Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-01
THE SPRINGER COMMITTEE.
.MoRE MALpgAcrYcs DEvEIopkD,
tnes,ciency and Csiminai Practices In the
Department Of snstscc-isow the Public
Treasury has been fIuadered.

inv telegraph 90 the D,sps,ch.I
WASHINGTON. ID. c., September 3o.--Du-
ring the last session Of Congress the Com
fn,ttcc on Exrend lures in the Department,
81 Justice examined large number OF wit
ncsscs relative 10 charges sgainst the Gov.
eminent made by United states marshals.
United states supervisors OF elections. and
other officers appointed by or connected
with the Department OF Justice. A report
based upon the testimony taken has been
made fey submission 20 The House Of Re-
pfcSertativcs upon the reassombling
Of Congress. IL Is signsd by the
Democratic members Of the commit
tee. The Republican members will submit
= minority report. In making obscrFa-
lions on the appointment Of United STATES
officials the rcrOTt SAYS: q" A stream never
rises above is scarce. and rs long as those
who possess The p0Ne. OF appointing these
officers have 10 appreciation OF the true
dignity 81 the public service. and regard
offices only as rewards 10 be bestowed upon
their most Unscrupu0u> political allies,
there II not much reason TO hope for any
great Improvement In the character OF our
appointed Cf,cials.'
The rcpC continues: "rhe committee
has no; been able 10 examine all Of the OIL
cials OF the class named, nor does IL suppose
that all the fraudulent and wicked prac-
tees have been discovered even in those
portions Of The country where offices have
been investigated. Enough has been de.
veloped, however, 10 give very good idea
as 10 The general character Of the officers
appointed and Of their mode OF conducting
the public business. The testimony before
the committee clearly shows that utter in.
efficiency and criminal practices have pre-
xraflgG la - the -
public Sorvirc for many years past. and
that the Government has been heavy loser
thereby.
There is S1incDeSS rs also n variety i'm
The testimony. The investigation reveals
the wonderful unanimitv with which these
officers OF almost every grade. and in Seve-
raj portions 81 The country. have plundered
the public Treasury 10y false fraudulent,
and fictitious, charges, and vet the variety
in WAYS aud means by which they have
worked iheir ScncmcS is equally curious,
and shows that they have taxed their in
scnuity 20 the utmost 20 lind modes OF
accomplishing the one unhailowed pur-
pose Of getting money they were
not entitled TO. They have charged
for arrest, That were not MADE
for travel that was not performed; for cX-
penScs that were not incurred for guards
that were not employed. They knowingly
rendered false accounts against the Govern
mcnt: mi,appropriatcd public funds; be-
came dtiau.ttrs 10 the Government and To
the courts; increased accounts after they
were made up: made up accounts in the
name OF fictitious persons: arrested per-
sons upon false charges worked ~ by
themselves; eX,orted money from private
citizens. and iu ways without number have
swindlcd the Government and oppressed
the people.
Tie late marshal % South Clroliuia i
charged with nine Illegal act, during his
incumbeucy Il twelve or eighteen months.
II is charged that he made returns t. the
Government a. only about one fifth Of The
fees and commissions earned by him IN
ciyIl eases. and that he presented for pay
mcnt the accounts Of deputy mar,dals
when he knew they contained false, fraud
ulent, AVID Gcilciou> items.
zone practice deserves special mention"
the report continues, "aS exhibiting the
ingenuity OF the officers in eyading the lIw
and the shameful prostitution Of the pow
ers oi their Office for unworthy ends.
Frivolous and yeXatiOUS prosecutions had
been 50 coInmon that an effort was made 10
stop il. ard al order was issued that 10
United states commissioner should lsSUe 4
warrant % arrest in interDGl-rCyenuc cases
y
nue officer that he had examined the
C.se and That prosecution should be hal.
In order 10 cvade this. deputy
marshall. secured appointments as rcye-
nue. officers so H. 70 be able
to make the official affidavit required.
They then worked up cases rs deputy mar
shals. signed allidavlS as deputy collectors,
and then served the warrants a. deputy
marshal>. in this way completely nulliiy-
ing the order made for the protection Of 4
citizen. Many warrants Of this character
were signed IN blauk--the blanks 10 be filled
Nv inserting the names Of persons there
sitter to b. discovered and arrested for
alleged offences. one man who was
special deputy marshal. special deputy
collector, and stOTe&eeper and gauger.
had fifty Of these warrants signed
i'm blank. Armed with these he was pre-
pared u arrest any person he mlgGt see fit
upon any charge imaginable in violation OF
revenue laWs. II would be difficult to de-
wise = scheme by which more completely 10
nullify the PLAIN rule laid down for the
guidance Of these officials, nor one In which
the dearest rights Of citizens could be more
thoroughly trampled under foot
The testimony shows that Of seventy
deputies appointed and employed by the
marshal IN South Carolina accounts. fully
one half have been examined. and there
wss not one without flaw. and in q ma
iOrity OF eases there was absolute dis
honesty. The IcsTl. al the investigation
Of the late mar,hai'S official actions and
doingS show that in about one year and 4
half $3.50 Of money advanced him by the
Government could not be accounted for.
and the excessive and Illegal fees charged
amounted ga SG.52i, making a total def
cheney Of Sl1,111.
In The western district Of North Carolina
the testimony. while not developing such
glaring fault. certainly shows that Robert
NJ. DOuglas. rs marshal. and some OF his
deputies, have run iheir Offices with view
oi making them paw all that was possible.
During six months OF the year 1881 one
United STATES commissioner issued in
single county ninety-four warrants against
persons residing within a radius OF
thirty miles: all upon aifidayits OF
two deputy collectors, who made them
al the solicitation OF tue commission.
or ana deTuty marshal. OF these defend.
ants forty were discharged, five tried be-
fore a commissioner, and only twenty-siX
sent 10 court. As a result Of the operations
Of this commissioner for xix months in
one county, there was a cost 10 the Govern
lIent OF t4,2,O without iuftneling IN any
degree the administration Of justice. The
examination Of the accounts OF two deputy
marshals revealed that at least seventy per
cent. Of them were fraudulent.
o. i. FItzsiinOns, eX-marShsl OF Georgia,
is charged with illegally obtaining and re-
tanning $4,000. including Sll. 800 uniustly
withheld from his deputies and appropr-
ated 10 bis own use.
OF The accounts 81 General LOngstreet.
ex-marshal Of Georgia. covering about one
year. tue department has disailOwed about
80. 400 rs being Illegal and excessive ac-
counts.
Marshal Osborne's (of Alabama fraudu-
lent aud excessive charges amounted TO
S7,4g0.
The report describes the results OF the
examination into the accounts OF Mqrshals
Russell, OF Western Texas; Wheeler. OF
Southern Illinois; and Hall, OF Western
Penn ylyania. and continues; This spirit
Of peculatiOn seemed al one time abOL: TO
reach up 10 the examiners Of the De-
paitment Of Justice. G.. X. Chase,
an agent Of the Department OF JUS
tice under a former Administration, en-
ployed to detect aud report frauds OF Other
officials, was sent 10 Mississippi 10 examine