The Evening critic., 1883-05-18
HOW THE MONEY WENT.
The Way In which the Appropria.
tion for the New City Hall Was
Diverted from It's Intended Pur-

The Way In which the ApprOpria.
tion for the New City Hall Was
Diverted from IT'S Intended Pur-
pose.
Another woe is added to the tons of woe
that press upon the head of Brewster
Cameron. For some time past there has
been much complaint among the lawyers
and Others having business with the Su-
premc Court of the District of Columbia
that they could not have their business
transacted speedily therein, because of the
fact that only a part of the records are
kept In the upper office, while the bulk of
them are kept in the lower rooms and in
such manner that the search for any par
ticular paper requires some time by one of
the clerks. The clerks themselves, and
the public more especially, through their
lawyers, declare that this is an outrage on
the administration of JUSTICE and the more
SO because when the new addition to the
City Hall was erected by the act of Con-
gress it was expressly provided that 1t
should be for "the better turtherance of the
public business" As matters now are the
business was more speedily conducted in
the old clerks Office before it was removed
to its more commodious quarters in the
new wing. People may ask why is this
thus? 1t can be explained.
On the erection of the new wing of the
building and its being fitted up for occu-
pancy, Congress passed an act making an
appropriation of $4,000 for providing the
offices in the new wing with appropri-
ate furniture, and under the same act tho
discussing of the funds was placed under
charge of the U. s. Department Of Justice,
SO that all acquisitions made by the Mar
shal of the District for furniture, ETC., down
to the spittoons, had to be made on the
Department of Justice. The Department
of Justice in this case meant Brewster
Cameron, whose official designation it
would be hard to point out under any act
of Congress or any law Of the United
States. Well, Marshal McMichael notified
Brewster Cameron that he was ready for
the furnishing of the new wing. Cameron
accordingly, with Marshal Nc
Michael, inspected the rooms of
the new wing and decided what
furniture was needed. The furniture for
the courtrooms and clerks Offices of the
new wing was all contracted for and fur
nished by Philadelphia firms without any
bids and at prices greater than it could
have been furnished for by firms here in
Washington. Did Brewster Cameron get o
divvy on that? Again, were not the offices
of Marshal McMichael fitted out with
almost Eastern splendor with Turkey car
pets, rich furniture, carved mantels, &C.,
although situated in the old building, from
the aforesaid appropriation for fitting up
the new wing, and all this by Philadelphia
dealers. And did Brewster Cameron get a
divvy on that, or was he merely helping a
| gentleman official from his own State to
| what he might deem an excusable fraud on
the act of Congress in that case made and
| provided?
1t won't do to say that now the appro-
| priation has been exhausted that Clerk
Meigs looked upon the pitiful misdirection
of the fund provided, and made no sign.
Again and again, it is stated upon the best
authority, he demonstrated that his Office
was cramped and the public business i'm
peded by the failure to provide properly for
his Office.
Tho public may by this we'll know that
the fault lies first with Brewster Cameron
and Marshal McMchael.