The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-21
NEWS AT HOME AND ABROAD.
WHAT THE WIRES BRING US.
Mahone's Political Assessments.


ME-. pEzENDogr MAKES CHARGES AGAINST TIL
BOSS AGENTS.
ny telegraph 10 the Dispatch.l
WASHINGTON, September 20.-Thc Civil
! Service Commissioners to-day received ;
letter from ex-Rcpresentatiye Dezendor
stating that Mr.. c. Clark, Senator Mahone''
political-assessment agent, made an assess
ment last week OF . per cent on salaries re-
ceiyed by all Of the employees OF the Nor.
folk navy-yard, and that this was the third
assessment levied upon the same employees
by the same man inside OF year.
DIR. Gregory, CiviLService Commission
er. stated to-day when asked about the let
ter that as 1t had just been received,
no investigation had yet been made OF The
charges or statements contained IN 1t.
"The views expressed by Judge Thoman
in regard TO political assessments" said
DR.. Gregory, scare in accord with those OF
the other commissioners. don't mean to
say anything that looks like menace. II
can be said simply that Il i the serious and
earnest intention OF the commissioners to
call the attention OF the proper authorities
TO every violation Of law OF which we get
good and sufficient evidence. When n
charge i made that the law has
been violated in any department, and
we are satisfied Of its truth. we
will notify the Secretary that such
charge is made, and we believe il TO be
true. II he negIects to take the proper
steps, we will report to the President. As
far rs prosecution under the law is con-
ccrned. any man can make complaint to the
grand jury. | don't see why Dezendorf
did not make his complaint to the grand
Jury. Every case OF violation Of law re-
ported to the commission has been inyesti-
gated. OF course the commissioners cam
not act upon hearsay testimony or state
ments OF newspapers
Chief-EXamincr Lyman, when spoken to
concerning the DeZendOrf letter, said he
had no knowledge OF the matter officially
though he had heard Of it. He had been
informed that Clark was not Government
cmploye, and therefore did not come under
the law. Senator Malone was chairman of
the Virginia Campaign Committee. and it
was an interesting question how far the
acts OF Clark rs treasurer involved other
members OF the committee. Lyman said
that Dezendori would probably be asked
to state whether or not Clark was Gov
eminent employee. and IL not whether his
solicitation OF contributions had been made
in any room, in any public building, or
other place where it would come
within the puryiew OF law. He
quoted sections II and ii Of the civl-ser-
vice act, which prohibit the solicitation,
receiving, or paying contributions, direct
" or indirectly, by any officer or employee
Of the Government from or to any other
officer or employe, and the solicitation Of
such contributions by any person not an
employee of the Government in any room
in any public building, or other place
where the Government service Is perform
ed. and said that wherever the commission
received evidence Of the violation OF the
letter OF these sections of the law they
would promptly lay the matter before the
Executive authority. The commission, he
said, were not the prosecuting board, but
they could, as a board appointed to adj
minister the law, call the attention of the
Executive to any violation Of which they
became cOgnizant.