Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-07-22
Fine Fisher Case,

/ VETERAN oEFIoK- HOLDER REPORTED TO 81
| HEADIEss - eTATEMESTs OF THE CIRCUM
| STANCES BIZ VARIOUS AurHoRIr1Es.
The New York Times Of Thursday contained
the following telegram from Washington -
| "Jndge Fisher, District Attorney, has, by di
rection OF the President, been informed thar his
| resignation would be accepted
The New York Tribune, of to day, has similal
| information. stated thus
| "Since lsst December, eight OF the letter car
riers Of the Washington City Post Office have
been detected tampering with and abstractine
missed, one Of them to-day. These cases were
referred to District Attorney Fisher, but no In
| dictment WAS found by the Grand Jnry in any
case. This fact led to complaint against Mr..
Fisher by the Postmaster General. Secretary
| Belknap and Secretary Dristow, IL in said, also
found fault with the loose administration Of his
office. In consequence his resignation has been
requested"
| THE NEWS OF THIS OFFICIAL CHANGE
will be heard with great interest in Delaware.
Judge Fisher was elected, in 1869, Member Of
Congress from this State, and on the expiration
OF his term. In 1883, was appointed by President
Lincoln Judge OF the Courts Of tho District OF
Columbia. Some years ago, under President
Grant, he resigned his place on the bench, and
was appointed U. &. District Attorney for the
District, from which place he 10 now removed.
He has kept mp a close connection with the poll
porters here, bat hio influence in the councils
Of the Republican party has been complained of
~ mischievous and injurious by many Of it's
members.
ANOTHER WASHINGTON TELEGRAM,
published in the New York San, Is As follows
WASHINGTON, July 15.-United States District
Attorney Geo. P. Fisher was to-day suspended
from Office by Attorney General Pierrepont, and
the commission of his successor, ex-Gov. Wells
nj VIRGINIA VIII, baa hoau . raaid LIANT nf nit
for some time past was forwarded to the Presi-
dent At Long Branch. Fisher is not willing to
60 out without struggle, and started to day for
the summer capital to endeavor to obtain fur
ther lease of his official life One Of the even
ing newspapers. in referring TO the removal.
says:
at IL not stated positively what the cause OF
suspension was, but it was alleged that the At
tOrney General WAS informed among other things
that Fisher had received 1900 to withhold from
the Grand Jury certain case pending. and that
tho case WAS reported az thrown out by that
body"
THE JUDGE HAsTENs TO TEE PREsfDENT--ATToR-
NEY GENERAL PIERaEPoSr GIVES HIM TIME TO
REPLY TO CHARGES.
Telegrams from Washington to the morning
papers state that Judge Fisher has not yet sent
in his resignation, in response to the invitation
OF Attorney General Pierrepont He got back
Saturday from his visit TO Long Branch, to soc
the President, with what result ia not disclosed,
but it il stated that the Attorney General has al
lowed him to reply to the charges. Meanwhile
ex-Gov. Wells Of Virginia, for several years resi-
dent OF Washington, having been rendered the
Office, says he will acceptit.
A telegram to the Trtbune makes tho follow
ing statement -
"Ths complaint OF the Postmaster q Geners al
against District Attorney Fisher was in conse-
nf the RnDHrant liatlnHAnAaH y and lark of
interest displayed by the District Attorney in bis
preparation of the Kinds case. Seeing this,
and fearing that Mr.. Fisher had too much busi-
ness in his Office to allow him to properly attend
to these cases, the Postmaster General offered
assistance by the employment Of assistant conn
sel, which Mr.. Fisher declined. The Postmaster
General reported this fact to the President, and
was directed by him to again make the offer Of
assistance to Mr.. Fisher. He did 80, and the Of
| fer was again declined, Mr.. Fisher assuring the
Postmaster General that he would attend to the
case. BY lack Of interest and failure to devote
proper time to the before the trial mistakes
occurred which resulted in the ncquital Of
Hinds.'
| The Washington Star, OF Friday last, has the
following full account OF the move in Judge
Fishers case =
Some time ago papers were filed with Attorney
General Pierrepont complaining of the manage
| m6HL OI LILO Olllco Ul tlle abOIHoy Ill
city. While they did not affect the integrity OF
Judge Fisher NJ an officer, it WAS set forth that
| he had appointed his son to the position OF an
assistant, snd that this son was unfit for the
| place for reasons set forth in said papers.
These charges were supplemented by others.
| The Treasury department complained that there
was not vigorous administration of the office
the Posteffice Department also complained, aud
particularly with reference to the conduct Of the
prosecution in the mail contract frauds Then
l 1rt, In rffIln N
charging that tho District Attorney had given
an erroneous opinion upon an abstract OF title
to property purchased by it upon the assumption
that it was clear title, when it was not
In view Of the complaints. Judge Pierrepont
sent for Judge Fisher some time since and invi-
ted him to refute or explain them away. Mean
while additional complaints were lodged with
him by members OF the Bar Of the District and
prominent citizens. About 3 week ago Judge
Pierrepont concluded that the interests OF JUS
tice would be subserved by change in the Of
fee. Accordingly at private conference with
Judge Fisher he indicated to him tkat his res
ignation would prove acceptable. After having
discharged this unpleasant duty he wrote let.
this city, asking him il he would accept the Of
flee, and on Tuesday last received reply that
he would.
On wednesday the Attorney General again in.
dicated to Judge Fisher that his resignation mo-
being forthcoming embarrassed him consider
ably, and plainly told him thst he had offered
the place to Governor Wells, and that gentleman
had accepted it ; that he WAS constrained to thii
course, not because he did not have high ap
probation Of Judge Fishers integrity, but soel.
because the office had been administered with
looseness which seemed to him inexcusabe.
Judge Fisher that night left for Long Brsnci
to endeavor to have the President intercede will
the Attorney-G General for lis retention.
Judge Fisher returned this morning and had
long Interview with Judge Pierrepont. Judg'
Fisher indicated to him that the President hs'
declined to interfere, and left the matter sole
in the hands OF his law-oflicer. At the inter
view this morning Judge Fisher asked that TIM
be granted him to bring endorsements from til.
bar OF the District TO show that his Office had al
ways been vigorously conducted This, Judg'
Pierrepont says, he does not think he can do
inasmnch as the local complaints against th
District Attorney come, he says, from some o
the most eminent members OF the District bar
Even to. day two additional ailid 4vits complaining
OF his (the District Attorney's) son. and the gen
ersl management of prosecutions in the District
were filled with the Attorney General.
1t ia the intention of the Attorney General I
have the commission OF Governor Wells prepare
! at once and forwarded to Long Branch for Es
ecutive signature. So far NJ he is concerned, h
will not retrace the steps he Las already takci
because before 30 doing he VAS fully convince
! that change should be made. II is expecte
,, that Governor Wells commission will be SCI
! to-day.
from the Boston Advertser-Repub.l
Tho removal OF Mr. Fisher, United States
! torney for the District at Columbia, is n promi
ing step. 1t has been evident for a long tin
that no plunderer Of the government could !
!, convicted in the courts established at the cap
tai. No matter how certain their guilt might b
the necessary evidence was not forthcoming,
1t was 30 produced that the jury felt free to di
regard it. How much OF the failure of justit
wss due to the attorneys ineiiiciency and ho
, much to other causes, it would not be proper II
= US to conjecture. Whatever the reason, 1t mu
be admitted that the Office was not in the prop'
Q hands. A prosecuting officer has the power,
he is no disposed to set at liberty all the untrle
Il scoundrels in his Jurisdiction. He may do tn
= from corrupt motives, or because he has not Il
- skill and persistence necessary to discharge Il
z duties OF the office we'll. The consequences q
:. bad enough either way. The repeated defes
! which the government has experienced in II
a. trials Of fraud and thieyery in Washington ha
made the United States Attorneys office eau
OF public scandal. Whether the damaging acc
nations against Mr.. Fisher are true or false, 7
country 10 to be congratulated on change Il
;. will test the question whether the fault has be
:. there or elsewhere.
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