Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-16
JUDGE LAWRENCE HEARD.
His Own Honor Defended and Barker's
Assailed,

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-J. j. Barker who
brought charges against First Comptroller
LaWrenee's Office before Mr.. Springer's COM
mlttee, to-day amended his former testimony
by explaining that he had intended to say
District Attorney instead of District Judge
In MS charges; that court officer was
aware that irregular accounts were rem
uereu. When his attention was called to the
Iaet That he had brought grave charges
against Judge, he simply replied that he
meant District Attorney.
Judge Lawrence took the stand and read a
lengthy statement in answer to the charges
made by Mr.. Barker. He said that the ac-
counts allowed in his Office and cited by Mr.
to law. 49, .
Relative to the resignation OF Mr.. Barker as a
Clerk in the First Comptroller's office, Judge
Lawrence said that a claim for Sl6,5S4 Of the
state OF Florida against the United States
was presented to the Acting Comptroller for
passage during the absence of the First
comptroller In Ohio. The warrant was in an
unknown handwriting. 1t was signed by the
Acting Comptroller, but was detained in one
division of the office.
BARKER IN A BAD LIGHT.
When Judge Lawrence returned, he said it
was discovered that the claim was fraudu-
lent. He asked MI. Barker what he knew
about It and he replied that he knew nothing.
"a few days AFTER" Judge Lawrence con-
tinued, "Mr. Barker came to my room and
said that he would afterwards explain that
matter. The next morning he resigned. He
has never explained"
Judge LaWfence-''I respectfully submit
that the action of the Chief of Division of
the Judiciary Accounts, and of the present
clerks in his division, and of the First Comp
troller, as TO the accounts in que stion is fully
justified. If it should now or hereafter be
ascertained that any or all of these officer
were imposed on and deceived by false evil
dence In any case, or by one or more fraudu-
lent claims. thei discovery can furnish no
ground for any general complaint that illegal
or eXtraVagant claims which the Comptroller
has any power to disalloW or reduce, have
been or are being allowed. 1t would be strange
II there were not some successful frauds
practiced.
MILLIONS OF VOUCHERS.
During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1884,
the vouchers which were examined in the
ComptrOler's Office reached the number of
3,535,S26, involving $223, ,053, ,391. OF course it
Is physically impossible that any Comptroller
can personally examine these or any consd-
able number Of them. The work is necessa-
rlly entrusted to the chiefs of divisions and
the clerks. There are classes of claims over
which the accounting officers have no control
or discretion to dlsatlow or reduce in amount.
They are those in which some officer is au-
thorlZed to fix by contract or by allowance
the amount to be paid, and those which grow
out OF and are mere matters of administra-
tion. AS to these claims, over which
have control, l have never heard,
so far as can remember, of but one man in
the United States who alleged that l allowed
either illegal or extravagant amounts, and he
says am honest, and, so far as / can remem-
Der have never heard of but this one man
who lntlmated that had been inefficient or
inattentive to business"
The investigation will be continued tO-mor-
row, when witnesses will be examined rela-
tive to Mr.. Barker's reputation and to his
knowledge of the Florida claim referred to in
the early part of to-day's testimony.