Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-02
WASHINGTON.
HOUSE DooRKEEPER IN TROUBLE.
Claim That the Northern Pacific Land
Grant Does Not Expire Till Next Year.
Operations of the Bank Redemption
Agency = Other Capital Gossip = Public
Debt Statement.
House of Representattres,

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-Mr. Whitthone
moved that when the House adjourned it be
to Monday next. He explained that he made
the motion IN order to enable members to be
present at the torpedo experiments Satur-
day. Agreed to.
Mr.. Phillips introduced bill to provide
for funding the national debt in home bonds,
convertible into currency. Referred.
Mr.. Baker, of Indiana, rising to question
of privilege, said several days ago gentle
man well known to him, brought him certain
statements in writing involving grave
if not criminal conduct on the part
of the doorkeeper of the House. He
had taken no notice at the time, but
when the gentleman returned with statements
in the form of an affidavit he felt he would
be false to his duty if he did not bring the
matter to the notice of the House. Besides
these statements there were also two others
which he would present. The first docu-
ment contained the names OF sixty three
employees on the rolls of the door keeper in
excess of the number authorized by law.
He desired to have it read.
Mr.. Hunton inquired whether it would not
he better to offer some resolution referring
the whole matter to some committee. He
was in favor of the fullest investigation, but
no document derogatory to the doorkeeper
should go to the country before it had been
investigated fairly and fully.
Mr.. Baker then offered a resolution recit-
ing the charges that John w. Polk, door
keeper, has been guilty of corruption and
malfeasance in Office, that he has required
employees to pay to other employees part of
their salaries, and that he is interested in
claims and bills now pending before Con
gress, and directing the committee on rules
to inquire into the matters alleged against
the doorkeeper and report whether said door
keeper is guilty Of the alleged charges and
also whether that Office ought not to be
abolished.
Mr.. Willis said he was glad the other side
of the House was awakening to the question
of civil service reform. Several years ago at
the Boston navy yard, several thousand men
above the number authorized by law, were
| employed, in order to bring about the de-
feat of the gentleman from Massachusetts
| (Banks), and the officer who had been re-
| sponsible for that, had never been removed
during the whole term of that administra-
ton.
Mr.. Baker then had read at the clerk s
desk the atfidavits referred to. The first
was one signed by Ingram Caryell, charging
that Polk was interested in claims before
Congress and had promised him an interest
in them in consideration of his resigning his
position as clerk. The second statement
was signed by Mark A. Duffey, assistant
superintendent of the document room, max
ing substantially the same charges and de
claring that Polk had told him that he had
a.corner upon Congress in the way of APP
pointments and that he could get the COM
mittee on accounts to do anything for him
The Speaker stated it would be almost i'm
possible for the committee on rules to per
form the services, as he himself was already
occupied to the extent of his powers, and
because such an investigation did not prop
erly come within the scope of his duties.
Mr.. Baker then suggested that the matter
should be referred to select committee o.
five members.
After considerable further debate the mat
ter went to the Civil Service committee ant
the House adjourned until Monday
| ic III