Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-11-30

The New York Times, speaking for the
administration, gives the following reasons
for the arbitrary removals of officials by
President Arthur last Saturday:
1t may safely be said that the men SO
summary removed were expecting moth
ing of that kind. The charges against
Anger. Parker, and Henry were made so
long ago that these officers felt secure.
Ex-senator Spencer became guilty of the
. charge of impeding justice and ignoring
the court some months ago. Helm had
continued his abuse of the government and
earned the salary paid him by Brady. For
many months he had found in the public
printer, Mr.. Rounds, a firm supporter
Within few months, however, the expos
ure of his position made in the honest
press had alarmed him, and he caused
the publication of a statement
this morning to the effect that
he had severed his connection with
Brady's organ. His associates announced
his retirement this afternoon, in an edi
torial paragraph. and added: ''Mr. Helm
will hereafter devote all his energies to the
Congressional Record" The action taken
by the president will probably induce Mr..
Helm to devote his energies once more to
Brady's service. The letter written to Mr.
Bliss and the report made by Attorney
General Brewster show with more or less
precision the causes which led to the re-
moval of these five government officers.
Something may be added, however, in the
way OF explanation.
Ex-senator Spencer was summoned as
witness, and after remaining in the city
for some weeks he Unexpectedly disap
peared. An attachment was issued for
him by the court, and he has not been
found. He continued to hold his govern
ment Office until to day, and the admins
tration was severely criticised for
allowing him to hold it. Mr.. Spencer vol
unfairly furnished to the postoffice de-
partment substantial assistance during the
early stages of the star route investigation.
There seemed to be abundant evidence that
he desired to aid E.e government in pun
ishing those VINO were guilty. He had
decided opinion as to the course which the
government should pursue, and he some
times expressed dissatisfaction with the
course that was taken. It is singular CO.
incidence that he sometimes complained
that government officers in sympathy with
the star route thieves we're not removed,
just as other persons have recently COM
planned because he still remained in Office,
but his conversation up to short time be-
fore his disappearance indicated that he
was in sympathy with a vigorous
prosecution and was in harmony
with what he had done in the
early stages OF the investigation. He was
disappointed because the government had
chosen to put him on the witness stand,
and he SAID 10 iis friends that i'll return for
his services the government ought to have
spared him and allowed him to remain in
the background. Persons with whom he
talked freely say that up TO the time when
they lost sight of him, a few days before
he disappeared, they had noticed no change
in his opinions, although he seemed to be-
lieve that the government would not win
its case. then on trial. To them the cause
of his departure is still mysterious. They
cannot conceive what influence it was that
placed him in the position of an enemy of
the prosecution. It seems that something
must have occurred to take him from the
side of justice and put him on the side of
the robbers.
Marshal Charles Z. Henry's duties in re-
lation to the court are substantially those of
sheriff. He was well known during Pres
ident Garfeid's short term as the
friend of that president. He
is resident of Ohio When
the regular panel Of petit jurors was ex-
hausted at the beginning of the recent
trial it became his duty to summon tales
men. 1t was said by counsel for the gov
eminent at that time that he did not per-
form that important duty himself, but in
trusted the work to bailiffs, and that the
work was done in slovenly manner. The
marshal was summoned to appear at the
department of justice and make explana-
ton. He had an interview with the attorney
general, and the conversation was taken
down in shorthand and the record pre-
served. The public learned something
about this action, and Judge Wylie
certain publications and to defend
the character of one of the
suspected talesnen. As result Of all
this the two talesmen were objects of some
curiosity in the court room during the
trial. AT, the end of the trial it appeared
that these two men had persistently and
uniformly voted for the conviction of all
the defendants, and the public became con-
WINGED that they had been uniustly sus-
pected. After the interview with the at
torney general. Marshal Henry seemed
not to be in harmony with the prosecution.
It was reported that he was friendly with
ex-senator Dorsey, and that in other ways
he was IL discreet, to say the least. In Ohio
he allowed q reporter to publish an inter-
view with him, in which be abused the
counsel for the government and in other
ways gave aid and comfort to the thieves.
Brady's organ reprinted the interview
here, and the marshal never repudiated it.
He expressed his opinion of Mr.. Bliss as
follows:
he is too full; of genuine downright
meaEness to ever amount to much as 81
man. His efforts to override the common
est laws of decency have been met by
IL T. ny II.