Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-03-11

THE editor of the Washington
Post, in Mondays issue of that paper,
makes the following grave charges
against Mr.. Defrees, the public print
er, which, in view of the large dcfici-
ency asked for the Printing Bureau,
neither Congress nor the public print
er can afford to pass without investi-
cation or explanation
SOME FACTS FOR THE HOUSE.
The House Appropriation committee
will report to-day a deficiency bill, in.
cluding, among other items, one of
100000 for the public printer. Before
the Democratic members of the House
vote upon this proposition we respect.
fully ask them to consider the following
plain facts:
The deficiency in the public printers
accounts has not been brought about in
a legitimate way. 1t has been caused
By violation of law and general dis.
honesty. For the two years Just past
Mr.. Defrees has been filling up his Of
flee with new machinery, which he had
no right to buy. IL was not needed,
and, in many cases, is not as good as
that which has been thrown out, but it
has been bought in order to help two
middle men-Painter and Goh-make
large sums of money in the way OF com
missions.
These purchases are accompanied by
fraud and imposition on tho Govern.
II l.
for the statement that in one purchase
of type alone over twenty. five thousand
dollars we're either thrown away or di.
vided among DIR. Defrees and his
agents.
We hold ourselves responsible, fur.
ther, for the statement that this type
was not needed, and that just as good
material was melted up to make room
for il.
We charge distinctly that the public
printer Is either personally corrupt or
knowingly permits his subordinates to
be so. We can show that men have
stolen and still retained their places
and Mr. Defrees' apparent confidence !;
that false time has been kept and paid
for, and that Mr.. Defrees has done
nothing to prevent it or repair the
wrong.
We charge Mr.. Defrees with knowing.
ly appointing persons of disreputable
character at the request or dictation Of
those whom he had reason to believe
could help or injure him. In other OF
his appointments we accuse him OF
having been Extensively partisan.
We are prepared to prove that there
is very large deficiency in his accounts
going back number Of years.
We can also show that he is now
under indictment for swindling the
Government unless the charge has been
dismissed very lately by some service
able District attorney.
We charge him with employing and
retaining in his employment confessed
thieves.
We charge him with keeping in his
employment scores OF worthless, igno.
rant and inexperienced persons who
are paid the highest salaries for the
slightest possible amount of work. .
We have already proven before the
House Printing committee that his ad.
ministration has been wasteiul and cor.
rupt, and have challenged him 10
disprove particular allegations, which he
has wholly failed 10 do.
Mr.. Defrees relies upon the fact that
he is related in some way to the Frand.
ulent Executive, and the further fact
that he has made fast friends of some
prominent Democratic members by
giving them large amount of patron.
age as : protection against punishment,
or investigation even.