Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-14

THE COAST SURVEY SCANDAL.
Auditor ChenOweth Discredita Reports
OF Further Discoveries Of Irregular.
ties.
First Auditor Chenoweth, Of the Treasury,
returned last night from q visit Of several
weeks to his home in Texas. He was seen at
his Office to-day by q STAR reporter, who in
Quired about the alleged new charges of NAL
feasance In the coast survey bureau. Judge
Chenoweth replied that as he had just returned
he had not had time to make any investigation
as to the truth or falsity of these charges. He
had no official knowledge of them what
ever, and while declining to commit
himself at all, because of the fact that he had
had no opportunity to look into the matter, he
did not seem inclined to credit the charges of
misdeeds alleged to have been developed since
the thorough investigation made by his COM
mittee and under his direction. On one phase
survey, Judge Chenoweth was very emphatic.
and that was the published report that Acting
superintendent Thorn had allied himself with
In antagonism to the reforms recommended
and contemplated by the report of the Cheno-
weth &c, committee, Of which he Thornl was a
member. Auditor ChenOweth said he "diS-
credited absolutely" any such charge against
Mr.. Thorn.
AN EMPHATIC DENIAL BY CAPT. BoUTELLE.
A STAR reporter visited the coast survey bu-
reau for the purpose of interviewing Acting SUI
perintendent Thorn with regard TO the new
survey, published to-day. These charges, in
brief, were that Mr.. Parsons, of the
bureau, put in voucher for $3.50.
to New York on business for the survey; that,
in fact, he went not to New York, but to Balti-
more to bury an aunt of his, and that he made
by turning in this fraudulent voucher.
The publication charges that Capt. Boutelle'
mountain, in Maryland, in grand style. all at
the expense OF the governments; that he had
tents erected and luxurious camp, attended
pay of the government; that he entertained
friends in magnificent style, hiring teams and
chairs All Of to ybcS them about the
that Capt Boutele was working pi in the
spendag she of ts
at sugar Loaf mountain, Capt. Boutelle tired of
that region, and for the next two succeeding
Pertaining friends, ETC., all at public expense, in
the Adirondacks. THE STAR reporter, upon ar
Syns at the coast building was in
out of the city. He was referred to Mr.. Colon.
ma I, ~, the ;o,o next official in authority;
Captain Boutee ana ' asked depG for soms
statement of the charges against him. He re.
piled: II have just left Secretary Manning,
concerning these absurd charges. did not feel
at liberty to speak about the matter before
seeing him. AS have his permission will tell
you that those charges are abSurdly false and
utterly reckless in their character. 1 never
was at Sugar Loaf mountain but one summer;
1879 vent there In in the eursaa
duty, and only had such assistants as were
actually necessary. ! had no horses. 1 went
there to conduct a series of experiments in in.
tensified lights for geodetic surveying at night
and the result of that season spent in expert
menting has already saved the survey several
m n bn ny,f Cfr,'o
spent four seasons in New York connecting the
survey of the coast with the survey of the lakes,
BEEN
of the lakes from 1S45, and of the
coast from 1912. 1t was important to connec,
they did. 1t is charged that there are no re
cords of that work and of the work at Sugar
Loaf mountain on file On the contrary, The
and Of the expenditures are on file in thi.
office. OF the work done in New York there
in the office, ana ean 0ra show ght them henS
to you if you wish to see them. They
contain complete and thorough repor,
of all the observations taken and the work
done. Now as to the expenditures-and all the
vouchers, etc., are on file here-for these four
years the expenses were of the ordinary and
usual character, and the aggregate came within
the limit fixed by the superintendent for the
work. The expenditures will compare favor
done anywhere by the bureau. Everything
inspection"
MR.. PARSONS DENIAL.
The reporter asked for Mr.. Parsons and in
quired of him about the $3.50 trip to New York
| and the funeral of his aunt.
"Wait moment" he said, and he passed out
Within a moment or two he returned, bearing
in his hand a paper, which he handed to the
reporter saying, There is the voucher" The
reporter examined it and found it to be q
voucher for total of twenty dollars and sixty
cents, covering a trip to New York and
innIn1inD fhnr
SNOW that" said Mr.. Parsons, sis the voucher
which, 1t is charged, was for $3.50. The amount,
as you see, is $2O.6O. AS to my aunt's funeral,
any relative who died about the time of my
trip to New York. went on business for the
bureau and the trip cost $1,000, which has
been magnifled into $3.50. That is sample of
the reckless charges published against the coast
survey"