New-York tribune., 1884-10-01
ANOTHER SPRINGER REPORT.
CHARGES AGAINST COURT OFFICIALS.

RUPrIoS.
WASHINGTON. Sept 3O.-Durng the last
session OF Congress. the Committee Expenditures In
the Department OF Justice examined n large number Of
witnesses relative to the charges against the Govern
meni. made by United States Marshas United states
Supervisors OF Election and other officers appointed by
connected with the Department OF Justice report
based upon -he testimony taken. has been made
for submission to tho House OF Representatives upon
the rcasscmbng OF Congress. II Il signed by
by the Democratic members of the committee The Re-
publican members will submit minority report In
making an observation on the appointment Of United
States officials. the report says:
riscs above it, and as long as
those who poescss the power of apponiins hesc oSgs
have no appreciation OF the true entity OF the pubic
service. aud regard the offices only rewards TO be
bestowed npon their most interruptions political aiea
there IA not much to hope Tor great Improve
mont in the character of our appointed officials
The committee has not been able to examine all or the
oilcins of the casa named nor does suppose mat al
tho fraudulent and wicked practices have been di'cov.
cred oven In ho-" portions Of the country where inc
offices have been Investigated Enough has been ue'
Nrlopcd. however "a givra very good Idea ~ 10 thc
general charicerof the officers appointed and Of their
mode of conducting the public huSincs The teHtlmony
before tho committee clearly shows thnt ntrr lh'nl
pnris Of this branch ~ the public service for many years
past, aud that the uovoruncn has been hohVy loser
testimony. Tho Investigation reveals thr wohlntim
unanmity with which thcso officers OF almost every
pundcrcd tho public Treasury by false, fraudulent,
and fictitious charges ana YET inc Mt,,oJy
I'm the ana means nv Whlcn tncl nave Hrll
schemes IL equally curious ana SHOW una, thsy nave
taxed h-rngenuity 0thc utmost to hhd modes of
hey We're not snted TO- They have charged
that made for travel that was not perforneH
were not employed They knowingly rendered false ac
against the Government msapproprated pubic
funds became deaulters To the Government and I" the
courts; Increased accounts after they made up
up in the name OF fictitious persons ar
eEtorted money from private citizens ard in ways with
out number have swindled the Government anu op
pressed 'he people
SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST MAR'uAIs.
The report charges O p. Fitzsmmons, ex-Marshal OF
Georgia with Illegally obtaining and retaining $4,000,
Including unustly withheld from his deputies
and appropriated his use" OF the accounts or
General Longstreet, Marshal Of Georgia covering
about year. the Department has dsallowed ABOUT
900 a. being Illegal and excessive OF the accounts
Of Marshal Osborne OF Alabama, "the fraudulent and
excessive charges amounted to S7,i9O.' The report
adds
The testimony shows that stlwell II. Russell as Mar
sha of the Western District oi Icxas 80 Ddtged @ hs
affair, his office that I'm about three years T4OOOO ot
the Government funds passed through n- hahds III ch
mysterious manner that IL coud nor p doul.' ~"
beside the amounts illegally taken from his deputies
This Marshal carried of the books belonging 70 us nrc
sysematcally syindled private citizens and according
10 the testimony wholesale forgery committed IN
Pusseu was indicted tried and convicted and l. now
serving ont his term OF sentence III the southern io
An nvcstigation in part OF the Southern District OF
Un0i. from January l. 1850 to January l, ISL dur
inc the inclmbcncv OF Mr. jacob Wheeler, as United
states Marshal revealed that e3 had been entered
ON the criminal docket of the court. The Marshall :
accounts fees lO4 of these cxaulued
ana the Illegal and charges made by him found
To be- - - 22 There appears from the testimony
10 be controversy between Marshal Wheeler and his
former chief deputy. General j. y keect, a. 10 "hth
~ them primarily responsible for the false and hct-
ou- accounts rendered against the Goyernneut As 10
Wheeler cannot himself from his just responsibility
boy LAYING the blame for these iesa aciS m 2n M
nate whom ne selected and appointed 70 MI ur u, o
his office Marshal wheeler admits under oath, - that
hl- administration has h"ch exceedingly iuo,e "" IN
perfect. ana tha ftse, tTduducht aiu cui"l' i''
have crept into his accounts. unatel} t"r 1lt
Wheeler and the other officers who make similar confcS
sious, their offices were never so loosely hda-'N ~ -,
them To suffer any loss All the ooscncss operated
| to the Disadvantage of me Govefimeht; .,
This spirit of pcculaton seemed a. one u'r ABOUT U"
reach up the examiners Of the Department oi Justice
For the Congressional election Of l--2 the account OF
MI Davenport a ChIef HuetFI@sGr @ LOT 'h' m ~ le
trict of FORK amounted To S33,G16 OF which $3.50
was dialloved and he was paid fi99l2 inis LIS - tae
account oi one ONCE ohy III aNliOu ~ IN ,Heir ~.
paid the supervisors IN that district S10ii9 ana ia
Sfatos Governmen in that election $4,000 This Is ii
addition 10 the Sl9949 paid Mr.. Davenport a. Chlet
| count of chief supervisor Allen amounted 10 over
S27 900 election OF 1882 and Of this over 81 900
examination. from February l. 1852. to January /,
l-~4. 10y department cSalniners show Z6no cases win
dSallov aurr. amounting to S3lI sos. This sum only
shows the OF Illegal fees that have been actually
discover IN time to stop h,ir pay ment anu anu 10 b b
| paid without objection When we consider the
amoluf- of money that have been uuIusy taken from
tho Treasury and the yrlnnca bearing OF these uncru-
pulou- Oh cial- NAV we'll agree with the Chief TX
aiu.r ia saving that the abuses OF the foe system are
NOT confined district section Of the country blt
arr vi ifh few notable exceptions, prevalent and 20
odiou- dtt f. j. not 10 be wondered az thtt Deputy m
.ha- aud Deputy Collectors OF Internal Revenue hd'e
been shot down II they were he enemies ei tue e
pe such a systematic scheme Of deirauling the public
and harassug the peaceabe citizens OF the country H.
o course. without possible JustihcatOn or excuse
II does seem that those high in position, and having
the Amounting power had made any reasonable enOr I'D
secure honest aud capable men they would nave met
with better success In fact. n Is hard To UndcT,td
how auy man. unless himself expert I'm THESE wicked
/ practices, and skilled IN Discriminating between Dtd
neu could have succeeded IN selecting 40 many dsrep-
uable public officials But the very peculiar Ciyil service
rules aopicd In the appointment and promotion OF TINS
class officials viii doubtless account Tor some oI the
! bad results.
Your committtee I'm former report 70 the House at
thar session recommended the abolition Ot the corrupt
ing fee system ~ means OF c0mpeudtlnG certain conrt
officials and the fixing Of definite salaries FOR United
states District Attorneys and Mlr-hals Many other re-
forms were proposed especially IN reference % me zee,
OF nited states Commissioners and Clerks 0f circuit
and District Courts The House. with great unanliny,
INCORPORATED the recommendations into tie Slndry ClV
Appropriation Bl. but the senate refused 10 agree 20
these uc ch-nccdcd reforms, and theY nave talcu 90 "a
enacted into law The reforms proposed reduced tlc
| Court exercises over 100000 per annum beloW the
amounts appropriated and expended during tne Idst
fiscal wear Il the opinion OF your committee that the
passage OF the legislative provisions recommended ana an
economical admins sraOn of the Offices ot nIleu "a
Court officials would result IN the annual saving ol
much Larger sum OF money than the amount above e-u
mated. The investigations nave disclosed HdytVu
waste OF public and criminal dlIeSd OI 'uc
| rlZnts and safeguards OF tue people.