The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-03-03

Ra,hbons. He was placed there BY
Dudley on account of his peculiar ft.
ness. no doubt, for doing dirty politics
work. Major Clarke the present Com
missioner, and the acting Com missioner
during Didley's abse nee In Ohio and In
diana last fall, testines as to Rathbone'
qualifications, as follows:
do not think that at that time (las
fal) Mr.. Rathbone him self had an,
kno owledge whatever of the workings o
the division.
@ You do not think he had PA.
do not.
@. What was he there for?-A. He
was put there in charge OF that division
He had been especial agent in the Treas.
urv Department for a good many years
@ II ne did not know anything about
his business what was he doing as head
OF that division PA. do not know
O. DO you mean to say that he did
not understand ANYTHING about the hnsi-
ness of the position that be filed "A
Yes; l do not think he claimed to know
ANYTHING about 1t.
@ Can you assign any reason, or apol
ogv, or ANYTHING else for putting man
at the head of division of that sort
who did not know anything at all about
the workings OF the division; or did you
ever know such as that to occur before ?
"A. I do not know. / assume that
there was reason for 1t.
Q. Can you divine any reason that
there was for itp-A. l know only the
fact that Mr.. Rathboue had experience
,, as special agent Of the Treasury De-
partment, and that, at the time when he
took charge OF the special examiners
division, the duties assumed somewhat
the same form as his duties 10 the Treas
ury Department had been. He was in
the field, and not in the Office.
@ When was he appointed PA. l
do not know; but | think II was about
July. 1888.
@. Did he stay in that position in
1884. without knowing ANYTHING moIe
OF the duties of the position ? "A. With
in few DAYS after his appointment he
went into the field.
@ What did ne do there "A. I sup
pose be instructed the supervisors in
their duties, ani got the lay OF the
ground.
q Do YOU think thst he knew any,
thing about the dn'ies of the Office up
10 the fail OF lSS4p-A. lido not think
he did.
@. He knew practically but very little
OF the duties "a. l think so. think
have heard him say 80 himself.
@. What is he doing now7-A. He is
chief OF that division.
@ |. he still chief OF it?-A. Yes.
This is the qualification Of The mar
who had charge OF 400 special examin
ers in the field and probably 100 clerks
and other employees in the Office. The
division. as Major Clarke testified hai
been run as a sort of separate insti,u
ton from the Pension Otfi,e, and thu
arrangement was beautifully adapted t
lpolitical work
1t was shown in evidence that Dndle,
left the Office here about the 3rd OF Sep
tember last. and he appeared In Colum
bus day or so after that and tool
charge of the Republican campaign T,
avoid the civil service law, he handed il
his resignation. which was not to tax
effect until the 10th of November. o.
the day he left, Major Clarke assumes
the duties OF the Office, and testified tina
he performed the duties OF Commission
er, and acted as head OF the Bureau iron
that time on But on the: 9th of Sept
we find Dudley still performing the du
ties OF Commissioner He had then ar
rived at Columbus, and he immediatel,
set to work arranging his active specia
examiners. Rathbone had also lett th
office and was in New York City. Dai
, ley probably wanted an extra clerk a
Columbus, so be sent telegram t
Rsthbone to send a special examiner, b
name OF Noble, to Columbus at once =
This telegram he signed as Commission
I er. This man Noble was ostensiby as
/ sisting the Supervising Examiner, bu
was in reality working for Dudley
Rathbone then went on to Cincinnati
and be and Dudley conducted the can
paion by the aid Of their numerous Spe
cial examiners, clerks on leave. and dea
beats generally. Rathhohe. issa resider
OF Pennsvlvsnia and Dudley of Indians
] vet both of these men, in the employ G
3 the government and receiving high sails
ries, were in OHIO carrying'ion a-cau
n paign in the interest Of q political part,
Dudley was drawing pay at athe rate {
$4,000 vesr and Rathbone atthe ra,
of $1,000 year. and So per day, 10 a.
: dition, when employed; and also b
o actual travelling expenses
: SPECIMEN TRICK.
= The method ussd TO get the employ,
!, out Of the office and home TO vote or
" do political work, without cost to ther
was to make special detail to do son
= unimportant work. amt then after tht
had reached their home, to ask for lea,
OF absence. II the leave had been gran
' ed before they LETT the Office. OF cour
= their travelling expenses would not ha,
x been paid. There we're Eve or six cas-
OF that kind brought out in the evidenc
!. and the cost to the government in tn
i way has no doubt been considerable.
the case OF Rsthhone himself, al,hous
he procured leave OF absence for Il
greater part Of the time he was ahse
2, in September, October and Novembe
g vet he SO managed 1t that the Cover
a meni paid all his travelling expenses, Il
al Guiding sleeper, porter's fees and b
n 1ire to hotels.
b 1t appears from the testimony III
ar some 40 or 30 men were allowed to {
,e1 home a, election time, with pay for tin
% while gone, although they had aIreat
exhausted thei. thirty days annual leav
Z. Mojor Clarke refused to approve The
al leaves, and they we're taken direct to 4
g Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Jc
lyp, and he indorsed his approval on ca