Smyrna times., 1876-08-16
nrpArrNrNr az .IrsrIcE.
OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR Of THE TREY,

DEPARTMENT CT JUSTICE.
OFFICE or THE SOLICITOR 81 THE IRE Y,
WAsnIxGTox. d. c., juno 80, lN76.
Hon George +. Edmunds, Chairman Judi |
ciary Committee, United States Senate
DEAR SIR-As one among the last acts of |
my official career in connection with this (
office deem it my duty to w'ite you with
reference to the nomination Of George I.
Fisher to be District Attorney for Delaware.
/ think Mr.. Fisher wholly unfit for the
place As late District Attorney for this
District he was my subordinate, and had
freuuent occasion 10 test his efficiency a
prosecuting officer, notably il connection
with the Susc Fort and safe burglary eases.
His failure to properly discharge his duties
therein was the chief ground upon which
/ the late Secretary Of the Treasury, Mr.
/ Bristow, Joined with Postmaster General
! Jewell in urging the President to remove
| him from office. In many other cases, and
generally in reference to all other business
sent him from this Office, found him nCgli-
gent and indifferent to the interests OF the
government.
| wish, however, to direct your special
attention to the fact that one Nolan, lately
Collector of Customs az Wilmington, Del,
was removed from that Office at the in
stance of the late Secretary of the Treasury,
Mr.. BrstOw for the embeZzlement of about
$1,000 of the public moneys realized by him
in the sale of certain foreign liquors cast
away upon the coast of Delaware. These
goods were sold under Nolans direction
for the customs duties, and the proceeds of
the sale, instead of beng covered into the
Treasury, were by him converted to his own
use and no report made of the matter for
r over two years. When, accidentally, the
attention Of the department was called to
2 the facts, and Mr.. Nolan was asked for an
4 explanation, he had none to make and ad
mitted the unlawful conversion of the
money. lie is now under indictment fol
. the embezzlement.
). 1t has been said, and by gentleman
). from Delaware in whom | have tho fullest
a confidence, that Nolan privately claims tC
d have expended this money in advancing
is the party interests in Delaware. Nolan,
q understand, has been one of the pOlitica
e managers of Delaware, and was also warn
" friend and familiar, and, | believe, was ap
+. pointed on, the recommendation of Fisher
h In my judgment it is in the highest degre
e, important to the government that Nolal
le should be vigorously prosecuted and sen
'y to the penitentiary for his crimes. Tn
st confirmation of Mr.. Fisher rs Distric
m Attorney means simply the defeat of tn
We government in this prosecution, and Civ
OF it as my deliberate opinion that Fisher an
to his friends in Delaware urged his appoin
OF ment to be District Attorney with direC
lis reference to Nolan's case.
k, The Postmaster General, if called upol
Is could, and doubtless would, state IL
ng reason which led him to advise the r
ng moval of Fisher from the position of Di
trict Attorney for this district, 1t wOu
ity seem to me that whatever causes workC
aw Fishers removal in 1875 operate with equ
ny force now to prevent his confirmation.
lis, Very respectfully,
,ut BLUFORD WILSON,
es. Secretary of the Treasury.