New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-01
be an iaieresting item of information to the pub

Under the administration Of your predecessor you
endeavored secure the appointment o. MI Pee & OF
retary X rkwood in view OF oyerwhelmn evidence of
Mr.. Peck's dishonesty. was competed 10 deny
the aproi0tmanG of this Mr. Peck as travel
ing examiner or agent Tor me rea' n3 MI p W
cox. whom sought to innit upon me people OF Colo
RADIO United states MARSHAL paEers
an AFFIDAVIT of one of tle most RESPECTED
citizens OF Denver. demonstrated his total unit
pcss for any position NJ honor or rnS.
Failing in tins you embraced the earliest Opportunity
h. has lost no time in ulug his prey ons reputa-
power pow; r' Of the Int" Inter or Department
RESPECTING LAND FRAUDS IN COLORADO.
The Globe Democrat dispaton closes follows: It
was Senator Hill recently, 1t said fathered the
btter attacks made by the Was ngon correspondent OF
The Denrr Republican, charging Secretary Teller with
knowledge of land frauds in Colorado. and which
accusations have alien through for the want
Of the slightest foundation" The first
information concerning these fraudulent lana entries
reached me on the streets Of Denver last FALL when
gentleman. in whose statements have confidence, in
formed that expert I'D been investigating certain
recent land tries at he Denver and Contra Guy Lana
Onces which undoubtedly fraudulent but that lie
had discontinued his abors because these nye' legations
tary lei err" I am credibly reformed that the CORE
spondent of The Denrer Republican obtained his ino
nation regarding these lana frauds from ner ana en-
trey different sources; and. therefore am IN no wise
responsible for his exposures and revelations
These sO-caed old frauds occurred during the past
year. and within that PERIOD You declined To furnish me
parties concerned thereia, although the Attornsy-6en
eIal Of the United states and the DistrlctAttorney
behalf So"r conditional promise 10 the Attorney
General that patents should issue for these lands was
Dcnv,r Land Office entries, ana tnat too' , OUT
OF cr REGULAR oraer sooner n were enirss
at passed to - party whose IDENTIFY, upon
the most careful inquiry has not vet been discovered
am advised that an nOpcst investigation were
made OF this matter IL would be shown that II was the
neticn Of the parties 10 these land frauds TO- 0Dan
a. orafiV NJ m
domain ia Colorado. and that the attempt was rus
trated by the early exposure OF their deslgns'
Toa TRIBUNE correspondent who asked IL he de-
sired to make any explanation or denial of the
charges of official misconduct or to reply to any
other portion of Senator Hills letter, Secretary
Teller said: q Not at this time. | have just TO
eel, ed a COPY OF the letter and have not yet had
time to examine il carefully. So Tar as the personal
part of it is concerned, Of course have nothing to
say: | can enter into no newspaper controversy
with Senator Hill. lie would better answer the
accusations against him by ex-senator Chaiiee,
chairman of the State Central Committee pub
lshed last fall before he attacks me or any one else
He never denied Chaiiee's charges. OF course
have never inspired OF nstigated any newspaper
attacks upon him. In relation to his Charges OF
official misconduct l may have something to say
hereafter
While the Secretary was disnclincd to discuss
friends who had carefully read the letter was not
so retcent, and going over it point bv point he
made in substance the following statement. which
he declares to be sustained by tho official records
and other usworthy evidence: First, as to tho
charge that defaulter is employed AS timber agent.
Chadwick the man mentioned. was postmaster;
his property including the building in which the
post Office was kept burned by an incendiary.
and about $1,000 Of postal funds stolen the man
was arrested, convicted and sent Ia the penlten
tiarv. tie Government sued Chadwick and OBJ
tanned n Judgment against him; since then a gen
eral law has been enacted which authorizes the
Postmaster General to settle such losses that
which Postmaster Chadwick sustained, and his
claim il pending under that law. Nobody ever
accused him of any dishonesty, and the irc which
destroyed the postoince completely ruined HIM,
for his property was uninsured. Chadwick told
me that Senator Hill was trying to have the claim
against him settled and the judgment dismissed.
If 40. Hill certainly knows all the circumstances"
"As 10 the other timber agent who was discharged
from the Railway Mail Service. he ~ one-armed
Union soldier. against whom Hill has bitter per
sonal enmity. He was discharged from the mali
service ht Senator IIs instgaIon, ON the plea that
he had been nsubOrdnate. II was found alter-
ward that bis failure to obey certain instructions
was due TO tho fact that lac had never received
them.
AS to Peck. Secretary KirSw declined 10 APP
poInt him. although the Commissioner o. Indian
Affairs urgently recommended him TO do 80, not
because ne believed HIM to he dishonest. but be
cause Senator Hi strongly protested aud declared
that he would reg ,rd Peck's appointment a' a per-
sonal ailIont to himself
81 know II. II. Eddy very well and TO my per-
sonal knowledge be rendered the Government very
at,ln ~ ne MN
ishnent OF frauds IN New Mexico; that he took
part IN the political contest in his own county last
wear i probably true but that he was paid by the
Government for services which he did not perform,
is not true.
"The removal of johnson was recommended and
urged by Senator Bowen. ex-senator Chiifee aud
Representative Belford, Of Colorado. Senator Hill
does not say in his letter that he secured the re-
movaI of Jobnsons predecessor in the recess OF the
Senate IN order TO make "A vacancy for Johnson who
az a State Senator had worked and voted Tor HIS
election as United States Senator. but that Is all
true OF my own knowledge | declare Senator
HIP. charge, that Secretary Teller removed john
son because that officer refused to give surveying
contracts to the Sccrrtarys friends, TO be false.
"ln regard to tho Yellowstone Park leases Secrc-
tary Teller acted upon the accommodation of A.
sistant Attorney General McCammon. who made
written repor TO the effect that the proposed leases
were in strict compliance with the letter and spirit
of the Law only two Of the leases are FOR hotel pur
p0ss the other i've being merely Tor stage stations
which are necessary. Moreover, the leases confer
no exclusive privileges, aud other persons may pro-
cure leases OH the Same conditions, ii they choose.
Respecting Secretary Telleps land decisions,
especially those affecting grants to railroad com
panIes, | suppose any candid person will
admit that the Secretary has been guided
by the opinions of the Aforementioned and
governed by the decisions Of the Supreme Court IN
every case. Even Senator Hill will not deny that
Secretary Teller in his last report to Congress
strongly recommended legislation declaring the
forfeiture OF the lapsed grants to corporations
ba nf