Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-17
Solicitor Kayner and the secret Ser
vice Division.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. /
OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR OF THE TREASURY,
WASHINGTON. ID. c., December Il, 1873.
EGttor Erentag Star:-In your issue of Satur-
day evening last, in your brief notice of nay tes-
tmony before The Conover investigating COM
mittee, you represent me as saying that when
son applied to me 10 be allowed TO go before the
grand jury, &c. did not say ia Calfornia-or
at Least did not mean to say so-for it was not
whilst MIR. Brooks was in California Ny I'M
preston is it was when he was In Boston, at
Lending TO some matter Of public duty there
Ih1s is entirely immaterial, so far as regards
still l prefer to stand right upon the record.
Further, in speaking of my testimony, you put
into my mouth your own view Of the facts as
ELECTED. After brief statement OF my official
TelatonS to the secret service, in reply to
!eading question put to me, as follows: Ibid
Mr. Henson ever go to you and ask for permis-
sog sion TO 60 before before the grand Jury and have Mr..
certain parts OF the Hot Springs bill at the last
session." q may not give every word exactly
put this is the sense, and as far as l can recol-
did, ''fi'N ie'' ie
You Will pardon me for calling your attention
TO an erroneous impression likely to be made.
by paragraph in your issue of yesterday Mon
day. evening. In speaking Of the rumOrS, in re-
gard to late order, touching the reorganza-
ton OF the ''secret service" you say-"Ihe So
peryision of the Secret Service Division Prac
tically, this Is not the case, and your statement
is calculated to create wrong impression. The
exercise OF supervision over all the details and
minute operations of the secret service, would
be DeyCnd the power OF any SOlicitOr-f he at
tended to the duties appertaining to his own Of
fce proper. Since l assumed the duties OF So
llcitcr OF the Treasury, have not attempted to
Interfere with the routine duties OF the secret
service. have not inteFfered with the appoint
mentS to, or removals from, the roll OF oT,-
eratlNes; but have left that 10 the Chief
OF the Division. I have given no special
instructions and have not attempted TO
manipulate the details in regard to the
hunting, detecting, and arrresting OF coun-
teTfe1terS or others engaged in schemes for
plunGering the Treasury. have neither taste
nor capacity for the businessmen have con-
sidered it part Of my duty. have. under the
supervision OF the Secretary. ever been ready
and willing to give any legal advice, when ap-
pealed to by the chief OF the division, in regard
to the law and its proper construction. when the
same was applicable to any work he was called
on to do. In addition to this, have had to sign
my name 0fflc1ally, In approval OF all vouchers
certified to by the chief, when presented for
payment by Mr.. Robinson, the disbursing agent
OF the fund, and for the diSbufslng OF which,
by the way, he is not allowed cent. But as to
the rigid examination of these vouchers, item
by item, involving all the minutfse Of operating
the secret service, neither l nor the disbursing
agent could possibly do it, without negiecting
the duties of our respective positions.
Whilst ready and willing to meet any reSpOn-
Sibility for what have done, / do not wish to be
regarded as accountable for things / have not
done, nor attempted to do. Respectfully,
4. RAyE1R,