The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-25
q DOSE FOE nREronMERs.n
BIZ. Hendriclxs's Record as . CiyII-geryice Re-
former While in the General Land-Ofaee.

bricks held Offices of trust and profit to 1872, and
bis record as civil-seryiee reformer may be- OBJ
tanned During the years 1865 he was Com
missioner Of the General Land Once On rofer-
ence to the reports of committees of the House
Of representatives, first session Thirty sixth Con
eress, Vol 2, l359-'60, the sworn testimony Is
presented of a number of witnesses VINO give the
aelails showing how money was raised under
Democratic rule for campaign expenses
In 1856 it appears that two collections were
made in the department-one was voluntary. to
which the clerks generally gave from S. to $50,
and the other was made on the basis of a certain
percentage of the salaries. Thelatter was taken
60 liquidate debt of the Democratic State CEN
tral committee of Pennsylvania, and from 81
to So each was sufficient to meet the deficiency
Asto the manner of collection clerk in the
General Land-oface testified as follows:
Q--Do you know of any assessments made upon
te clerks or employees there for political purposesi
Al asked the gentlemen--a portion Of them-to
contribute for that purpose
Q-You asked them yourself A-9es. SIT;
Q-How was that contribution madeg Was it
certain percentage the salaryg Ain one instance
& small per cent. was asked Ct the gentlemen
On what year that My impression IS
Q.-Do YOU recoliect what per cent it was that was
levied that year2 Al can only tell from my own
proportion My recollection is that paid $3 70 on
> sslAry of ST. 800
Qs--f9id you collect it that year9 Al called on
DIN what way was that list mades Describe how
3 was prepared whether with the names and the sal
cries and the percentage that assessed, or how
was tn A.-So far my recollection serves me- am
,aot aware that had list think haaA meInoraI
dam book, in which put down the names of such
gentlemen as contributed, knowing their salary and
what proportion twould be. That is my recollection
Of the matter.
S-Were not there two assessments made that year
-oRe before The election and another afterward-to
make up deficiency? A.-Thst is what spoke of.
think one was before election and another ito make
up adsfciency. was under the impression that the
deficiency the only one had anything to do with
That one You collected Ayes, SIR;
Qs-By what authority was it done} Who was It
4at requested directed you to perform this dutys
Al took the paper around at the request OF the
Commissioner of the General Land office.
Q.-Iltto whose hands was the money paid after you
collected It'll A.-The money that procured think
Ilad over TO the then Commissioner
Qs-You say yen gave 3.20 at one time How
much was it you gave atithe other time2 Ae1There
Nas voluntary contribution at one time, and think
1gaFe So or So
Another man who was a clerk in the General
1land4ofice under Commissioner Hendricks, tes-
titled as follows:
Q.4Will you tell me ali you know about the collect
ing and raising Of money there for political purposesY
Al can give all the information have, probably in
avery few words. Whilst clerk in that de-
partment levies were made upon various occasions
upon the clerks for funds and every occasion dis
ssnted It was against my feelings and my princi-
pies They did not come all occasions to me- but the
last occasion to which took exception was one on
Miiehthey wanted TO raise Rfundcf $8, 000to 80 600
ia the various departments. That however, do not
know Such was the statement made to me.
Q-=Do you recollect shout what the percentage was
upon the salariesl Al do not recoEect think it
was between 2le and per cent
Or-I
fused to subscriber Alt was regular assessment.
Il upon paper that recognized coming from
certain office. The names, the sHlaries, End the
amounts to be paid were all put down.
Q--Mheredd the paper come FRONT A>-FroHn the
Department of the Interior. 1t the same kind Of
psper as the pay-clerk uses On previous occasion
~ assessment was made in the middle of the month
Nllen the clerks had money, and the amounts
afterward deducted from their pay by the payclerk
On pages 503-505 of the report before men
toned appears the testimony OF q man who was
Achief of division in the General Land office
rnder Commissioner Hendricks In part it
reads as follows:
Odd you assist in collecting in 1856 5B? Al
did, within my division
Qs-By whose drection2 A.--Wsll, I was requested
~ was not directed to do soto carry the list around
III my division; that is, to collect it.
Q,-By whom9 A.--By Mr.. Hendricks, believe,
who was then Commissioner. It was request
The witness testified page $3.50 that he handed the
fn0neY to clerk IN the same office, who, above
stated, paid over the receipts to Mr.. Hendricks.
A clerk in another bureau of the same depart
ment the Pension Office, testified that he was
clerk in the Pension Office at the time mentioned
and gave the form of subscription fer the Pen
sion Office as follows:
The undersigned request the isbursing clerk Of the
Department of the Interior TO retain out Of sal
aries for the current month the set appDsteour
respective names
In his testimony he said:
Q.-In whose handwriting was that paper aipawn9
ALL was apparently in the handwriting Of the Cam
--Yes. sir. The subscription was headed with the
name Of the Commissioner with the sum of $40.
what other names were 70 Tie papera Ale name
Of the chief clerk who, think, absent was also
down fer the sum Of $40.
Q.-In whose haudwriting9 Al think it was IA
the handwriting of the Commissioner think That
Mr.. Boyington's name also down. and the best Of
my specification is that he also contributed $40.
asked to sign paper, but objected to doing so ON
the ground that had already contributed $5 to the
funds of the Indiana Club for the purpose Of irslat
of
friends that it would be better to make the cen
trbntion. Ibid Sol and in conversation with the
commissioner of Pensions himself, said to him that
had done It upon the principle Of life insurance-to
Insure my Office to me.
Q.-Was there any other contribution raised that
you know of A.--A similar contribution levied
IN the shape of a subscription to the Consultation
newspaper after it started.
Q.--Hew was that. compulsory or othersviSes A.
--It WAS not in terms compulsory
Q.-Was it understood to be soY Did you under
stand it SO yourseh Al had absolutely declined to
subscribe for the paper but advised by several
persons to do so-persons who were my particular
friends and who ntmased to me that ii was best for
sny own interests to do so.
l-Was that an assessment or q snbscriptionq Al
Il will not be certain whether it assessment or
subscription At all events, the money deducted
from the pay Of the clerks by the pay-clerk
Qs-What did you understand BY these intmationsf
AL could not repeat the exact language; do not
think that reasons gven think it was generally
III the shape of advice simply to do it, advising me- as
friend, to subscribe for the paper It subscrip
Q-To what did your contributions or the assess.
nents you for that year amount tos Alt
amounted to $50 on the Lecompton Constitution
business.
Q--Anything for electionsg A.-For the election
hn Maryland.I think it was the Baltimore city cleo
ti0n--it was $5
Q--And how much for the subscription 10 the Con.
etitution newspaper A.--That was for So. which /
did not pay. however, for was turned out about 4
month after had put down my subscription The
elsrks generally in the Office paid; the paper was taken
large majority IF the clerks in the Office who were
rot before in the habit of taking it.
Q.-Do you know Of amy person losing his place be-
cause he declined to subscribe the same amounts A.
know several who declined to subscribe for the Con-
stituton, but they afterward did subscribe.
Q.-Have you any reason satisfactory to yourself
tsr believing that any person removed for thata
Al am satisfied that one was removed from