The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-08-29
STARTLING DISCLOSURES.
Illegal Expenses of the Court of Al
ALBANIA Claims.

WASHINGTON, August 25.-The First Comp
troller of the Treasury to day made a ruling
that is likely to embarrass the Court of Com
missioners of Alabama Claims for some time
to come. 1t is in effect that the employment
of twenty-fou persons borne on the rolls o:
the court is entirely without warrant of law,
and that no payments can legally be made
from the treasury on their account in the
future. Mr.. Andrew H. Allen, disbursing
agent of the court, recently made acquisitions
on the Secretary of the Treasury for SO, 900 to
meet the current expenses of the court. In
the usual course of business the acquisitions
came before the First Comptroller, and he de-
cided to make an investigation of the affairs
of the court before authorizing the issue of the
necessary warrants. His conclusions are
summarized in the following statement, pre-
pared by him for publication: 1.-The Court OF
Commissioners of Alabama Claims was ere
ated in 1874, to hear proof of claims to be
paid out of the Sic, 100000 awarded by the
Geneva Commission, and was continued by
various acts until December 81, 1877. 1t was
constituted of five judges, with an annual sal
ary of $4,000 each, clerk at So, 900, a stem.
ographer at 81, 500, and an attorney to repre-
sent the United States at $4,000. Provision
was also made for rent of court room, furni-
ture, stationery, fuel and other necessary in
cidental expenses, all of which were to be
paid out of said fund before judgments were
paid. The court was recognized in 1882,
with the same officers and salaries as before,
except that the number of judges was reduced
to three. The Comptroller in investigating
the case found that outside of the above
named officers there were on the pay rolls the
names of assistant counsel for the United
States, clerk to said counsel, experts, clerks
to experts, messengers, watchmen, &C., whose
aggregate salaries amounted to about S34, 800
per year. He also found in the quarterly re-
turns that there has been paid to other assis-
tant counsel over So, 900 for the quarter end
ing December 81, 1884, and about 81, 600 for
the quarter ending March 81, 1885, besides
other alleged illegal payments. He says he
finds no law authorising said payments, and
after consulting with the Acting Secretary of
the Treasury and with the Solicitor of the
Treasury he has decided to stop all future
payments of the same"
The following is list of employees on the
regular pay rolls of the court who are affected
by the Comptroller's decision: Jas. j. Good
rich, 'sexpert insurance. at an annual salary
of 81 200; Walker Blaine, assistant counsel
for the United States, So, 800; VIM. P. Hax
ford. deputy clerk, s., 500; Andrew H. Allen,
disbursing agent, $1,000; Eugene Rosis, clerk
to counsel for the United States, 81, 900; Frank
d. Lunt, first assistant to expert insurance,
81, 900; Asa ?. French, clerk to judge, 81, 900;
Elmer Z. Tilden, second assistant to expert
insurance, 81 500; Enoch G. Goodwin, third
assistant to same, 1900: Henry O'Connor,
Jr., clerk in clerks Office, 1000; Fred.
Chaplin, clerk in same, 81 800; Amos ID. AL
len, clerk in same, 81 400; George Cowie,
clerk to expert in insurance, 81 400; William
HAYWOOD, clerk to counsel for the United
States, 81, 400; A. B. Nichols, clerk in clerk s
office, 81 ,250; John Marlin, messenger, S720;
w. H. Forrest, janitor, $720; G. W. TURNKEY
and Felix Muldoon, watchmen, $720 each; A.
l.. jackson and A. l.. Alexander, messengers,
at $500 each; W. p. +. Churchill and Hugh
Griffin, messengers, at $500 each; Anne Boy
lein, servant, at SIS per month. The follow
ing is a list of persons who have been en-
pIoyed as assistant counsel in special cases
Charles Hamlin, Alex. H. Hobbs, Godfrey
Morse. Chas. C. Suydam, VIM. +. Spear, Jno.
T. Whitaker, Hamilton Fish, Jr., Chas. I.
Bormey, VIM. II. Morrow, Geo. 6. Freling-
huysen, Jas. II. Heverin, Geo. NJ. Seeders,
Edmund j. Moffatt, Wallace H. White, Sam.
Park, Thomas j. Cobb and B. P Carpenter.
The Comptroller says that all the above
named employees have been paid out OF the
provisions of the organic act authorizing the
payment Orient, stationery, printing and other
necessary llclueHLal eS PeiIseS. Inc dccOuhe9
of the disbursing agent have been settled up
TO March 31st last, and the salaries of all per-
sons on the pay-rolls have been paid up to
June 90 The acquisitions which have just
been refused we're for expenses, including
salaries, for the month of July. The Comp
trolier says the accounts of the disbursing
agent for the quarter ending Aug. 81, when
received, will be disallowed. The salaries Of
the judges and other officers of the court who
are named in the organic act are not affected by
his ruling. The Comptroller says also that
the Secretary of State, who has jurisdiction
over the court is in accord with him in his
view of the law, and has sanctioned the action
by himself.