Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-22
THE GEORGIA ..OFFICEs.v

The Dead set for Collector Peasants
Official Head-What He Has to Say
FarrOw ON the Ragged Edge - The
Syndicate's Usefulness About Played
Out.
Our Washington specials and Associ-
ated press dispatches have informed our
readers that the official axe was about to
DE applied to the heads of certain
incumbents of the Federal offices in Geor-
gi. Among those endangered the most
prominently mentioned was l.. II. Pleas
ant, cOlOred, Collector of Internal ReYe-
nue. for the Savannah district. The causes
for this impending removal were set forth
in a special from our Washington CORES
pOndent published on " ednesday, and in
an Associated Press dispatch in our issue
Of yesterday. In justice to Pleasant, we
publish this morning the following card
from himself:
SAVANNAH, GA, Dec. 2O.-EditOr Morn
ing NelCS. The statements recently made
in your paper that | have been guilty of
malfeasance in office are false and ground
less.
All this fuss has been raised by design
over a small check of $50. This is all of
it. ! Will explain the exact facts, and
leave fair minded men to Judge for them
selves.
About the close of banking hours few
days ago / received in Il private transac-
tiOn a check for the above named amount.
1t was as good as gold. l placed it in the
cash drawer to be deposited the next day
and took out Sl50i currency. Next morn
Ing a special agent called and found the
check in the drawer, and reported the
fact, as / understand, as violation of the
law requiring public officers ''tO keep
safely without lOaning, using, depositing
in banks. or exchanging for other funds
than as specially allowed by law all the
public money in their possession.
Leaving the matter here il might be
claimed that | violated the letter of the
law. But l did not violate even the letter
of the law, for did not use a cent of the
money or exchange il for other funds, but
kept il safely in my own possession, as
required by law. until tie cheek had been
deposited ia the Merchants National Bank,
and q certificate Of deposit cOUeriRq the
amount had been issued by the bank Ia
fIr0r Of the Treasurer Of the United States,
as provided by law.
This is the whole story, and it is all
there is of il. Respectfully,
L. VI. PLEASANT.
The Washington Post under the cap
tion '.The GuillOtine in Georgia" on Tues
day. contained the following:
The scalp of Lewis NJ. Pleasant, Col
lectOr Of Internal Revenue at Savannah,
Ga. is said to have caused the influx of
crackers to the city, recently noted, the
visitors being mainly in the interest of his
retention, though those opposed TO him are
also represented. Pleasant. who is a fat
negro of inOffensive character, was ap-
pointed some six months since at the in
stance of the syndicate which at that
time controlled Georgia appointments
i'm the interest of Independentism.
He had trouble in furnish
ing bond, the first sureties being rejected.
The Democrats Of Savannah, fearing a
more active politician might be sub
stituted, found fresh bOndsmen for Pleas
ant, and though these were declared
irresponsible by a special agent, they were
certified TO by District Attorney Bigby. of
Atlanta. and the bond was approved. The
accounts lately received at the Internal
Revenue Bureau not being satisfactory, a
special was sent to investigate. The first
thing he found on opening the cash drawer
was personal note of the Collector for a
considerable amount. This, it was eX-
planned, had been carried as cash for some
time. and was to be taken up in due time.
Ii is said that 5000 of this amount was
borrowed by James Atkins, the defeated
nominee for District Judge, for use in his
race for Representative Blacks seat in
Congress.
ssCOl. \. N.WilsOn, who was ins rumen-
tai in having Pleasant appointed, is here
i'm the endeavOr to have him retained. On
visiting General Raum for this purpose.
however, he was advised, it is said, TO
erase his name from his prOtege's pa
pers without delay.
Another head is also understood to be
in danger, that of Col. II. p. Farrow, Col
lectOr of Customs at Brunswick, Ga, the
charge being that he has not been at his
post more than three days since his APP
pOintment, which was made just before
that of Peasants.
The results Of the recent election have
pretty well destroyed the influence of the
syndicate with the administration, and
il is understood that the Atkins and Brown
and Clarke wing will be consulted in any
fresh appointments"
From the foregoing and what has pre-
ViOusly been published. it will be seen that
the fight is lively one as it stands.