New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-30
THE INVESTIGATION OVER.
SENATOR HALws COMMITTEE ApJoURNs.
| 1T WILL BE BACK SOON, HOWEVER, TO LOOK Ur
| OTHER CIVIL SERVICE ABUSES.

IT WILL BIZ BACK SOON, HOWEVER, TO LOOK VI
OTHER CIVIL SERVICE ABUSES.
The United States Senate Investigating Com
mittee which has made such sad havoc with the
Civil Service prctcnsions Of the Reform Admins
tration In the Custom House here. finished It's Ia
bors late yesterday afternoon ana adlourneu.
This adjournment however. is not nnaL hai
the story of the rottenness in the Custom House
has not yet been told. The committee WIN re-
turn to finish its inquiries, but just when Ohair-
man Spooner was not able to say last evening. i'
is probable however, that the members VIII come
back within fortnight. or month"; OF the a'eS'
Owing 70 the hardness Of Senator blackburn,
the committee did not get to work untii nearly II
o'clock Nearly all the witnesses examined were
called bv the Democratic Senator, whose enortS 10
AZ nm some sort of defence for the President are
beginning to make him look haggard and weary
Bnt he labored xealously yesterday whenever ne
had a qbost of q chance to score point Keeping
Soma of the witnesses the stand Tor nearly an
bour in the hope of drawing out something that
would break the force of the charges that have
been proven against the Administration
conspicuous example of Mr.. Blackburn's
methods was afforded in the case OF DE-, EDWARD
Sbeyer. the chemist who was removed nom the
Government Laboratory here by Assistant Score
tary Maynard When DR.. Shearer was appointed
an examiner Of sugar ut tho custom
House in 1880 he and his brother John had
laboratory in Front-st This they sold at once TO
friend. Dr. Gideon Moore. As DR.. Moore was q
particular friend of the Shepers, tho transfer
papers in the case were not formally executed
The defence got hold of this and Mr.. Blackburn
Iabored long to show that there had been no sale
at all. In his eagerness to do this the Kentucky
Senator tired every body out and the EXAMINATION
closed with general sigh OF relief
CHANGING NEARLY HALF THE FORCE.
William S. Robinson, Collector Magones ap-
pointmcnt clerk and stenographer was the nrst
witness. He exhibited record Of oil the appoint
ments and removals made since Collector Hedden
stepped down and out In July, 1885, he SAID,
there were I,15o employees In the Collectors De
partment. exclusive Of laborers. or these Al
have been removed by the new admihlstratolls;
He was not willing to swear that Mr. magone mao
removals by his leaning toward Democracy. The
number of removals did not include those VINO
Ind resigned. The total force under Oonec'or
Magone had been swelled to about l,foo men;
Treasury Agent. who was ordered to hunt up
charges against Or. Sherer and others was sum -
moned He entertained his auditors with q long
story of his estigation, the point Of which was
that the Sherers had not actually SOLO the aDola-
tory He told the Secretary OF the treasury ~,
but he did not know Xhessel OF n ,Ssrs
NE witness had urged the dismissal Of four segar
samplers. who testified against McEiwee. AP
praiser McMuen had refused 20 nuotse ens ssn
On reassemblng at o'clock. after an hours re-
cess, Mr. Honhan was again called TO tne s,a M
The papers Of the original sale OF trehSlsr ~ e
laboratory from Sherer brothers to Dr. gideon
Moore were put in evidence. These shoWed that
the dates of the sale. about which Mr. Homnaan
said SO much. were all right. The witness Thought
that these were not the original papers, out Dotn
J1r Shercr and DR. Moore sygore they were
Deputy Collector John A. Mason. VINO. WIun
Davis. runs the Civil Service Board, was another
witness Senator Spooner took him to TASK f9f
the abolition Of vouchers for applicants1or Ciyii
Service positions. The general OPINION, MT Ma
son said, was that these vouchers were worthless'
but after little discussion he was forced TO con-
clude that, after all 1t was NOT wse Ioa .no GSo
ton AS to his character. At present. the witness
admitted, IL man 1s removed for dlshonesIy OF
misconduct, he may be restored on the reconlmen
dation of the Commission at the mere request OF
the officer in charge of the department.. Inc re
quest Of the nominating officers he said, was
mandatory. -..- -,
free access 10 the Government Laboratory, as
charged by Flowers, that he had desk IN the
sugar room of the Custom House: He denied that
Senator Blackburn did not want to cross,examine
Colonel Burt. so DR.. Sherer was called he denied
the testimony Of Flowers in regard to favorltism
eminent T. service as a chemist The sale of the
laboratory to Dr. Moore, he said. was genuine
During the time he held office under the Govern
ment he had no interest in the laboratory. DR.
Sherer described his interview with Assistant
Secretary Maynard who told him that he did not
regard the laboratory mattsr as im2ortant but for
all that he was removed. Robert Bound, one OF
from decapitation through the influence of the
Assistant Secretary. Mr. Lembech and others on
this list, who were not dismissed, we're saved, he
said through political influence. He was the last