National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-11
rmosr cuAners on BRIpEnY.

House Employees Censured -Pretense
of "Infiuencing" Congress -Assistant
Doorkeeper warder to De Dismissed.
The House committee on civil service re-
form, in their report made 10 the House
yesterday, In the matter Of the charges pre-
fcrred against Messrs. Luther +. Warder,
assistant doorkeeper OF the House OF Rep
resentatives, and o. o. Stealey, the speakers
clerk, In connection with the Jacksonville
levee appropriation, after a review OF the
testimony taken, say Of Mr.. Warder that he
had been mayor OF Jeiferaonville, Ind, and
had while on the witness stand exhibited
the characteristics Of an Intelligent man OF
the world. The person, Il. N. Hill, whom
he' alleges that he employed as attorney,
has been discredtably connected with 0
number OF public affairs. Mr.. Warder did
not put him on the stand, although advised
and defended by able and learned counsel,
( but the committee did. After severely COM
menting upon Hills failure to answer GER
tain questions put TO him, the committee say;
HIS manner upon the stand, together with
the character OF his evidence, and his antece7
but little credence upon any statements made
by him which are not fully corroborated Dy
extraneous circumstances, and that he Is
4 hardly the man whom an intelligent person
would employ to conduct or manage important
business affairs. According TO his own tosti;
mony and that OF Mr.. Waruer, Hill rendered
no effective service whatever IN securing the
appropriation for Jeiiersonvllle. 1t Is proper
IN this connection to state that Throughout tho
investigation, and Notwithstanding the fact
that several parties from Jacksonville friendly
TO Mr.. Warder appeared before the committee
who had talked with him on the subject, both
IN Jacksonville after the appropriation
had been secured , and In Washington, amer
they had reached hero under subpoena, were
put on the stand and questioned closely with
view to ascertaininE tho nameof the attorney
or influential person who had been employed
by Mr.. warder, the committee wore unable
to ascertain II, and 1t was not until Mr. Warder
had been called TO the witness stand by his
counsel TO testify in his own behalf that the
name of the party SO employed was diyuged.
The alleged employment of such u'man as Mr..
Hill under tho circumstances described aud
the payment TO him of so lnrge q fec for so
trivial service is, in the mind of the commit
B tee, a doubtful and improbable transaotlon.
But in any event the fact that Mr.. Wnrder
suggested that the money should be raisods
i coupled with thefact that he recelyedit under
the pretense OF procuring legislation, Is, they
think, quite sufficient to Justify decisive action
on the part of the House. Such conduct on the
part OF an officer of the House Is productive Of
SANDER and reproach, and leads 10 erroneous
impressions regarding the character and IN.
i the country. While the testimony q Establishes
that no part of the 81 $50 paid by the people of
Jacksonville was used or attempted TO be
either branch Of The ferty-eighth Congress the
committee wish TO put the most emphatic con!
domination OIL the practice of employees OF Com
gross having anything to do with the reception
or payment OF money, the confederation for
which isthe promotion oflegislatlon. In this
view Of the case the conduct of Mr.. Warder,
even ifshonest and straightforward, deserves
unqualified disapproval
In view OF the facts In the case the com
mittee find that Mr.. l.. Il. Warder, then and
now an employe Of the House, did receive
the sum Of $1,250 from certain persons In
terested in the success Of the Jacksonville
levee appropriation pending In the forty
eighth Congress upon the pretense OF IN.
iluencing Congress In connection therewlthi
and they recommend that l.. +. Warder be
dismissed from the service OF the House.
As to the case Of Mr.. o. o. Stealey the
committee, after reviewing the evidence
say that though, in the opinion OF the com
mittee, 1t is improper for any member OF
employe of the House to undertake by his
own efforts, or those Of his agents, to In
fluence legislation In Congress, yet so fai
as the present inquiry is concerned they
find that Mr.. o. o. Stealey did not exact
collect, or accept from any person any sun
of money upon the pretense or for the pur
pose of influencing Congress or any com
mittee thereof, or any member or any sena
tor In connection with the Jeifersonvill
appropriation, and beyond the impro
priety Of an employe being concerned II
any attempt to secure an appropriation
Stealey was not connected Herewith.
A resolution dismissing Mr.. Warder iron
4 the service of the House is attached to tn
repOrt, sH