The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-08-05
the WORK GOES BRAvELY ON.
How the Government Service Has
Been Reformed in the
State OF Ohio.
A Pension Agent Who Was Dismissed from
the Army for owardice-Deputy Sur
veyors with Jail ana Work
House Records.
IT. c. Crawford, in New York World.

the State of Ohio which could bring the
slightest flush Of pride to the cheek of the
most devout mugwump. There are some
appointments there which might cause a
nervous mugwump to turn pale. There
are more appointments made in this State
of people who have dishonorable and
penitentlary records than in any
other of the States. One of the
most notorious of the administration selec-
tions is that of Gilbert Barger, a pension
agent at Columbus. Barger succeeded Al
len L. Wyckoff Wyckotf was gallant
soldier with splendid war record. There
never had been any criticism of his man
agement. Barger has record of being
dismissed from the army for cowardice.
This is the history of his retirement from
the United States service. He was an Off
Ger in an Ohio regiment which took part
in the battle of Winchester. He had, be-
fore this engagement, applied for n leave
of absence. Permission to take n furlough
was granted him. This furlough reached
him just as his regiment was going into
action. The rebels had already begun to
fire upon his men. Soldiers were falling
at his right and left. He left the field and
went home to enjoy his furlough. His
case was considered by court martial, and
he was sentenced to be cashiered the SER
vice. He never returned to undergo sem
tence, but employed political influence to
save himself from having the sentence en-
| forced. Through this political influence
he was permitted to resign.
William Caldwell, the surveyor of the
port of Cincinnati, is n vigorous partisan.
He is an out and-out machine politician.
Since he has assumed charge of this office
he has appointed IA number of very peculiar
| deputies. One Of them, Jerry Mulroy, has
record of two or three terms in work
houses. "Potch" Moran, another one of
his deputies, is murderer. He was a
hackman, who, in a row, shot and killed a
man. He was not tried, because the prin-
cipal witness to prove the crime did not APP
pear on the trial. Two other of these dep
uties are genial gentlemen from the work
| house. "Potch" Moran was arrested only q
week ago for insulting a lady in the post
office. Riley, the postmaster at Cincinnati,
is said to be good business man, but he
was the presiding officer in tile notorious
Highland House convention. This political
organization achieved a worldwide reputa-
ton for deliberate and unblushing election
frauds.
w. T. Bishop, the Internal Revenue Col
lector at Cincinnati, is long legged, wiry,
untiring partisan, who sent number of
deputies up into Judge Holmans district
members of his family appointed under
him. The Bishops thrive and prosper. and
are very earnest in their support of the
civil-service reform administration. Burt,
the former Superintendent of the Railway
Mail Service, stationed at Cincinnati. was
one of the most efficient officials employed
at the Postoffce Department. 1t is pre-
tended at the Postoffice Department that
this service is non-partisan and that
changes are never made for political rea-
sons. Villas face wears a look of lowly
pain and outraged virtue whenever the
faintest hint is made in his presence of
bringing anything like politics into the
pure atmosphere of this branch of the de-
partment. Yet Burt was supplanted be-
fore the term of his Office expired by one
Gwynn, notorious Indiana partisan, who
is inefficient and whose management of the
Office is the constant subject of complaint
| by business men. Gwynn was a former
employe of the railway mail service under
Republican administration and was en-
ployed as a Republican. He was dis
charged for inefficiency. He then turned
Democrat, and, naturally, a reform adj
.ninistration picked him up.
Jack Connolly, who was appointed to
represent the Agricultural Department in
Ohio, as its statistical agent, served term
| III the County lull IOI lut Sltdllllk VI u
promissory note. He escaped being sent
to the penitentiary by peculiar plea. He
set up as defense that the note was not
worth its face value, and by showing this
| to the satisfaction of the court, he sue
ceeded in keeping the value of the note be-
! low the limit which describes grand larceny
in Ohio. He served ont the sentence for
petit larceny, and is still an officeholder.
The postmaster mt Bowling Green, Dobson,
is the editor of partisan Democratic news
paper. John II. Farley, the collector at
Cleveland, is a professional politician and
n ward manipulation.
Knecht, the internal revenue collector at
DAYTON, is ward politician, who has no
other profession than that of offceholding.
Gillespie, the postmaster Mt Dayton, was a
copperhead during the war. AS mayor of
Dayton. he released murderer on straw
bail and connived at his escape. He was
very disloyal during the war. The Repub-
| lican postmaster at Cleveland is retained
probably because he is the brother of Sen
ator Jones, of Nevada. Recently his deputy
embezzled quite large amount of money.
for which the postmaster is, of course,
responsible. The deputy escaped. At
Bellefontaine, the postmaster is the
editor of the most furiously Demo-
cratic paper in the town. The United States
lOr the DlhtIlCJ
of the State, Rhody Shields, was the for
mer President of the Common Council in
Akron. He is nominal lawyer and local
politician. 1t has been very tiercely CHARGED
in the Democratic newspapers of his region
| that he secured his election as President of
the Common Council through corrupt
combination with the Republicans. The
United States District Attorney for the
Southern District has not been removed.
His brother. John Kumler, is the present
Internal Revenue Collector at Toledo. The
Kumlers are an Office holding family. Two
Of them. brothers, were recently removed
from positions in Indiana. Goodspeed. the
United States Marshal at Cleveland, is a
| Republican. Urner, the newly appointed
Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio,
is frst-class man. His appointment is
almost the only one which has been made
! in Ohio that is above criticism. The Post
master at Portsmouth (Newman) is editor
of the Portsmouth Times. He is n former
Secretary of State. During the war he
wrote some Of the most ferocious attacks
upon Lincoln and the cause of the Union.
His disloyal Jitterances have been repeated
ly printed against him in campaigns. His
record of disloyalty during the war is
thoroughly well known. Brady, the Post
master at Newark, was formerly a Sheriff