Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-01

,,-x,i : -. -, vf'"vus oujctaIs. we may
~, ~" go. .es ".h the Chief Examiner ia say-
ing "tbat the abuses of the fee svs,e,n 80
not confined TO any district or sec, u ~ ~
fhr country. but are, with n ,or 1872 "
exceptions, so prevalent and 81 IN, uo' w.
u Is not TO be wondered N tbs, '' sias
mnrsbah and deputy collectors a, ,s a,pu,j,
revenue have hcsn shot down a. 70 ,ha.'
were enemies Of The peopte. !" sn., 'noi
ltmaiic scheme OF cefraudIno tsa III
nc snd barassing the peaccabls c,,i, ~
OF Tue country IL Of course witbon, ,n,,
possible Justification or excnse 10 ~
seem that II these high I'm nos,,,e, al
having The appointing power Mad m,ds , w. .
reasonable effort to secure hone.t and s,,,,.
bic men they would have moi with hotts.
success; IN fact, II Is hard 10 under.,and
how any man, unless himself an eynert In
these wicked practices and skilled IN dis.
crminating between bad men. couId bave
succeeded in selecting so many disrcnui,hlo
public officials. "'''' i''''''''
but the very peculiar civilseryjce rules
adopted IN Tire appointment and nromotIon
otthiS class OF oiicisls will doubtless ac-
cOuni Tor some OF the bad Results
Faui StHobach. who was appointed de:,-
NY maIshai IN Alabama, in order that he
might make TIE Government nav the ey.
pthSeS 81 his canvass rs candidate for on.
VreSS, rendered four accounts .colnst tho
Government, every one containing f,iso
charges. He was promoted to the nos;tion
OF United States marshal
MI. Wilson, who. when his accounts "a
deputy marshal were being eXemlned
made violent and :nwarr,n,ed ass,,,I.
upon the officer investigating Them. was
afterwards honored with the position az
receiver Of public moneys.
Mr.. Bigham. who. while deputy collector.
inieIfcrcd III The most uni Js,ifiable manner
with The examiners Of the Department of
Justice and in the prosecution against nm
officer on Trial for defraudIng the Govern.
mCnt. was soon thereafter rewarded with
the position OF collector OF internal revenue
for The whole state.
Slr. Jost, who as deputy marshal. was
reported 10 the Attorncy-Gcncrll rs bayinr
knowingly presented false and fictitious
accounts, was afterwards honOrcd with the
appointment Of deputy collector Of internal
revenue. In Texas. Mr.. Russell, VINO was
appointed United states mar.hal. had, ac-
cOrdiDg TO the testimony. proved defaulter
10 the state of Texas for over Sl3.700.
which seems to have been his principal
qualification for Office. With such sy,-
TEN Of selection and advancement of oflicisIs,
Il is not 10 be wondered at that The country
has been cursed with rulers whose least
helnous crime was that OF pubic plunder-
ing.
Probably the most remarkable case Of this
way Of roWarding bad characters was tha,
OF Judge Conger, formerly an Associate
Justice q The Territory OF Montana.
Charges Of such a serious nature were
made against him that he was suspended
from Office hy an order OF the President on
March 20, 1883. These charges were
fully Investigated by IN cX-Chicf Justice OF
Dakota. he reported, among other things.
that in the spring OF 1880, at Miles City.
Judge Conecr on sunday afternoon. after
having leCtured to sunday school. cr-
gagged with Others IN PLAYING al poker for
money; that he Was frequ'nt seen in Il
public saloon where gambling wa
going on during the day and night and on
sunday. and himself playing "stud "
poker or percentage stud" and faro
with professional gamblers and o,heis for
cigars. drinks. and money; TINT he NJ
tended Q public dauce-house at night KEEP;
hy a coiored woman OF bad reputation,
where some sixty persons were present,
and when pulled out on the floor to dance
by one Of the women excused himself, and
in order To make hi. excuse 90 down
treated her to drink. There were two
potitons forwarded to the President in
connection NTH tins matter. Tie one ask
ing for The retirement of the Judge WI
signed by 2l6 citizens. representing -
per cent. Of the taxable property oi
Gallaiin county /; the other asking
for his rCstorati IN 70 the bench was
signed by iiiry-nine persons. Of whom
nine were under inGirtmcn, in the court
fer fraud and Cne for Withholding the
county records; one had been several times
arrested for larceny; another was being
Their pursued Tor the theft Of sixteen
horses, and OF the remainder twenty-niuc
were saloon keepers and gamblers OF Miles
City.
In the face OF these facts the President OF
the United States, in the exercise OF the
functions OF The high Office held by him.
deemed ii his duty TO the people OF this
great country 10 restore Judge Conser i
the bench.
The report concludes "YOur committee.
in former report 10 the House at this ScS-
SLOW. recommended the abolition OF the cor
ruI ting fee system as 4 means Of c0mpen-
sating certain court officials aud The liking
Of definite salaries for United safes dis
trict sttorneys and marshal'.
MANY other reforms were proposed, es-
pociallyin refcrerc2 TO the fees Of United
Stgics commissioner, and clerks OF circuit
and diStTic, courts. The House with great
unaRimity incorporated the recommends
tons into the snndry civil appropriation
bill, mt the Senate refused toacree 10 thcse
mucEnecdcd reforms, and they thus failed
10 be enacted into law. The reforms
proposed reduced tie court expenses over
$4,000 per annum below the amounts APP
proprnted and expended during the last
fiscal year. II is the opinion OF your conf
mittee that the passage OF the legislative
provisions recommended, ard II ec0nomi-
cal administration Of the Offices OF United
State, count officials. would result in an
annual saving Of 4 much larger sum OF
money than the amount above estimated.
The investigations have disclosed a wan
ton waste Cf pubic revenues and criminal
disregard Of tie rights and safeguards OF
Z he UpODle'