Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-02-07
Washington dispatch to the Inter-ocean.


Washington dispatch to the Inter-Ocean.
Brewster Cameron's examination
before Springer's committee was con-
cluded to-day The witness was al
lowed to testify in his own way, and
was only cross-examined with a view
to bringing out all the information
Cameron was inclined to give. His
testimony was related entirely to the
accounts of the United States marshals
and their deputies, the commissioners,
and the superintendents of elections.
Cameron will be recalled in the future
for closer cross-examination after 9TH
er witnesses have been examined. He
was notified that he should not leave
town until permission should BE grant
cd him. In the early part of his testi
mony there are three interesting items
relating to the supervisors of election
in the cities of New York and Brook
lyn. The supervisors put in accounts
largely beyond what they were allow
ed to collect under the law. Super
visor Allen, of Brooklyn, had 5000
cut cut of his accounts, Johnny Daven-
port 81, 300, and Dennison, of the
northern district of New York, SIS 900.
Cameron was examined at the great
est length in regard to the accounts
of exMarshall Hall, of Pittsburg
Hall kept no books for the record of
fees received in civil cases. He held
the office during the profitable period
when bankruptcy cases filled the
courts and received large sums of
money for which he made no account.
He would add up his money at the
month and then decide what share he
would turn over to the government.
AS a general thing the governments
share was small in proportion to the
receip pts. The attention of the depart
nent was first called to this matter by
Congressman Bayne, who went to the
department with man by the name
of Brown, a deputy formerly in Halls
employ. Cameron said that they sus-
pected that this man desired to black
mail Hall. At any rate they declined
to employ him although Bayne's de-
mands We're very urgent. Cameron
lcoaid@fina evidence of Browns de-
sire to blackmail, but added that the
real reason why they refused was be-
Cc1uoC ohOJ udo EIOhoJ VI dSCuto vi
their own. He understood Brown
wanted $4,000 for working up the
case, but he knew nothing as to that.
Cameron said that the attorney gen
eral had told him, when he had heard
of the charges against Hall. that an
investigation should be made at once,
for fear it would be said that Hall, be-
ing from Pennsylvania, was protected
by the encouragement. This virtu-
GUS claim was hardly supported by
the evidence that followed An agent
by the name of Haight was sent out 10
investigate Hall, aud found great ir-
regularities. The department kindly
notified Hall of the report and asked
him what he intended to do about it.
Hall responded by saying that he
would make out new statement of
his accounts, and if he found anything
was due the government he would re-
NIT. The department waited all sum-
mer and part of the fall to hear from
Hall, but finally another agent by the
name of Ballyn was sent out and he
is now finishing his report upon the
subject. He has discovered that Hall
owes the government over $3.50, 900.
The evidence of the money due was
found through. ..laborious examinations
of the court records. There is no way
of getting at exactly how much Hall
owed, as he rarely if ever made an &C
count of one dollar of the money re-
ceived by him. His bond was $20,-
600, and his property in sight was
valued at $60,000
Cameron explained the non-prose-
cution of Hall upon the ground that
the deparement had only just closed
its investigation. He said that Hall
was general regarded in Pittsburg as
an honest man. He resigned in June,
1882, because, so it is said, Brown con-
stantly threatened him with exposure.
Cameron wound up his testimony re-
lating to Hall with the startling state
ment that he believed every marshal's s
Office where large number OF bank
ruptcy cases had been handled would
show the same condition Of affairs as
IN the case of Hall There were no
system of accounts, and the fees han
died were much larger than the re-
turns from the average district. His
remedy for all this was to abolish the
Zee system ana place marshaIS and
their deputies upon salaries.
Two especially interesting facts
were disclosed later on in the exam
lnatlon in regard to two men whose
nominations for federal Offices are
now pending in the senate. One of
these is Henry o. Wilson, who has
been nominated as a receiver of pub
lie moreys for the state of Alabama.
He was indicted as deputy marshal
last summer for making out fraudu
lent accounts The other man is Ar
thur Bingham, who has been nonnina-
ted as CO lector OF internal revenue
for the same state. He has stood in
with the marshal's ring in that state,
and has opposed SO far as he could the
efforts of the department of justice to
punish public frauds. Robert Doug
las, son of Stephen A. Douglas, who
h