Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-05
MARSHAL SL0SS,
OF the Northern District OF Alabama,
Accused by n Deputy OF Various
irregularities I'm ONCE
The Charges OF "a Very Serious Nature,
and Supported by Amdayits which
Appear 10 Sustain Them.

! WASHINGTON. April 4-Thomas G.. Hew-
| lett deputy United States marshal, has
submitted to Attorney General Brewster, for
his consideration, charges against Joseph
| II. Sloss, United States marshal for the
northern district of Alabama. The charges
are fifteen in number, and are to the
| effect that Sloss was in collusion with
| certain of his deputies TO defraud the gov
erment in the matter of illegal charges; that
| he transmitted his fee bills to the accounting
| officers at Washington knowing them to con-
| tain illegal charges; that he was guilty of
improper practices by being in colIusion
! with certain of his deputies to charge for
mileage not Travelled, subsistence not in
| CURED, aud for guards not employed; that he
| was guilty of gross dereliction of duty; that
| he was guilty of making a false statement
| for the purpose of avoiding the response
| billy of illegal acts and for the further pur-
pose of fraud and extortion; that he has
retained and kept for his own use sums OF
| money largely in excess of the amount al
lowed him by law; that he has violated the
law in taking blank receipts from his depu-
ties and other creditors of the United States
and filling out with such sums as he chose
that he was absent from his district 80 fire.
quently as TO embarrass and retard the pub
lie business; that he is a gambler, and plays
for high stakes; that he does not keep his
financial obligations; that he endeavored to
control and intimidate the complainant in
the exercise of his elective franchise, and
that he is not Republican, but an Inde-
pendent Of that type which is inimical to the
best interests of the Republicans of Ala
bama. The charges are supported by afh-
davits which appear entirely to sustain them.
In support of the charges Mr. Hewitt makes
the following statement: "On April z 1881,
he was ordered by Sloss to aid another
deputy, named Hartsell, in invoicing and re-
moving certain goods in Greenbrier which
the sheriff was endeavoring to take
from HIM. He went to Greenbrier, and
while engaged in the work, the goods
were taken by the sheriff and an
armed posse. The complainant then
had a warrant Issued for the arrest of the
sheriff and his assistants. He also reported
the matter to the attorney general, who re-
piled that justice dem anded that the sheriff
and his assistants should be punished. They
were arrested and brought before a United
States commissioner. Then William M.
Lowe, contestant in the Eight congressional
district against Wheeler, volunteered to de-
fend the arrested men, and used his influence
with Marshal Sloss successfully, Is al
| legged, that the cases were dismissed. Imme-
diately aftsrward Sloss appointed deputy
marshal one of the sheriff7s posse, a Democrat
upon the solicitation and recommendation of
Love-" In explanation OF other charges the
complainant makes the following statement: {:
"A short time before the removal of Colonel
Baker from the office of United States mar
shaI for northern Alabama, Mr.. Lowe said
to the complainant that the President would
appoint to that office the man whom be
(Lowe) might recommend, and added that if
the complainant would furnish evidence for
the removal of Baker, he would give the po-
, sition of deputy to his nephew and would pay
his expenses to Washington, he would, in re-
turn, secure the removal of Baker and the
mt
| The complainant says IN at in response to this
proposition, he gave Lowe $3.50, furnished the
| evidence, and received a promise that he
should have the office. Lowe came to WASH
ington, and then drew upon the complainant
for $3.50 more. Afterward one jeremiah
Murphy told the complainant that he had
also paid Lowe 500, and had been promised
the Office OF marshal. Still another man told
| the complainant tina he had paid money to
Lowe, and that Lowe had promised that he
should be made deputy marshal. Sloss
| finally got tke position. The complainant
| also says that when e. G. Lancaster, special
| agent of the department of justice, arrived
in the district for the purpose OF making an
investigation, Sloss and Lowe endeavored to
account for certain irregularities by throwing
the blame upon the complainant. When
Sloss asked the complainant for his resigna-
| tion, the complainant asked for the charges
| against him, which were not given. His
! commission was then revoked, in August last,
| but before that time, he says, when he could
not get his pay from Sloss, he thought that
he would resign, and Sloss begged him not to
do 30, on the ground that his resignation
would precipitate an investigation. The
| complainant also says that on one occasion
| Sloss told him that he would discharge him
| il he did not transfer his political support
from the straight Republican candidate for
probate judge to the Independent candidate.