The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-04-16
THF MODERN GARGANTUA.
Mr.. A. n. GibsoR's Description of
Eli II. Murray.
The Records of the Department Of
Justice Mutilated-M Murray as
Marshal, Territorial
Governor, Etc.

The following is the full text oil
A, M. Gibson's letter to Chairman
Springer, of the House committee
on expenditures in the Department
of Justice, which was called forth
bv the action of that committee 10
regard to the charges Of misconduct
against Eli H. Murray during his
term of ofioo as United States nar-
shall:
W. hing N, D. O.,
April z, 1884.
SIR. Eli Fl. Murray, late United
states marshal of Kentucky and
Dresent Governor OF Utah, was
d.nonnced by the Hon. John
d. White, Representative from
Kentucky, as a thief. TIE
committee Fof which you are
chairman, acting upon the in
formation obtained from Mr.. White,
called upon the Acknowledgement
for any papers On file in the Depart
ment of Justice relating to the adj
ministration of the United States
marshal's Office for the district of
Kentucky during the incumbency of
Eli. 81. Murray. -
A bundle of papers, the result OF
an examination n, ade by George K.
Chase. an officer OF the Department
of Justice, was sent to your commit
tee. The examination covered a
very short period, and related only
to certain specific charges made by
a former SUBJ rdinats Of Marshal
Murray. The charges were sus.
tanned by oral and documentary
evidence. The officer directed to
make the examination so reported to
the Acknowledgement, who there
upon wrote to Marshal Murray de-
manding his resignation. In res
Spouse thereto John M. Harlan,
then the attorney of Murray, now a
Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States, came to Washington
to save his client from disgrace.
The result Of Mr.. Harlan's visit
was an arrangement by which Muir
ray was allowed to resign as of his
own motion, and the let ter of the
Acknowledgement demanding his
resignation was not only withdrawn,
but the records of the Department
of Justice were mutilated by cutting
from the letter book the recorded
copy thereof. It was also stipulated
that the papers showing the result
Of the examination made by Chase
should not be placed on file. The
object OF this extraordinary pros
ceeding could have been none other
than to shield an offender in who's
interest powerful political Influences
had been brought to bear. The re-
cords of the Department of Justice |
are not nutilated, and official papers
kept of the files for trivial causes.
The papers sent to your commit |
tee were examined by Mr.. Balm,
an expert OF the Department of JUS |
tlce, who testified that they dis |
closed Irregularities In the accounts |
OF Marshal Murray and frauds upon |
the United States. George Z.
chase, the officer who investigated |
the charges against Murray, and who
reported them sustained, appeared
before your committee and testified |
that the evidence he obtained estab-
llshed Murray's guilt; that the |
Acknowledgement demanded Muir
rays resignation, which was re-
oelved and accepted. He testified |
that the resignation was demanded |
because the examination he had |
made satisfied the Attorney-Gen.
eral that Murray was guilty. The
witness was specifically examined
and did not give q satisfactory &C.
count OF the attempted suppression
u MS report, of the withdrawal of /
Inc Attorney-General's letter de-
handing AGrray's resignation, nor
oL the mutilati0n of the records by
removing the copy Of the same.
betWeen the time the papers first
cSme 10 your committee and the
examination Of Chase the most inn
porUanC one disappeared. It was
tne original warrant on which were
t tiId .I3 IN MurTay's handwriting
me- tbe lii Hg5 fees, amounting to more
t rno,n SsU, ii the McCord case. 1t
o 60 "MEOng the papers when they
tio clai' i1on The Department of Jus
FIJI FIJI, saw aud examined it care
aHlIy called the attention of the
ele iTI OF your committee to il.
oo 1ne non John B. White testifie
concerning many irregnisrit;oS IN
Iae aaTshal's Office which had been
reported cop9ot ID to him. he gave an acl
G 81 III. OF gross outrages I penetrated 1r
pose Pose FL e swelling the emoIu men f "a.
Turns st OF Marshal Murray, he en ra %
yo9 Inc names Of witnesses So go
had personal knowIed% n0 Sc VINO
! taI. and frauds ana asked Isl ft fgat
Iley should be subpenae@dT a a0d ' aS
Smined. This has not I baon anu daa ex-
The Commissioner Of f u1ne.
revenue, who made grave t ohera
sgalnSt Murray, was "invifeS - %
appear before your committso 70
give his testimony. but deeiina1d S 1a
PERSONAL and political reasons a no5
was excused. "S' ana
Mr. Murray appeared before vor.
s sUmailttee last Friday and con-
slmeu Two hours in reading a staaa
o ment aoounding in tawdry rhst-
I1Ics maWklsh invectiYe, and Who'll,
y unsupported charges sgainet
ssHtIemen who had n0tbino Shat