Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-15

OF TIE CONTROLLER
Mr.. J. J. Barker appeared before the Springer
committee this morning and asked be allowed 10
explain the peculiar manner in which Mr.. Hodges
had, as he said, told him that the Attorney Gen.
eral examined accounts In merely a formal man.
ner What he meant, he said. was that this was
the case with relation TO certain particular &C
counts
The onhcial stenographer then was asked to read
from witness testimony OF Friday, and no such
qualification occurred.
Great difficulty was experienced IN getting the
witness 70 explain his meaning 10 the understand
Mr.. Fyan said: II confess DO not understand
the witness to-day. don't know how The rest OF
the committee understood him In hts previous tes-
timony, but thought he said first that the Treas
ury officials did not look into these accounts with
counts were passed merely formally by the Depart
ment OF Justice aud by the judges OF the courts"
a., MI Barker then explained that be meant that
the 7. district attorneys did not examine the &C
counts IL was these, and not the judges that he
Mr.. Mtliken.--"Is It the duty OF district attor-
neys to certify TO these acccuntse"
Witness-"It is their duty TO object to any false
charges
MT: Milnken-" But ask If 1t was their duty to
certify to the accountse"
Witness-"Non
Witness went into further explanation.
CONTROLLER LAWRENCE HEARD.
then heard. He said he had been the nrst con-
troller since 10th July, 1880. He had prepared
statement, he said. which contained certain Of
nclal letters that would be verified by witnesses.
Clerks In the controllers Office then testified that
the letters In the statement were correct
Mr. Aud, chief OF the law division, testified to
the correctness OF his reports Incorporated In the
statement. He said, fn answer TO a question by
MI Miliken, that he had been appointed TO the
Office during MI. Buchanan's administration.
MILLIONS IN 1T.
Mr. Barker objected 20 the admission OF letters In
Judge Lawrence's statement as testimony
Some OF these letters and documents were then
ruled out.
One letter read, but not as testimony was from
A. NJ Bennett, in which the writer said that Barker
had tod him that If he was at the head OF the
were millions in IT,"
Mr.. Barker's letter to the New York Herald was
then read, to be Incorporated In Judge Lawrence's
Judge Lawrence then opened his testimony by
referring TO the alleged attempt to Improperly pass
the accounts with relation TO the Florida land
Claims, or which $4,000 was allowed, but Offset Ivy
debt owed 10 the United States by the state
amounting 10 $21i,000 The claims. owing to this
offset, could not be- settled. for the law required
that in such cases the allowance should not be paid
In money, but credited towards the liquidation OF
the debts. Mr.. Barker and Mir. Lincoln were in
charge or such cases The papers IN the hand
writing OF Mr.. Barker. In OCTOBER 1884,
FORGED DRAFT
for the amount OF $4,000 to be paid to the agents
OF the state OF Florida, was discovered The draft
was not In the natural handwriting OF any clerk In
the ONCE. An investigation was ordered. on the
morning after the Investigation was commenced,
MI. Barker witness said, came to his door and
said {the statement being taken down by witness
stenographer) that he would explain that matter
But he did not explain, and on the next day re-
signed.
Witness then took up the accounts objected TO
b. Mr.. Barker, and explained how they were dill
gently looked into. With relation to the charges
Tor administering oaths, witness said that the
customary Charges were ten cents for an oath and
fifteen cents each for two certificates In allowing
these Judge Lawrence said he followed the prac-
tce of the ONCE and the law on the subject