Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-07
THE FIEDLER INVESTIGArION.
What the Commi>.ioners Say.

STAR reporter today found Commissioners
Edmonds and West, and Auditor 1ichenor together.
-" hat do you think" asked the reporter, e0f
The reflections upon the transactions OF your prcit
cessors which now seem 10 form the burthen of the
song OF the Investigators"
II can only think them grossly unjust replied
one OF Tue commissioners. ~ retrospect oi the
difficulties since 1874 of sStahSnin.- lin. District
government upon its prSen, b,S, IN Iur,,, henry
SNlnithy for those who n ave performed the labor
Lhree-iourths OF the time OF the present COmmts-
slohers Is occupied In reviewing the business " The
past ten years Prescription doss nor run against
any cltllen 10 have his wrun-s reirtS>cl bur there
must ne Judgment 10 his wrongs and his rights
ne III does not always think That justice Is done
anu perhaps that may be- 81 Who ever heard IL A
man who lost his ease in court that didn't lose
either MS temper or his regard for the tribunal
whose decision was ayerse 10 his claims"
Are the commissioners examining into the
porter
"les-Indus:rIously Upon the retirement OF the
Iate commissioners, finding that III. hooks or the
TAX collector had not been auuitrd Tor several
years olck. an appropriation 0f S2.ia0 was lminedi-
ateIS asked Tor. and granted March ;. ISl hy Con-
gress 10 enable the auditor O. bring up the books
ana arrange The records OF his office. and Ia AUDIT
the books ot the collector and that work has been
going on daily since March Is, 1879"
"N Ill IL result in discovering Any ,,rr0rSer
"1es, said the Commissioner =, II t,sy exist and
TO the extent that the means granted hy Congress
will enable us 10 make examlnations Of tns oid
books"
- And then what 2" asked the reporter.
Recovery from those who have either directly
p.'u4dpu- dEu perhaps IRON thDSc who prpilIei
through irregularities. and restitution Ia any tax
against them"
Docs that idea" asked the reporter, .ernbrace
payment OF damages for change OI grades"
No! Such claims have no status under exist
ing iaw They Cannot be paid without the action
What about the statements of Mr.. Walden, the
expert" inquired the reporter
NV hen Nr. alden and MI Fielder first came
here the Commissioners told Nj Fielder thai IN
was hoL necessary Ia come under a resolution Or
congress, Tor every member % Congress aEd every
ciilzen VINO desired II had the rght to 10 this
ONCE, with an expert, II he pleased and 10 look
INTO the affairs or the Distrgt: THAT tie auditor
was doing that now. and had bren doing so since
ne came here, but his force WAS barely
Sufncient to keep I'D with the current
transactions and daily routine We told hiIn thtt
the additional help given the auditor INSULT
cient I'd do the work rapidly, because one df the
most Important clerks lad been continually either
IN the Court OF Claims the supreme Court or the
District AS witntss with regard 10 old transac-
tons. The Commissioners advised Mr. Ya!,ien
that there had been many irregularities. as our
was able he was developing what they
really were that We believed, even since the pres
ent form OF government WAS established the sys-
TEN had Deem Such that dishonest clerks might nil
fer small sums from ime TO time, and that a man
named Merchant was believed by The Office To have
been guilty OF irregularities; that upon going back
ID the days OF the board of pubic works We be-
ieved greater irregularities would Toe found. or at
, least, that such was the general impress
back and examine into the matter; that
we mad as much as We could do 10 Keep track
or current affairs The Commissioners not brinr
responsible FOR the past, giyn, their attention
10 their own duties. except particular Cases are
Drought To their notice. Afterwards, In talking
with Mr. Walden about these things, be told
Us that the charges OF irregularities were
not made out against Nj Merchant ami
that he would hot dare BE- responsible
for any such charges. The commissioners said
that was one OF the things the auditor was suolng :
into and felt IL within hts duties To look into Unua
further proof furnished 10y the commissioners Mr.
flfa i.lr
ana so declared. The Commissioners asked Nr
Walden TO look through everything, and II he found
anything wrong since their advent into Office,
litS WOULD De very much Obliged 10 him
II he called their attention 10 fl, and
Ii ne saw where any improvement could bo
made they would thank him Tor the suggestion He
told them that the present system the best lie
had ever seen: that he knew OF uo way 10 improve
upon IL, and that the manner OF accounting since
our auditors advent into Office was beyond queS-
ton The Commissioners said simply II that Is so,
We presume matters liz the past VIII be brought 10
laidenS answer was: That Is a tremendous
undertaking. II the report in the newspaper, as
10 "naI MI. faiden SAYS are true. be has found
out nothing except what was shown him by the
commissioners. lie has found out nothing: learned
nothing; but simply looked into thtGgs TO viii IA the
commissioners called his attention, ana about
which he was fncIedUous until the evidence was
furnished. He has hot stated thing but was told
him by us. and which we had 10 prove to him. 80
he has been or no use 10 the pubic In
his investigation. He has discovered nothing: he
has made no suggestion 70 us; put. on the con-
the system In use He has learned nothing more
than what has been made public before. ard is a
matter OF notoriety. So far tie Merchant trans
action Is concerned IL ha, been s1ttled by
Mr.. Cook. the collector. and the mcney has
been paid into the Treasury. We not OILY
showed Mr.. Valdez where money Rad been
abStracted, but where IL had been returned. A
controversy Is now pending between Mr. Merchant
and the collector regarding The property which
Mr. Merchant turned over 10 him as security All
these things were matters or public notoriety be-
fore caIne into Office These are all the lTreI.-
laritieS Mr.. Walden has discovered except general
Matters which. also. We Sug ,eS;el TO him"
Both or the mllsolenerS aSSeltc1 10 these
statements
Commissioner Edmonis remarked: "To sum up
the whole matter, Mr. GdldenS statement i merely
a faint echo OF what the Commissioners told him -
Various influences, IL is stated have been al work
TO bring about the Investigation proposed by Nj.
Fielder. Mr.. Merchant IL appears, il a constituent
OF Mr. Fielder, and IL is stated that h. l. desirouS
OF securing such evidence from the District records
will assist him In gaming Ills ends Ia a cOulrO-
versy he has with Collector Cook
CHANGES IN THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF TIE
ARNy.-The following changes In the stations and
duties OF officers OF the medical department are
dered: Colonel Charles Sutherland surgeon re-
lleyei from duty In the division OF the Paclfc II
report IN person TO the commanding general dvi-
sion OF the Atlantic for duty medical director OF
that division and OF the department OF the east.
Colonel Elisha |. Baily, surgeon, now on duty in
California Will report 10 the commanding general
division OF the Pacific for duty as medical director
OF that division and OF the department Of Cali
fornia Major George VI. Stenberg, surgeon.
lived from duty In the department OF California and
will report In person TO the commanding general
department OF tile east for assignment 10 duty.
Captain Edward b. MoSeley. assistant surgeon. r.
lieved from duty in the department OF tie east and
VIII report In person TO the commanding general
department of the Columbia for assignment 10
duty. Captain Timothy f.. Wilcox, assistant sur
geOn, relieved from duty In the department OF the
Columbia. and will report Ia person 10 The coin
manding general department OF the east for assgn-
ment to duty.
Political Notes.
THE TARIFF BANQUET IN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. NOR