The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-03-13
GREED FOR FEES.
Official Report or Gross Frauds ana
Irregularities or United States
Court officials in the
western District of
Virginia.

FULL COPY or TIE REPORT OF AGENT
LANCASTER MADE To THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE AND FURNISHED The SEN
ATE OF THE UNITED STATES ON MOTION
OF Mr.. JOHNsTON-wAERANTs ISSUED on
FRIVOLOUS PRETENCEs, ACCUSED CAR
RIED UNNECESSARY DISTANCES. MANY
SENT ON TO THE GRAND JURY WITHOUT
| TESTIMONY TO CONVICT, AND FRAUDU-
LENT FEES CHARGED FOR RECORD.-"A A
DISGRACE TO THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY
AND A GREAT HARDSHIP TO THE CITI-
ZEN"-"A REGULAR TRAFFIC IN GOv-
ERNMENT PROCESSES EXPOSED.
The following is from the official copy Of
the report OF T.. c. Lancaster, Jr., made to
the Department OF Justice upon the invesi-
CATION OF frauds practced by United States
Court officials in the Western district OF
! Virginia, the same having been furnished
the Senate on motion OF Senator Johnston {:
WASHINGTON, February 2S, 1881.
Sir.-Pursuant 20 instructions contained
in your letter Of January !, 1881, to proceed
10 the Western district OF Virginia aSd thor
officers Of that dlstrlc', have the honor to
report the following facts b. reason Of
official business ] was unable TO leave my
office before the 23i OF January. As the
/ judicial accounts Oi this district had largely
! increased since July !, 1879, it was impor-
| tani at The outset 10 discover whether the
| judicial officers were responsible for this
I Increase by colusion. corruption, or other
wise. On examining the records and pro-
cess on lile in the Office Of Commissioner j.
/ l.. Fricr. a. salem, 1t was found that he had
drawn 3SS complaints since July /, 1879,
on which he bad issued warrants; and 2J7
OF these complaints were sworn 10 By
del uty mar,hals and their workers. nine
/ tenthS # which were for retailing liquor,
| being known as
CANPH0R BOTTLE OR FRIVOLOUS CASES.
! [Scc Exhibi,
II was found that Commissioner II. A.
( JamsoE. al New bern. bad drawn 1876 COM
! plants since July 1, 1879, on which he had
issued warrants. aud l03 OF these complnts
were sworn to by deputy marsbals and their
workers. see Exhibit p Commissioner
B. Gilder>leeve, at Abingdon, had drawn
80 complaint, since july 1, 1879, on which
he bad issued warian and 1l2 OF these
fGNilil1iill> NtIf Nhut " " ny NtIulN mar
sbals and their workers, as above. [See EY-
hbit . SpecialDcpuiy-C Collector John j.
McAlah0n sworc 10 lG2 OF these complaints
for retailing liquor, and he made an affidavit
that nearly all his information in these small
cases was furnished him by deputy marshals
and their friends. [Sce Exhibit IL Il was
found that Commissioner II. A. Scott, at
I Rocky Mount. had drawn 81 complaints
since July /. 1S79 on which he had issued
warrants, aud 80 Of these complaints were
sW orn to by deputy marshas and their work
cr>. as above. [See EXhibit5 ] Commissioner
John +. Watson, at Donyiie, had drawn
l0j complaints since July /, 1879, on which
] he had issued warrants, and 60 Of these
complaints were sworn 10 by deputy mar
ShaIS and their friends. [Sce Exhibit g.
Besides the number Of complaints actually
sworn to 10y deputy marsbals, mO:e than
! half OF those sworn to by deputy collectors,
for retailing Liquor, aud this charge en-
braced fOur-tiftns OF the complaints, were
on information worked up by deputy mar
shals, assisted by tbeir strikers and
PROFESSIONAL INFOBMERS.
TSee letters written to Collector Fernald, at
Danyille. Exhibit S. While in the Office of
! Deputy. Collector Austin, at Newbern.
Deputy Marshal ". c. Porter came in and
gave him a list OF parties and requested him
to make complaints against them for retail
| ing, and one OF the parties, l.. Hale, was a
| United States witness in a case Porter had
| brought up before Commissioner Jamison
that day for trial. Austin refused to make
| the complaints on The ground that the
charges were frivolous. [See Exhibit o.
While in Abingdon Commissioners Glider
sleeve tried the case OF Alexander Hubbard
for retailing, arrested by Deputy Marshal
| y. B. DO,sOn, and A. the witnesses for the
United States knew nothing Hubbard was
discharged. Deputy DotsOn, in answer to
my inquiry. stated that he gave the infOrma-
tion to his father, Deputy.Collector II. H..
D0tSOn, who swOre out the complaint with
the above result. Hubbard was arrested
seventy Mills from Abingdon, and the cost
in the case was SO II. See Exhibit 10. !
Other similar cases could be cited. Ne0rty
eUGy dcpUty marshal rest Of Lynchburg
and DanrHe h0d tlrO or three professional
infOrmerS IN their empiOB lchO lrOuld lcOrh'
mp tie c0SeS; and ,rben the deputy ymdrShdiS
cOuid not prcUU on the depidy collectors
to S,reqr ont the complaints they ,c0uld do
II themselves and PIT dorm their profess
SiOHG informers as ,ritHeSSeS for the United
suites.
THESE DETECTIVES or SPIES
made business Of getting 4 drink or pint
from any one no had a bottle or "tickler,"
and il the money was refused they would
throw il on The ground, and then make
complaint against them for retailing. The
following is a li>t OF some OF the principal
iDformcls employed by deputy mar-hils
Dave Carter, James hopper, Henry Snow,
Jordan Penn, Jim Boyd GALL colored mem.
Credd Right, Reese Funk, ri. Sexton. Dock
Hines, }. +. Gates, Joseph Long, William
Sbelcr. Il. and Robert ChldreSS-all men Of
the worst regulations and wholly unreia.
bic. Cases worked up by such corrupt
means were either discharged 10y the COM
miSSiOners for want OF evidence, or II
bound TO court, the charges were OF such
frivolous nature that the defendants were
never punished. 'ce specimen OF testi-
mony taken down by commissioner. EX-
hibits 10 and Ill OF 100 cases tried by
Commissioners Frier, 93 were bound to
court and Gl discharged; OF l20 eases tried
by Commissioner Jamison, 7G were bound
10 court and "a discharged; Of 34S cases
tried by Commissioner Gidersleeve, 1876
were bound 10 court and 1j2 discharged;
OF SO cases tried by Commissioner Scott
only II were bound to court and 81 dis
charged; Of 65 cases tried by Commissioner
Watson, 30 were bound to court and 20 dis
charged-showing that nearly half Of all the
eases brought before the commissioner We're
dismissed; but the deputy marshals and
their witnesses i
GOT THEIR FEES ALL THE SANE.
lsee Exhibits IL, 1-2, and 3 aud 5.
While examining Commissioner Frier's
office IL was discovered that he had issued
warrants on complaints without an oath,