St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-12-13
SERIOUS CHARGES.

A Confidential Clerk in the Office OF the
First Comptroller of the Treasury maRes
Some Damaging Allegations OF Irregular
Disbursements of Public MOneys-Work
for the Springer Committee.
WASHINGTON, D. c., December 5.
There were lively proceedings before the
Springer Committee to-day. }. j. Barker
confidential law clerk in the office OF the
First Comptroller of the Treasury, was
heard in response to the following letter:
WASHINGTON, D. c., December 2.
Hon. YIN. u. Springer, Chairman:
Stakeholder "a, 1884, | wrote an
omen letter to the President, citing in
stances of wrongful extraction OF puollc
funds from the Treasury. have no copy
of that letter here, but inclosed is an eCll-
torial from the Cincinnati Enquirer OF
| October 28th, to give an idea OF its MAN
noints. [ am especially familiar with the
manner in which accounts are adjusted
| in the judiciary division of the First Comp
troIIer,s office, In this division the ac-
counts of commissioners, clerks, attor-
news. marshals, etc, of the Federal Courts
are finally passed upon. Vouchers on Tile
in the REGISTERS Office will furnish evil
dence of the fact that for years it has been
the rule to make illegal allowances to'
these officials through the Comptroller's
office, by design, or inexcusable lgnor-
ance of the provisions OF the law.
insist that more than half OF the ac-
counts presented by the court officials
contain illegal or improper charges; many
of these items are allowed. IReSe I'M,
proper allowances will aggregate. an
enormous sum. =,
Convincing proof of this statement will
be found in the file rooms OF the Regis
ter's office, but the evidence can only De
produced by some one Well-lntormeo con on
corning the contents of the books and To-
carton of vouchers. When Investigations
of those matters have been attempted,
only those papers asked 1of by fesoluCloh
have been exhibited.
Persons being investigated do not usu-
a7lv volunteer evidence tending toward
their own condemnation.
OF course in the limits of this letter,
can only briefly indicate the things COM
planned of, but / should be very glad to
! furnish your committee with details.
Very respectfully,
j. j. BARKER.
Barker consumed considerable time
citing instances where dA1cStu 14auudASAo
vouchers were presented by United States
officials and allowed by order OF Comp
troller Lawrence in the face of protest by
himself Darker. He said that United
States Commissioner Shields, of New
York, presented an account of fourteen
hundred dollars for swearing super
yisors of election of 1880, to their &C
counts, when the statute provided Other
means of payment of the service. He had
protested against the allowance OF this
voucher, yet the allowance was made.
United Estates District Attorney Stone,
of Western Pennsylvania, had filed
voucher for $50 per diem in term o.
court, where there were but four cases
for trial, one of which was disposed O
| by demurrer, another nolled and tht
| other two continued. The account was
allowed without inquiry.
In the election of 1882 in New York,
voucher for $23, 1000 was allowed for su
pervisors of election, when it was show
!. that the supervisors were paid from S. t.
5 $40 for two days service, but one ola.
4 each was all the service required, and III
+ evidence was produced to show that NOR
service than one day was necessary. In
examination proceeded at conslderabl
length, and is still progressing.