Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-17
COMMISSIONER BLACKS CHARGES.
His Further Examination Before the
Senate Committee Today.
HIS LIST OF PENSION CLAIMS ALLOWED OR
REJECTED FOR POLITICAL REASONS NOT YET
READY.

The Senate committee on the expenditures OF
pubic moneys continued its investigation to-
day OF the charges made by Commissioners
Black with regard to the official acts OF his pre-
decessor. Commissioner Black again occupied
the witness chair
senator Harrison read from the records OF the
last meeting question which he then address
ed TO the commissioner, asking whether he
could produce the names and numbers in any
claims which had been allowed o. rejected by
MS predecessors on account of the politics OF
the claimant. He asked If the commissioner
was now prepared to give the information.
commissioner Black said: 81 am not pre-
numbers"
Cant you give any case-any name-any
Al will be able to present to the committee
number of cases, but have been very much
office, but the preparation of the data relating
70 the direct line of the Investigation pursued
az the last meeting, and have not thoroughly
prepared myself to present the cases OF which
you speak. have so much material on hand,
ana SO much was called for, that thought the
WE Wn1le OF this session would probably be taken
up IN competing that line of investigation In
stltuted at the first meeting relating to the OPP
GRAFTON OF the Office.
SPIRITED, BUT COURTEOUS CoLLooUY
ensued between Senator Harrison and Com
missioner Black. The Senator called attention
W 'AS AeS~e eho0 Jig Inquiry WHICH Nc Hau IO-
peated to-day was the first one asked at the
former meeting, and as it was based upon the
part OF the commissioners report which had
gwen rise TO the Investigation, 1t was the most
important matter to be considered. He re-
peated his question in various FORMS asking II
the commissioner was able to give the commit
zee the name or number of any single claim
winch had been allowed or rejected on account
OF Inc politics of the claimant; whether the
commissioner had any such case or cases in
mind when he wrote his report; whether he
nad examined the files in any case, and if SO
~ now many, to ascertain whether the allega-
lions In his report were justified.
Inc commissioner replied in substance that
he would be able to give the committee abund.
ahce OF evidence in support of the allegations
mace In ms report, but preferred to do it from
the MES OF the office. Information had come to
MN from great number of sOurces-from affi.
oaVits made by claimants which had gone
INTO the files of the office and otherwise
winch mad led him TO the conclusions stated in
MS report. He had examined the files to a
certain extent, but he had gathered q general
knowledge on the subject from other sources.
Naturally the memoranda, the papers, and
even the investigations were made by his
suDordinates. He could only reiterate that he
would be able to show from the files abundance
ofevidence in support of the allegations in his
report.
Senators Kenna and Beck read from the rec
ora OF the last meeting to show that the investi-
cation had so drfted away from General Har-
rison's question as to justify the assumption of
tne commissioner that the tables and general
Information then called for by the committee
were the matters desired at this meeting.
/, General BACK was then questioned at length
by senator Plumb with regard to the organic
atlon ana work OF his office, and in the course
OF the inquiry, presented series of tables show
ing the number of employees, the number of dis
charges and appointments during his admin
1stration of the office.
The committee adjourned to meet at eight
O'CLOCK tomorrow evening.