars each. The
prOperty-holders dcmurred from such paw
ment, because Of the fact that the govern
ment was the purchaser, and the usual rule
Is that purchasers OF property, and not the
sellers, pay for the conveyancing. They
claim, too, that his charges were exOrbitan
because the only service he rendered was the
mere making of the deeds, the title having
been established by the government, and for
which walter ). Cox was paid round sum
But the strangeSt part of the transaction
most excerpts remains to be told. Ii would
appear in the light OF recent DEVELOPMENTS
that Fisher either failed to have the deeds re-
corded or that the tax CATERERS of the Dis
tv1ct have levied tribute on private indi yid-
uals 10 pay the government obligations 1t
Is alleged that the publication OF property
10 De sold for delinquencieS in taxes recently
which nIled the columns of morning paper
disCloseS the unpleasant fact that all the lots
On the enlarged grounds have been assessed
III the names Of the previous owners and are
charEed TO them severally. In other words
no notice is taken of the governments occu-
p3ncy OF this heretofore private property
but II Is now ard has been since the transfer
charged up as heretofore TO the old owners
This could only have arisen either from "A
failure TO record the deeds or shows giarin 2
u hclenceS and errors in the DiStric5 plat
book. In short, the government has no OH
oid record q icing me o,c7ae' GIFTS o5ca estate
THE NATIONAL BANK NOTES received at
the Treasury to-day for redemption aggre.
gated 1896. 100