The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-10-25
PITNEYS POPULATION
Of TREASURY CONTINGENT FUND
A syAOpSlI Of the Suppressed Report Of the InVsI'
-tlgatlns Committee = How the Willy Gus.
tSdIGa Covered His TraskS-A Very Loose
Way Of CONDUCTING Business

WAY Of Conducting Business.
WAsnlSGToS, October 24.-on SIay5tI
last, ]. F. 8Ieline, John Walker and W. H
Hills were appointed a committee to ex
anime the disbursement and contingen
expenses account Of the Treasury Depart
ment. On June l4th the Secretary callet
for the report covering the investigation VI
to and including that date. This repor
was called for by resolution offered in thu
Senate by Senator Sherman, which wa
adopted the 2lst inst. The report was to
day submitted to the Senate. The commit
tee say that sowing to the statements made
to US by the Chief Clerk we have not made
an examination ofthe accounts ofstationary
but have confined our inquiries to the ac
counts and expenditures under the appro
priations for other contingent expenses.
The attention Of the Secretary is called
to various sections OF the Revised Statutes
prescribing the powers and duties OF GER
tain officers Of the Department in relation
TO the accounts under examination MI Ol
which are quoted in detail. The organiEa-
tion OF the Department officers, and their
salaries, are noted, and the report con,
tinues: For several years there has been
In the Department u quasi officer called
Custodian" who has, under the direction
OF the Chief Clerk, conducted most Of the
business connected with the contingent ex-
penses OF the Treasury Department and
the custody and disposition OF purchases
out OF the appropriations for contingent
expenses, The present Custodian" o.
l.. Pitney, Was appointed by the Secretary
OF the Treasury in June, 1870, with a COM
pensation at tho rate OF s., 400 per annum.
The compensation was increased to $2,500
per annum from July |, 1877, and Is paid
out Of the appropriation "for the pay OF
Custodians and JanitOrs for all public
buildings under control Of the Treasury
Department"
Your committees Is Of the opinion that
there is no authority for either the appoint
ment or payment OF this custodian, The
requirements OF section $500 ofthe revised
statutes seem to have been observed only
In the purchase OF fuel and carpets. In
making purchases and inCurring expenses
to be paid out Of tho appropriations for
other contingent expenses OF the Depart
ment, the ordinary precautions adopted by
business men generally have been neg.
leCted, and In many eases eXorbitant prices
paid. The first step in making the exalni.
nation was to take an inventory Of all
property in the store room belonging to
tho United States. We called for books
showing the amount Of stock on hand,
and were informed that no such books
were kept, We were also informed that
no inventory Of thcproperty had ever been
made.
The Committee find that during the fiscal
year OF 1880, 1881 yards OF Wilton carpet
and border, and cost oi making and laying
the sumo, were twice paid for, once out OF
the appropriation for the contingent eX-
penses OF the Treasury Department, and
once out OF the appropriation for public
buildings. Hove Bros. & Co. repaid the
amount Of duplicate payment, shortage 100
yards Of carpet found in the storeroom,
which the storekeeper claimed was In the
hands OF w. b. Moses, OF this city. II was
discovered that Moses had been paid for
637l yards Of carpet which already be.
longed To the United States, and he, hav-
ing been notified OF the fact, sent the De-
partment B37l yards OF carpet Of All inferior
quality to make good the amount.
The committee denOunCe rs illegal the
payment OF the cabinet makers depart
ment out OF the appropriation for fuel,
lights and water and for public buildings.
Continuing, the report says: Your commit.
tee find that in February, March, April,
May and June, 1880, bills were presented
to this department by ]. Bradley Adams,
OF this city, for fifty.two dozen Woodruff
flle.holders, which bills, 1902, were paid
out OF the appropriation for Ice, &C., but
that the fle.holders have never been'deliv.
cred.
The attention OF the custodian has been
called to this matter, and he has refused to
furnish any explanation, stating that per.
sonal explanation will be made to you.
We also find that In August and October,
1880, two bills amounting TO 1882 were
presented by u, w. Reed 4 Sons OF this
city for twenty-five boxes Of candles, which
bills were paid out Of the appropriation for
Gus, &C., for 1881, but the candles were not
furnished. We have been informed by the
custodian that these bills cover lemons
and sugar used for lemonade for the
secretary, the assistant secretaries and
the chief clerk, and also certain
lunch furnished In this building lust
summer about the time Of the Chicago
Convention. Both Upton, the Assistant
Secretary, and Power, Chief Clerk, stated
under oath that they had no knowledge
that lunch was paid for out OF the public
funds; they contributed out Of their own
means towards the cost Of the lunch as re.
ported to them, and believe 1t was all paid
BY private contribution. Upton also stated
that he at one time gave the custodian
twenty dollars to pay for lemonade fur.
nished bis room.
Your committee further find that In No.
vember, 1880, and In January, 1881, three
bills, aggregating $l4s 80, for overcoats fur.
nished the drivers department, In blank
and by direction OF the Custodian" were
made up as for billiard cloth for covering
desks, and were paid out Of the appropria.
ton for furniture. &C., 1885," also, that
In February the Custodian" or.
dered Of N. w. Burchell, for the Treasury
Department, one barrel containing 53i gaI-
Ions OF bay run, at 50 80 per gallon, which
was billed as deodorized alcohol. BurChell,
who appeared before the committee, stated
that the matter 30 far as he was concerned,
was an ordinary business transaction, and
that the bay fitn was sold at the lowest
possible figures. We found In stock bl9
gallons Of this ruin, and as II was used only
Tor toilet purposes we believe the purchase
10 have been ill.advised and unnecessary.
Your committee inquired why this
course was pursued, and were informed by
the custodian that 1t was done 30 that the