Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-18
aBl}esIins Rs9isteE
GETS THERE.
The President Rsappoints McGraw
Collector of Internal Revenue
for West Virginia to Sue
coed Mccormick.
Special 10 tAe Ssndsy Rsgister.

WASHINGTON, May l6.-The President
this afternoon resppointed John 7. Nc
Graw, Of Grafton, to be Collector of Internal
Revenue to succeed Mccormick, the pres
ent incumbent. 1t viii be recalled that
the President told two Senators and the
delegation of West yirginisns who called
upon him last Monday, that if they would
establish the facts embraced in
their verbal charges against
Mccormick and reduce them to
writing he would make the change. Those
interested Rt about at once to making writ
ten charges and by Tuesday morning there
were fled with the President afidsyits
which in substance charged Mccormick
with being Extensively partisan and incom-
potency. A gentleman named Laird, who
was for long time chief deputy in the col
lectors Office under former col
lectors and who now has
son in the service under Collector
Mccormick was telegrsphed for to come to
Washington. He arrived promptly Thurs
day morning, and it is said declined to make
any statement he was, however, induced
to call at the Office of the Commissioner of
Internal Revenue, and there is reply to ques-
tons propounded BY Commissioner Miller,
made g statement which went to show that
be believed Mccormick to be utterly inca
psble OF managing the business Of the Office.
Laird's Statement,
as be talked it of, to Commissioner Miller
was taken down in shorthand by Mr.. Nil
ler'sPriyate secretary. 1t is quite lengthy,
and | am told reflects very severely on Nc
COrmicks business capacity. l asked Mr..
Miller on Thursday to give the REGISTER q
copy Of the Laird statement, but he request.
ed that nothing be said about it until after
the appointment was made, and then he
would give it to the REGISTER representative
and no one else. 1t was requested, too, that
nothing should be said about Laird having
been here aud made a statement until after
the charge was made.
Wouldn't Make 1t Public,
How well the REGIsrER's representatives
has kept faith its readers can tell. To day
your correspondent called on Commissioner
Miller and asked for copy of the Laird
statement. BE declined to furnish it for
the reason, as he said, there was an order
prohibiting any papers with regard to ap-
pointments being shown. He was asked to
state the substance of the document, but de-
cined. Senator Kenns, who was present,
stated that be wanted copy, but was unable
to secureit. However, going back little the
Laird statement was whipped into shape BY
Mr.. Millers private secretary on Thursday
afternoon and carried to the White House
with other documents by the Commissioner
and presented to the President late on
Thursday night, the Commissioner having
arranged for conference at that time.
There was brief also of all the other
afidayits and charges which were prepared
at the National Hotel, aud two copies made
By type writer, one of which Mr.. Miller
gave to the President. During the confer
ence between the President aud Mr.. Miller,
the latter explained very fully all the charges
and eountercha-ges. The attention Of the
President was also called to the letters
recommending the appointment of Nc
Cormick, upon which President
Arthur hGdapPOintei him. These in them
selves, it is said,
Fully Established the Charge
that Mccormick was appointed for political
purposes, and that he was expected to
manipulate the Office to the best advantage
Of the Republican party. 1t can be said
that the letters written to boost Mccormick
into the position were used to lift him out.
McGraw viii be commissioned at an
early day, and as soon as he files
his bond and it is accepted BY
the Solicitor of the Treasury he will relieve
Mccormick, who can then devote al of his
time to the advancement Of his newspaper.
Nothing more, probably, will be heard OF
the case until the Senate convenes next
winter, when all Of the correspondence,
charges and other documents will have an
airing in executive session, when the ap-
pointment Of McGraw viii come up for con-
6rmafion.