The Evening critic., 1882-11-03
CLERK M'KEN NEY.
what He Says of the Charge Against
Him-IIc Leaves the whole Matter
with the Chief Justice.


Tho New York sun Of to-day gives space to an
elaborate special from Washington, in which
the clerk Of tho United States Supreme Court
is charged with having, in direct violation OF
law, collected during tho single torn OF 1850
records Which WerS neyer sont % the Prner
The law requires that no record shall
leave tho custody. Of tho clerk
OF the court, and that when copies are desired
they shall be made in manuscript aud sent to
tho printer, the copying to be charged so
much per folio, which Is considered among tho
copied and sending the original records to the
printer, but charging enormous fees for copy
Ing them Just the. same, tho clork
his action is Just cause for removal.
other charges Of abuse Of n similar character
are embodied In tho publication referred to.
the correspondent by George r. Simmons, a
clerk, who recently resigned q position In tho
Clerks once of the supreme Court for al
1t Is known that simmons was dissatisfied
with his position for some timo before no
resigned. First .ho claimed that his pay
So Ss' wSs sT being dIscrminated sssi'a against
in tho matter OF favoritism, and finally, on
Thursday last, because his application to loave
fused, he tondered his resignation to the clerk
in letter that was insulting in the extreme.
Another clerk, Mr.. Addison, who had been
converted into Simmons belief with reference
to the alleged discrimination, resigned also,
but as far as known, has not made any
charges against tho clerk. Indeed,
no has been frequent visitor
to the Clerks office since, and always as
sumed his customary pleasing manner to his
old associates. Mr.. Simmons, according 10 the
Sun, after resigning, called on Chief Justice
Waite and informed him of what he regarded
as tho abuses In the office OF the Clerk. He was
led to do SO from tho knowledge that the JUS
tices were absolutely Ignorant of the methods
Of doing the business of tho ofIlce. Tho Sun
adds that he stands ready In case any investi
CATION OF the Clerks office follows this expo
sure TO make oath to the accuracy OF his state
ment.
clerk McKenney's Statement.
After reading the Sun article this afternoon
Mr.. James II. McKenney, Clerk OF the Court,
| said that he had no desire to go Into print
| with the matter, "for you know" he said,
| nothing that can say would amount to any
| thing anyhow. II Mr.. Simmons has preferred
| any charges against me with tho Chief Justice
he 10 the ono you should sec about 1t. His
| opinion would be worth more than mine."
"Has the Chief Justice notified you OF any
| thing that has been charged against your
"No, not q word. II am charged with any
| thing, the proper thing would be an investiga-
| tion, and II tho charges arc sustained then
| will be turned out, and that Is all there Is to
| It,"
Tho Chief Justice, being engaged In Court
| could not bo seen, but several OF those en-
| ployed I'm the ofllce said that they were moi
| surprised at what Simmons had done. They
| were not inclined to take 1t seriously, however,
| as these same stories havo been frequently
ventilated during the past two years.