The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-03-13


by this Office, $4,000 OF which by
a legitimate and honest management
could have been saved TO the Government,
only part OF which can now he reached
by disallowances made by the accounting
officers in marsbaIs' fee accounts. Now,
what benefit has this immense expenditure
OF money been to the Government or the
public? The records OF the court at Alb.
ingdOn-the largest in the dstrict-show
that for the last eighteen months only fifteen
defendants have been sentenced or punished
on warrants issued since July I. 1879. At
Lynchburg for the same period only eleven
defendants sentenced; and at Danyille,
February apd November terms, $780, only
nine def ndants sentenced. fSee Exhibit
-. After an
INTERVIEW WIN JUDGE ALEXANDER RIvEs.
when the above facts were laid before him,
he was satisfied that immediate reform was
necessary throughout the district, espe-
cially i'm the Mlrshal's office, and so wrote
to Marshal Lewis, a copy OF which by the
Judges permission is fled herewith. lex
hibit 23.l When the result Of this lnvesti.
CATION was made known 10 Marshal Lewis
lie expressed great surprise and wrote the
names OF t,centy deputy marshals whom he
explanation, Exhibit "a Had Marshal
Lewis given bis personal attention to the
duties OF MS office throughout the district
and'cOmplied with the instructions OF this
Department, be might be IN condition 10
offer some excuse for the charges preferred.
Having had the marshals' fee accounts with
me for the fiscal year 1880, with tt 'eXcep.
tion OF one account amounting 10 over
= huVp haon in aH
and All charges that have not been made in
compliance with the law, which says that
the services must be actually and ncces-
sarily performed, will be disallowed in an
itcmZed statement 10 accompany tbis re-
port, and the total amount viii be inserted
herein.
In examining the commissioners in re.
6 I'd to their
OFFICIAL DUTIES
it wa. found that their practice invariably
was TO issue warrants upon every complaint
made before them without knowing any.
thing about the merits OF the case until tbe
defendants were brought !, ,i)re them. lSee
their answers, Exhibits II qnd - Samuel
and George Paterson aud G. ". Morris
were the only exceptions, and the result i
they have done very little frivolous bu,i-
ness. The namCrou, cases dismissed show
how impr0yidently the warrants were got
ten out, and the United states always had
two o. four witnesses and the defendants
seldom one. such being The ease, warrants
were issued without regard to Otbe Interests
Of the Government, and frequently merely
to crafty personal revenge ana those inter-
ested in making fees. Commissioner GIL.
dersceye, at Abingdon, is a man OF too
much intelligence to Offer such an excuse
| for the immense amount OF unnecessary
work be has done, and the conclusion iorci-
biz pr, sents itself that he knew better. but
was anxious TO make ali the fees be could
out Of he office.
| In examining the clerks account, il was
! found that they were charging excessive
folIos for making complete records by put
| ting in unnecessary matter, such as all the
commissioner papers, Nc,
IN ORDER TO INCREASE THEIR FEES.
| They were informed that such unnecessary
work would not be allowed i'm their ac.
counts, and they must conform TO the gene
raj practice Of other United States clerks
throughout the country by charging from
| five 10 twelve fOliOs, instead OF from thirty
10 forty fOi0s. B. Gildersleeye, clerk at
Abingdon, has charged ali through bis ac-
counts excessive ioliOs for entering re-
cOgniZlnces, orders OF cOntinuances, dis
mi>sals, orders 10 Tile infOrmltiOns, &C.. rs
follows Order OF continuance, one folio,
fifteen cents, he has charged two follOS,
thirty cents; order 10 file Information, one
folio. fifteen cents, he has charged three fO-
liOS. fOrly.fiyc cents making a considerable
item Of dIsallOwance9. [See Exhibit %
For such a state OF things 10 exist for such
a length II time in this district, without
any practical efforts To cOrrect l.,
shows there must have been cOllusion
on the part Of the mars shals, commissioners,
clerks, and district attorney 10 manufacture
fees. II not on the part OF the latter, why
did he file informatiOns against parties for
selling pint OF liquor two years before the
complaint was made Z See copy of tcs;-
mony. Exhibit rs The Commissioner
Of Internal Revenue, in his circular for 1880
TO revenue and judicial officers, gives no en-
couragement TO such prosecutions; for on
page - be says: "Where persons have
knowingly aud wilfully violated the law,
with evident intention OF defrGuding the
Government OF its revenues, vigorous mcl-
sureS should be taken TO bring the parties
TO trial and punishment; bot il /, suggested
that no encouragement should be given 10
the commencement Of prosecutions for
merely techRicdi St'ghE and uHjnteotioHot
offences, involving no loss 10 the'Goyern-
meui, and where DO question Of fr0Vd Is
involved; and all complaints presented by
professional infOrmers should receive care
ful scrutiny before the commencement OF
pro. ecutOus thereon"
While these frivolous prosecutions, or
rather prosecutions, have been carried on in
this district apparently for the purpose OF
projecting the revenue, il is in reality a
cloak to shield the true offenders OF law, the
Illicit distilleIs.
All Of which is respectfully submitted.
[Slgnedl c. {. LANCAsrER, jr