The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-12
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS COURT
General Denunciation of the Decisions of
Comptroller Durham.

General Denunciation of the Decisions of
Comptroller Durham.
Special to the indianapolis journal.
WAsHIN GToN, Sept 11.-First Comptroller
Durham's course with the Court of Alabama
Claims is characterized by all classes of people
here as narrow minded and bigoted. He has
usurped the functions of Secretary Bayard, who
has control ot the court and who alone in
terpret the laws governing it. The decisions of
Comptroller Durham show him to be strongly
prejudiced against the composition of the court,
and his decisions are characterized as persecu-
tions, not expostions of the law He seems
especially to want to pursue General Creswell,
special counsel for the court. General Creswell,
however, is a good lawyer, and has ample means
to take of himself. In Hoosier parlance, he
can 'hoe his own row." and Judge Durham
would do we'll not to afoul of him. Secretary
Bayard, it is said, does not altogether approve
of Judge Durham's decisions The object seems
to be, though. to break up the court, because it
was created by the Republicans, and the law is
being disregarded in the effort.
In the controversy raised by the accounting
officers of the Treasury in regard to the dis
bursements Of the Court of Alabama Claims and
the authority under which they were made a
breezy correspondence has been started with
First Comptroller Durham by ex-senator Cres-
we'll, counsel for the United States before the
court, whose salary Durham has suspended Mr.
Creswell refers with surprise to certain state
ments given out to newspapers with respect to his
official salary and position. He says to the First
Comptroller knowing you to be the highest
accounting officer of the government, am un-
willing 10 suppose-in fact, cannot believe
that the articles enanated from you.
have received no official communica-
ton from you whatever upon the
subject. | do not know from any official source
whether my salary has been stopped or not I
know | have not received it for the month OF
August. If you have refused to pass it, you
have left me completely in the dark as to the
reasons which have appeared to you sufficient to
justify such action"
Referring TO the section in the original act
establishing the court, which provided that he,
as counsel, should receive such reasonable allow
ance to be apportioned in each claim, as might
be approved by the court Mr.. Creswell says an
honest effort was made by the former court to
apply this section, but it was found impracti-
cable, and he accordingly went on with his duties
for eight months without any pay. until he could
lay the matter before Congress aud have some
fixed salary prescribed by law. He spreads upon
this letter copious extracts from the debates in
Congress when this matter was under discussion,
showing an almost unanimous opinion that his
compensation ought TO be by fixed salary. He
shows that finally, on motion of Senator (now
Secretary Bayard, $4,000 was agreed
upon. Thereupon Mr.. Creswell
says: .Observe what Mr.. Bayard
said: i propose to put that counsel on level
with the Attorney general of the United States
Cabinet officer, aud to pay him salary of