The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-10-29
THAT SUPPRESSED REPORT.
Showing the Peculiarities of John Sher-
mans Man Pitney.
Carpets Twice Paid for, and Lemons
Bay Rum, Books, and the Like ia ES-
travagant acknowledgements Little
Luncheon Party.

fravngant acknowledgements Aittie
Luncheon Party.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 24.-On May 5 J. F.
Melure, John Walker, and W. ID. Hliis were
amounted a committee to examine the DIS
hnrsements of the contingent expenses ac-
Count of the Treasury Department. On June
IL Secretary Window called for report Gov
ering the investigation up to and including
that date. This report, having never been
nublished, was called for by q resolution OF
Tered in the Senate by John Sherman, which
was adopted on the 21st inst. The report
was today submitted to the Senate. The
committee saw that. "0wing to statements
made to Ms by the Chief Clerk, We have not
made examination of the accounts for sta
tionery. but have confined our inquiries to
accounts and expenditures under the appro.
priations for other contingent expenses.
The committee say that the Chief Clerk Is
made superintendent of the building by law,
and that no such Office as that OF Custodian
really exists. The report continues:
For several years, however, there mas oeeh
in the department quasi officer, called the
Custodian, who has, under the direction OF
the Chief Clerk, conducted the most OF the
business connected with the contingent ex-
peuses of the Treasury Department, and the
ca stody and disposition Of the purchases out
Of the appropriations for contingent expenses.
The nresent Custodian, Mr.. .. l.. Pltney,
was Amounted BY the Secretary of the Treas
urv in June. 1876. with compensation at the
rate s.. 400 per annum. His compensation
was increased to s., 500 from July /, 1871,
and is paid out of the appropriation for pay
of custodians and ianitors for all pubhc build
ings uader the control of the Treasury Depart
ment. Your committee are OF opinion that
there is no authority Of law for either the APP
pointment or payment OF this Custodian.
Our first step in making the examination
was 10 take an inventory ol all properly ~
the storeroom which belonged to the United
States. Before doing this. however, We called
for the books showing the amount of stock on
hand. and were informed that no such set OF
books had been kept. We were also inform
ed that no inventory of this property had ever
been made.
The committee find that, during the fiscal
wear Of 1850, Ilsl yards OF Wilton carpet and
border. and cost OF making and laying the
sane. we're twice paid for, once oGt OF the ap-
propriation for the contingent expenses oil
The Treasury Department, and once out OF
Inc appropriaiion for public buildings This
carpet was bought Of MeSsrs. Hooe Bros. 4
Co. Of this city, and they have repaid the
amount Of the duplicate payment snort
age Of l59 yards Of carpet was toand IA the
storeroum, which the storekeeper Claimed
was in the hands Of W. Il. Moses, OF tnis cry.
| About April. 1881, il was discovered thai Mr.
| Moses haa heea paid for 1914 yards Of carpet
! which already belonged 10 the United States,
ami be, anon being notifed Of the fact, sent
10 the department 6s7 yards Of carpet Of an
/ inferior quality to make good the amount.
The committee denoance IS illegal the pay
rsent OF cabincfmakers Of the department out
/ Of the approprfatioa for fuel. lights, and water
/ FOR public huildings. The report says:
Year committee 6ud that IA February,
/ March, April. Mas and June, iss0, bills were
presented in this department By j. Bradley
/ Adams, Of this city for So dozen WoodraH
| 6ie holders, which bills, amounting 70 S501,
we're paid cut Of the appropriation ios 'lee'
/ &c. but that the de holders, as paid tor "a
/ sach bills kave never been delivered TO tbs
| departnen,. The attention Of the Custodian
I has beea called TO this mater, aud be has re-
/ fused to sarnish Any explanation stating that
/ q personal explan&sion viii be saadc to 700.
/ We also End that in August and Ociober,
| 1850, tEo balls, amounting 70 SlS@, werc pre-
secuted hy W. B. Reed sons Of this ciiy FOR
/ p boxes Of candles. which bills EeEc paid oui
| Of the appropriations for gas, &C. ISIS bat
/ the candles. as raid for ia such bills, were
I not furnished. We have been informed BY
/ The Custodian that these hills eoycr lemons
/ and sugar used Tor lemonade for Secretary
/ Assistant Secretaries, ard Chief Clerk, aid
also \ certain lunch whlch vas furnished ~
| this hailiing last SIMMER aboat the 'iae o.
1 the Chicago Convention In regard 70 th's
I statement Of the Custodian we wOasa say that
both Mr.. UF;0a. Assistant Secretary and
/ Mr. Power, Chief Clerk, have stated e ihe
/ committee uudex oalh thai shey had no knowi
1 a 4. ~. l.aH
oas Of the pahiic iaaas, bsg that tAey con.
1 trikatcd out Of iacir means toward The cost
/ Of said iaaCh a. reported 10 them, and be
( heYed il vas paid b. private ooaiFihation-
Mr.. L plcu also stated thai BE a. ohe bme
/ gave tie Custodian so 10 pay for lemouade
/ Furnished his goom.
Yoar committee further End that IN Noscm-
/ Der, 1850 and January, 1851, three balls, az
rregatinE Sf4s. 90 for oyegc0Ats furnished
| drivers 81 the department. garages and
wagons. were prezenleJ 20 The department IA
/ biank, and By the direction Of the Custodian
we're made up as for billiard cloth tog cozer-
| ing desks, and we're paid oas 81 The apprppri'
asioa for Furniture, &c, ISL" Also that
same time ia February. lssl, the Cusiodiau
! ordered Of y. ". Barchell for the Treasury
Department. enc barrel containing 81 gallons
| Of bay rum 81 $3.50 per Eaiioa, which vas
| who appeared before lhc committee, stated
ihas the matter, 50 far a. be uHs concerned,
vas an Ordinary bssiness Transaction, and thai
| the bar rum vas cold a. the lowest possible
| figure. We foand in stock 5ii gallons q the
/ rum, And as i s4s used oniy for toilet par'
poses, We believe the purchase 10 have been
| in advised and unnecessary.
Yonr committee inquired why shis coarse
vas pursued, and we're informed b. the Cos
I todian that Il vas cone 50 that accounting OF
/ 6cers would aol question the bdls-
/ We further TAD that from Jsiy /, 1875, &c
I Nay 4, ISL, waste paper aud pAssebQard 81
the department was sold 10 the amount o.
| IS, os2 G6; thar duriag said period no deposit
/ vas made in the Treasury Ga account Of said
sales. bat the monsy received thereirom wal
paid 10 the Custodian, who states that be pa Z
| The cost Of asserting out Of the proceeds, and
/ kept the balance in his safe awaiting inssrue.
sions as 10 what disposition should be made
off.
Very soon afleE this fact was discovered By
/ the committee The attention of the Che
/ Clerk vas called 10 the matter, and i va
! suggested that the money in the hands OF Tbs
| Custodian ought 70 be deposited IN the Treas
| ~ without further delay. This was not done
| however, until after the assorseFs were PAID
for their services during the month Of May
1881, when The sun Of 81, i56.T7, balance
stated as on hand, was deposited with tbs
/ Treasurer Of the United States.
Various other details Of less imp0rtan
character arc cited in the report, and ln con
elusion The committee say:
We are not atpresent prepared to submit an
| recommendation relative 20 the changes VI
1 think necessary in the system of making pur
chases and disposing OF the same. We vii
say, however, that We think the system q
present in vogue very loose, aud liable e
great abuse, and in our opinion it should =
materially changed.
Appended to the report are these exhibits
A-Ten dollars per dozen has been pals
for WoodraG7s file holders, when they coui'
have been bought for $3.50 or less.
Five dollars each has been paid for Direc
/ tories Of the District of Columbia, when ha,
competition been invited, they could have beef
bought for $3.50 each or less.
Twelve dollars each has been paid 70
Webster's and Woreester's unabridged die
tionaries, when they mig ht have been bough
for $40 each or less.
Twenty dollars has been paid for Cotton
aliases, when they might have been bought 10
SIS each or less.
Other books of miscellaneous eharaete
have been bought at regular retail rates, whel
discount Of at least 20 per eentum coul
have been obtained elsewhere.
bah of the foregoing articles were pur
chased of j. Bradley Adams of this city, VIII