New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-26
MAYNARD'S BLACK LIST.
A BAD SHOWING FOR THE ASSISTANT SECRE'
TARY.
COMPETENT MEN REMOVED FOR POLITICAL
REASONS, THOUGH THE VETERAN DEMOCRAT.
&c APPRAISER McMULLEN. PROTESTED
THAT THEY WE'RE EFFICIENT AND HON.
EsT-IMPoRTANT TESTIMONY AS TO
CUSTOM HOUSE ABUSES BEFORE
THE SENATE COMMITTEE.

tee here than ex-Judge Maynard, the assistant
secretary Of the Treasury. He was the central
figure Of them, though not present In person.
Nearly all the testimony offered was In reference
to him and. as this was conclusive as well as
abundant the fact was established to the satisfac-
tion Of all who heard the evidence that Mr.. May
nard was among the most dagrane
violators Of the Civil Service law despite his
written statements to the contrary. He was
proved to be such by the testimony unw1lingiy
given by the venerable appraiser Of this port
Lewis McMullen, and also by his own letters.
1t was shown that Mr. Maynard had compelled
the discharge Of men who Mr.. McMullen pro-
nounced exceptionally efficient, on purely polticai
grounds and without the slightest cause beyond
the fact OF them being Republicans: that he had
done this in spite of the appraisers rcmonstrance
and in the most arbitrary manner: that he had in-
terfered with the workings Of the service here I'd
an objectionable extent and that he had gone SO
far as to compel the restoration Oh
an official Examiner McElwee, to the service,
after he bad been dismissed for drunkenness and
insubordination This restoration, due TO political
influence was such glaring disregard OF the law
that it was revoked by the United States Civil
Service Commission.
MANY CUSTOM HOUSE MEN PRESENT
It was the second days work Of the committee
here, and while there was less amusement fur
nished the testimony offered proved as interesting
as that presented on Thursday. The inquiry was
held in the same room, No 70 in the Post-Omcc
building The room was moro than half hlled
with spectators, mostly present and past custom
House officials The Civil Service element was
represented by William Potts and Z. L. Godkin,
who watched everything closely, and John B. Pine,
the counsel of the Civil Service Reform Association
who assisted the chairman in conducting the ex.
animation.
Senator Hale was still confined TO
his hotel by rheumatism; so Senator
Spooner had to preside again. Senator
Blackburn, the representative Of the Democratic
side, had found his summer clothing too Light
for this latitude and appeared in heavier suit OK
brown checked material. His desk was orna-
mented with bouquet OF pansies and niles' tne
gift Of the post office employees.
Mr.. Spooner, looking as If he enjoyed investiga-
tons Of this Kind better than anything else in
lfe started the proceedings promptly at 10 o'clock
by announcing that the ruling which he gave On
Thursday, to the effect that the committee could
sustained I by Chairman Hale The first witness
called was Dr. Edward Sherer, chemist OF Garden
City and graduate of the Brooklyn Polytechnic
Of MI. Maynard: The doctor said that he had had
system of testing and classifying sugars; The
sssn Htm'in 5n Sy &ppfassE hsa
Mr. McNIullen told the witness that he had said
ali he could for him, but that Maynard was dis.
posed to believe all the lies that had been told
about the Byrne investigation OF the alleged
sugar ringn The report in regard to this by
Special Agent Byrne the witness characterized
as untrue.
MAYNARD WANTED ROTATION IN oFFIoE
l.: md Mov
nard, but the only satisfaction he could get from
that official was that when man had been
long time in office, it was best to make change
Mr. Maynard referred to charges Of differences
between the classification Of sugars at Sew-York
and Boston, which the witness explained as being
the result Of an improper of the poariscope by
the chemist at Boston. But despite all his explana-
ton, Mr. Maynard insisted on bis removal and
out he went The witness said that his brother,
John A. Sherer had been removed from the place
of an examiner in the appraisers department. He
knew of no reason for his removal except that
he was the witness's brother. hst OF persons
to be removed was submitted to Mr: Maynard,
and it included the name OF an examiner IN the
sugar division who was son oI Sl1 ex,Senae0s oUt
this name when Mr.. McMullen directed his atten.
tion to the family relationship of MIR. Jacobs who
was not removed. 80 =,
felt indi ignant at the way in which he was re-
moved, not at his removal itself. lie had been un-
Justly assailed by lying reports He had never,
in fact, been permitted to see the report made by
Special Agent Byrne, but told that 1t contained
reflections on Mr. Fairchild, now Secretary OF the
Treasury in relation to the alleged sugar rng Ihs
black list" of fifteen names OF persons to be re-
moved, which Appraiser Moore told him OF. was. no
understood, list of men accused in Mr. Byrnes
report only four of them were finally removed:
the retention of the Others the witness thought.
might be due in some measure to the statements
he made in his interview with Mr.. Maynard he had
been told that examiner named Lembach was
retained through the influence of Congressman
Cummings
DIR. SHERERS ABILITY sPRAISED.
Gideon E. Moore, another chemist. testified as
to Dr. Sherer's qualifications for the position he
held. ii. ]. Abbott sugar expert, also considered
DR.. Sherer an able chemist. Mr.. Abbott was sent
to Boston to show the officials there how to the
polarsoope ard told how angry the Appraiser
there was when he demonstrated that the instru-
ment was in an improper condition. The quarrel
between them ca Used Abbott's suspension, but the
fact that he Republican accelerated his de-
parture from the service.
Frederick Lembpch. examiner who had been
listed for decapitat on by Maynard. explained how
his head was saved by the influence Of Tim"
Campbell with the Assistant Secretary. As a con-
stituent of Tins he called on Maynard and told
that official how he had seen McElwee drunk
while on duty
Assistant Appraiser Daniel j. Moore, a Tam.
many man, was another who did not hesitate to
speak highly OF DR.. Sherer before the committees.
as he said he had done to Mr.. Maynard when he
heard that Shercr was to be dropped. The wit
ness said that Mr.. McMullen had shown him May.
nard's black list" and he understood that the
Appraiser had protested against the removals pro-
prosed by Mr. Maynard.
FAVOR TO A "GooD DEMOCRATS SON.
Mr.. Moore then described an interview that he
had with Maynard at which ex-Register Reilly was
present. lie told the Assistant Secretary that
If the men were to be removed simply because they
were Republicans " he was with him every time o
but If there were any charges against them they
ought to know 1t. He also denounced Byrnefs
report Maynard said nothing in reply TO this,
but expressed himself as pleased to learn that
Jacobs was the son Of good Democrat. ex-Sen-
black listed but his name was then taken of.
Mr. Moore said that il was on his recommendation
that John 5. McElwee. the sugar examiner was
Discharged He had found McElWec drunk and