St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-01
Scathing Official Expose of Radical

WASHINGTON sept. oU.--Ine majority report or
he Springer committee on the United States mar
shars accounts is made public 1t is signed by
the Democratic members OF the committee and
says:
"A stream never rises abote its source, and as
long as those who possess the power appointing
these officers have no appreciation OF the true
dignity of the public service, and regard offices
only as offices to be bestowed upon their most
unscrupulous allies, there is not much reason to
hope for much improvement in the character of
our public officials
The testimony before the committee clearly
shows that utter inefficiency and criminal prac-
tces have prevailed in many parts OF this branch
OF the public service for many years, and that
the government has been heavy loser thereby.
There is a sameness as also variety
in the testimony. The investigation
reveals wonder of unanimity with which these
officers, almost in every grade and in several por-
tons OF the country. have plundered the public
treasury by false, fraudulent and fictitious
charges. And yet the variety in the ways and
means by which they have worked their schemes
is equally curious and shows they have taxed
their ingenuity to its utmost to find modes to ac-
complish the one unhallowed purpose of getting
money they not entitled to. They charged
for expenses not incurred, for guards not en-
ployed They knowingly rendered false accounts
against the government, misappropriated public
lie funds, became defaulters to the government
they were made, made up accounts in
the names Of fictitious persons arrested persons
upon false charges, worked up by themselves,
extorted money from private citizens, and in
ways without number have swindled the govern
ment and oppressed the people.
Numerous illegal acts are cited on the part Of
marshals in southern states in proof of the above
charges, and the report calls special attention to
the practice of exhibiting the ingenuity of officers
in evading the law, and the shameful prostitution
of the powers Of their office for unworthy ends
Frivalous and vexatious prosecutions had been
| so common that an effort was made to stop it,
and an order was issued that no United
States commissioner should issue a
warrant for arrest in internal retenue
cases without the affidavit of an internal revenue
officer that he had examined the case, and that
prosecution should be had. In order to evade
this deputy marshal secured appointments as
revenue officers as to be able TO make the offi-
! cal affidavit required. They then worked up
the deputy marshals,S signed the afidaYits
! as deputy collectors and then served the warrant
| as deputy marshals-in this way completely null
lifying the order made for the protectionof citi-
| Zens, 1t would be difficult to devise scheme
by which the dearest rights of citizens could be
more thoroughly trampled under foot. Continu-
ing the report says:
''Fhe testimony shows that Stilwell Il. Russell
as marshal Of the western district of Texas, so
managed the affairs of his Office that in about
| three years $40, 600 of government funds passed
through his hands in such a mysterious manner
| it could not be accounted for besides
the amounts Illegally taken from his dep
utes, and which we cannot ascertain.
This marshal carried off the books belonging to
his office systematically swindled private citi-
zens, and according to the testimony wholesale
| forgery committed in his Office for the pur-
pose of defraudng the government. Russell was
indicted, tried and convicted, and is now serving
out his term of sentence in southern Illinois
penitentiary at Chester"
In regard to the partial investigation of the
southern district Of Illinois during Wheeler
| incumbency marshal. the report says:
''There appears, from the testimony, to be O
controversy between Marshal Wheeler and his
former deputies, Gen. j. N. Reece, as to which
of them is responsible for false and fictitious ac.
counts rendered against the government. AS to
that we have nothing to say. but it is clear
himself from his just responsibility
by laying the blame for these
illegal acts on subordinate whom he selected
and appointed to perform the duties of his office
Marshal Wheeler admits under oath, ''that his
administration has been exceedingly loose and
imperfect, and that false, fraudulent and icti-
tious charges have crept into the accounts. y
Unfortunately for Wheeler and other officers
who make similar confessions, their offices were
never so loosely managed to cause them to
suffer any loss. Ali the looseness operated to
the disadvantage OF tie government. In nc
single instap ce does it appear they ever charg ed
less than they were entitled to, and in the ma
iority OF cases they charged far more thsn the
law allowed.
OF John Hall, who was marshal in the western
district of Pennsylvania for nine Consecutive
years, the report says: 'sHe actually returned
as earned during these nine years S33 3O3
when in fact he had really earned $1S6, ,961
This spirit of speculation seemed at on,
time about to reach up to the examiners depart
ment OF justice. We may well agree, says the re
NOS wit fha oh of
the abuses of the system are not confined to an,
district or section of the country, but are, will
few notable exceptions, prevalent and 3,
odious that 1t is not to be wondered at that iiep
uty marshals and deputy collectors OF interifl
revenue have been shot down as il they were es5e
mics of the people. Such Systematic scheme o
defrauding the public and hArrassing peaceablt
citizens of the country is of Coarse, without an,
possible Justification or excuse. X docs seer
that If those high in position and having an az
pointing power had made any reasonable,eEbrt {
!. secure honcstfand capable men they would hav
met with better success. In fact il is hard to un
derstand how any nan, unless himself an expel
in these wicked practices, and skilled in discrim
; mating between bad men, could have succeeds
in selecting so many disreputable public officials
But the very peculiar civil service rules adopte
in the appointment and promotion of this clas
of officials will doubtless account for some Of tn
bad results. Report here names several official
who were rewarded by promotion or otherwis
In spite OF illegal acts, and says, ''With such
system OF selection and advancement of officials
1t is not to be wondered that the country ha
, been cursed with rulers whose least heinou
crime was that of public plundering Probabl
the most remarkable case OF this way of reward
ing bad characters was that of Judge Congel
formerly associate Justice OF the Ferritory q
Montana. Charges of such serious nature we
} known to the public made against him an
he was suspended from office. There were tw
petitions forwarded the president in connectio
with this matter. One asking for the rt
tirement OF the Judge was signe
by 216 cititiZens representing tw
per cent. of the taxable property of Gallati
county The other, asking for his restoration
the beuch, was signed ny ffty-nine persons, {
whom nine were then under indictment in tn
court for fraud, and one for Withholding count
records. One had been several times arreste
for larceny, another was then being pursued fo
horse stealing, aud of the remainder twenty.nil
, were saloonkeepers and gamblers OF Miles CITY
In the face of these facts the president of tn
United States. in the exercise of the functions
the high office held by him, deemed It his dut
TO the people Of this great country 20 -estor
Judge Conger TO the bench.
) The report recommends the abolition OF ID
corrupting fee system, and fixing definite salarie
for Unitsd States district attorneys and marshal,
and closes with the statement that ''the invest
cations have disclosed wanton waste Of publ
, revenues and criminal disregard of the rights an
: safeguards Of the people,"