New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-20
DISMISSED BUT NOT GONE
A HIGHLY PERSISTENT ASSISTANT.

TIE APPOINTMENT or CHARLES r. wEsrBROoK -
BIZ INVESTIGATED
The resolution introduced into the Senate by
Senator Hale on Tuesday, calling upon the At
torney General for information as to the appoint
ment of Charles X Westbrook as assistant to
District Attorney Waller, was q subject Of general
comment in Custom House circles yesterday.
Special interest was taken in it in view OF the
fact that although Mr.. Wcstbrook was supposed
to have been dismissed several weeks ago. he Is
in almost daily consultation with the Collector,
and, it is reported, draws his pay regularly from
the Government.
Collector Magonc recommended and secured tho
appointment of Mr.. Westerbrook q personal ac-
quantance friend and fcllow-tOwnsman, as as
sistant to United States DistrictAttOrney Walker.
lie was appointed with a salary Of $500 month,
his employment and payment being based upon
the condition that he should report at the end Of
each month the result of his labors. lie reported
from month to month frauds which were never
proved. He went to Washington without tho
knowledge of Mr.. Walker and without any in
structions from him, and appeared before Secre-
tary Falrchild and the Attorney General upon
cases not under his supervision or authority and
argued matters upon which he had no status: and
he assumed the prerogatives Of Mr.. Walkers and
other Offices
Mr.. Walker finally became so exasperated that
he went to Washington and saw President Cleve-
land and Secretary Fairchild In relation to
w
New-Yorll he addressed a letter to the Secretary
asking that Westbrooks appointment be at onco
annulled as he alone responsible for the con-
duct Of the duties Of his Office. which Mr.. West
brook had presumed to usurp. Westbrook WA
at once detached. but Assistant Secretary May
nard, who is personally friendly to the Collector,
interceded for him and had the date Of his dis
missal changed to December 81 instead OF the irst
week In that month.
As soon as this was lone Mr.. Westbrook put in
q bill of expenses for eighty-o and half days,
Immediately preceding May I, at $25 per day for
his assistance to Mr.. Magone previous to his ap-
pointmcnt assistant to Mr.. Walker which has
been paid by the Treasury Department And
this, notwithstanding that in a case in the United
States District Court when Mr. WestbroolS was
placed on the witncss-stand. he swore that bis
employment for the Government began on Nav !,
1887. The question naturally suggests itself,
How elastic is the so-called fraud rOll?' For
as Mr. Walker saws. Mr. Westbrook was not paid
from the appropriation for his office. but out Of
the special fund appropriated for special Treasury
agents. known as the fraud roll'
Mr. WestbroolI has also presented claim To
the Treasury Department for board and expenses
while on special duty for the Collector in New
York and Brooklyn and il is now under considera
tion TO pay him from the same fund which paid
him for ciehty-one and half DAYS Of actual loaf
ing in the Collectors office. Senator Hale seems
TO have gotten at these facts in some way and
has opened a promising field.