The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-11-25
Fraudulent e,bson's Latest Fraud.

National Republican.
A lengthy document, rehash Of an old
congressional report on the Post.Odlce De-
partment, appeared in several papers ycster-
day, bearing the signature of "A. NJ. Glib
son, special assistant attorney for the
United States" Tho Republican is authori-
tatively informed
First-That such person as "a. NJ.
Gibson, special assistant attorney for the
United States" is officially unknown to
the Department of Justice.
Second-That if one "a. NJ. Gibson" has
u commission rs special assistant attorney
for the United States" such an sppoint-
ment Is not q matter of record in the De-
partment of Justice, and tho Department
recognizes no such person rs Gibson in that
official capacity.
Third--The Attorney. General is alone
responsible for tho publication of official
documents emanating from the Depart
mept Of Justice, and in this instance the
Department repudiates entirely all
responsibility for report published in
the papers purporting. to from one
"a. M. Gibson, special assistant at.
partment knows no such official person,
and said alleged report is not matter of
record or on the files Of the Department.
How long oh, Administration, how
long will this gang Of matchmaking detect
ives be permitted to use the good namc of
the Government In order to fatten at tho
public crib and ply their disgraceful and
nefarious practices ?
The Authorities Indignantly Rcpu-
dating His Report.
Washington Post
The so-called report concerning an
alleged investigation of the Star-routo irreg.
ularities, signed "a. NJ. Gibson, Special
Attorney of the United States" and dated
October 81, and addressed to the Attorney
General. an abstract of which was published
in the Post of yesterday morning has raised
storm of indignation in the Department
of Justice, which is presided over at pres
ent by Solcitor.G General Phillips in the un-
explained absence of Attorney. General
MacVeagh.
| Mr.. Phillips, who was seen yesterday by
number of newspaper reporters to know
by what authority Mr.. Gibson made such a
report and signed himself an attorney OF
the United States, repudiated the whole
matter and stated in tho most positive
manner that Mr.. Gibson had no such re.
lations to the Department Of Justice, aud
that the publication of the report, even if
authoritatively compiled, would have been
u gross insult to Mr.. Gibson's superior
however, it is asserted, is in no sense al
attorney of the United States, either
special or regular, his rank being an
assistant detective under the direction
of Principal Detective Woodward
Even to this position Mr.. Gibson has re
ceived no regular appointment, his sole au-
thority being an unofficial letter from the
Attorney General, in which Detective
Woodward was Informed that it was 80
course" expected that Mr.. Gibson would
assist him in his investigation of the alleged
post-oflice delinquencies and frauds. The
so.called report was written by Mr.. Gibson
and dated October 81. While addressing
the document to the Attorney General, he
speaks of your predecessor, alluding, i
must be supposed, to Attorney-Gener
MacVcagh. This is deemed an insult I,
the President, who at that date had refused
to accept the resignation of his petulan
Cabinet adviser. Mr.. Phillips it is under
stood, takes the position that If any report
is made concerning the Star-route investi
CATION it should be made by the head of thu
Department of Justice, and that it is ranl
insolence for any subordinate to make
public his conclusions instead of sending
them no for the consideration of his supe
rior officers.
The only information which Acting-At
torney General Phillips has Of Gibson's re-
, port was brought to him by the newspa
, pers. When he arrived at his Office h,
, found that Mr.. Gibson had candestinel.
visited the Department and left copy il
proof.shcet form upon one of the desks-th
same form in which it was given out Il
the newspapers the night before. Even il
this Mr.. Gibson seems to have been unfor
tunate, as the copy left with the Solicitor
| General was addressed to Western news
| paper. 1t is believed that Gen. Phillips viii
D address Mr.. Gibson letter demanding a
explanation, and that not only the report
t but its conclusions will be repudiated b,
c the Department.
+ As Sir Lucius O'Trigger observes, sit !
S very pretty quarrel as it stands and bid
4 fair to open up to the public the relation
r of the different individuals who hav
S claimed to have the interest Of the Unite'
States for the last two or three months !
t their special keeping. The report" it
said was printed by Mr.. Gibson at his ow
: expense and was offered to some enterpris
S ing New York newspapers number {
4 days ago for a sufficiently valuable consider
= alton.