The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1882-07-25
COMPTROLLER LAWRENCE
Sits Down vigorously and Com
pIetely on the story Started by the
New York "Tribune,'-NO FOunda.
HIM for fIan ~, n ruoa Made

pIetely on the Story started by the
New York "Tribune''-NO FOunda-
ton for tho Charges Made.
Areportcr Of THE CRITIC interviewed Comp
troller Lawrence this afternoon on tho Tribune
matter, published In yesterdays CRITIC, with
the following result:
The New York Tribune OF the Oath stated on
information given TO Its able correspondent
that Messrs. Arthur and Brannegan, clerks lin
tho First Comptroller's ONCE, as tho Tribune
article says, shave been, to.a large extent, en-
ployed in the Comptroller's private business"
Judge Lawrence says neither OF these gentle-
men ever devoted one hour To any OF his pri-
waite business. They are law clerks In his
ONCE, and assist In hunting law authorities
and In reading and revising proof OF his do.
cisions, which are printed by the Government
for public use. Two volumes OF decisions arc
nearly printed, and the matter for a third is
partly prepared.
Tho Tribune article says clerk In the First
Compiroller's office, Mr.. Field, ut is asserted,
OF the Comptroller's now work ON Equity Plead.
ings.'" Judge Lawrence says he never wrote
work on Equity Pleadings, and that not one
pnge OF such a book or any other book written
by him has over been copied by this clerk or
any other clerk OF the Department except his
official decisions. Before he became Comptrol-
Ter he had prepared tho material for two law
books, and he has not written page for either
OF them since he became Comptroller, but he
says he Will write as many law books as no
chooses out of oflice hours, but will not employ
clerks OF the Department for tho purpose.
Tho Tribune article says that "when tho
Comptroller was appointed no possessed
large and lucrative practice rs n lawyer, and
II is understood that since then ho has con.
tinued not only to
Perform His Official Duties satisfac.
tOriIy.
but to extend his private practice"
Judge Lawrence says much higher officials
have closed up their law practice In important
cases, and II tho Comptroller, rs stated, has
performed his Official duties satisfactorily" no
one ought to complain. But no says whom he
was first appointed he declined the place, but
was urged to reconsider and did so; that he
said TO the President and Secretary of the
Treasury that he had
A Few Important Law Cases
which he could not hand over to any other
lawyer, but would require his personal atten.
tion, to which they informed him there would
practice except In single matter which did
not take one day.
Judge Lawrence says lawyer who does not
hoye Important cases Is not fit to BIO Comp.
troller, and lawyer who would not continue
TO sec TO n few important cases requiring his
personal attention is not fit to be either q law
yer or q Comptroller
Tho IfibUnes article says: "For some timo
n clerk belonging to his ONCE has been absent
business in which the Comptroller and Judge f,
jeremiah s. Black are Jointly interested"
Judge Lawrence says: "Yes; q clerk, by
uutnOTlty OF inc SeCretury, ODtulneu
Leave of Absence, without Pay;
but the Government loses nothing, butrather
gains, since tho clerk was not, and is not,
during the time OF absence, needed In the
division to which he belonged"
The tribune article says "There has boon
no complaint that tho Comptroller has neg
lected his official duties"
Judge Lawrence says he hopes he has de-
served this compliment-he Will try to con-
tinuo In the same way.
The Tribune article says the Comptroller's
"0pinions on questions of law have not only
been more frequent, but also more voluminous
than those OF his predecessors"
Judge Lawrence says he has tried to make
them useful, and for this purpose has worked
and only regrets that tho days are not longer.
Judge Lawrence was asked II he knew who
gave out the statements referred to.
He said he thought he understood the source
and the purpose.
What MIR. Arthur Says.
Mr.. John Arthur, one of the clerks mentioned
in tho Iftbune's charges against Comptroller
Lawrence, as being engaged upon Judge Law
Equity Pleadings,". has written letter to
the Judge, stating that ''there is not the least
particle Of truth in this statement unless the
decisions Of this ofllce arc your private prop.
erty, and the preparation and publication OF
then is your private business"
81 have written nothing for your private
use. am as complete a stranger to your
private business as II wo had never met I
have been employed sololy on tho decisions of
Mr.. Felix Brannegan,
another OF tho clorks mentioned in the
charges made against Comptroller Lawrence,
In a letter says: "The charges are unquali-
tailed by tho Secretary Of tho treasury at your
request and with the consent of the Commits
sioner OF Internal Revenue to your o1Ilce to as.
sist you in your official duty as a law clerk, and
have devoted all my time and knowledge of
law and departmental presidents and prac-
tice solely to official work."