Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-03-29
THE NATIONS CAPITAL,
Funeral Services for the Late
Chief Justice.
Impressive Ceremonies in the Hall
Of the House Of Rep
reSentatiVeS.
President CleYeland'S Civil Service Re-
form GiVen Considerable YeD-
tilation.
He ConiesSeS to the Difficulty Of EIeYatins
His Party to Ills Ideas on
the Subject.
The Texas Investigation-The Women
In Council-The Telegraph
Investigation
WAsHISGToS, March e
General Conversational News.

WAsHISGTos, March %.
General Congressional News.
Senator Hale's committee to inquire int
the workings of the civil service law was az
dressed this morning by William Dude
Foulke of Richmond, Ind, president of tn
Indiana Civil Service Reform Association
MIR. Foulke said that he didn't vote for eithe
presidential candidate at the last election
Shortly after the appointment of Postmaste
Jones at Indianapolis, the association inves
itigated the condition of that office. Lucu
L. Swift of the association came to Washing
ton and conferred with the President in re
gard to a number of abuses discovered, an,
nothing WAS done. Mr. Swift thereupor
made a long report to the asso
citation upon the condition
OF the indianapolis office and the condition
of the civil service in the State, generally
The witness compared the report with affida
Wits upon which it was for the most par
based and found it correct. The witnes.
submitted the copy of the printed repor
and verbally stated some of the leading points
Postmaster Jones, he said, on taking the
office. April 10, 1885, removed the assistant
postmaster, cashier, stamp clerk, messenger
and superintendent of the registry depart
]
with democrats. Not long before he made
the general sweep,to eachIemploye removed
Jones assigned no other reason than that
their places were wanted for other men. A
man who had passed the civil service exam
ination, asked if there was any chance of his
appointment. Jones replied by asking him
whom he voted for. Another asked if any
rep ublicans were to be appointed; Jones
answered no. Senator Hale asked what was
the condition of public business afte- these
many changes. The witness said that COM
plants were very numerous; that they were
made almost every day. The witness heard
of a case where three weeks elapsed between
the mailing and delivery of a drop letter.
A carrier was appointed who was unable to
| read the superscription on letters. Another
was appointed to collect mail and failed so
badly that an overflow of a weeks accumu-
lation was left in some of the boxes. These
and many other abuses were cited which
were embodied in the report of the associa-
ton forwarded to the President and Postmas-
ter General. The witness described the in
vestgation made by himself into the causes
of removals of Preside ntial postmasters. He
addressed circular letter, asking for infor-
nation, to 1913 suspended postmasters in In
diana, and l02 suspended Presidential post
masters Ill OthtT Stdtes ~ tuese ue re-
ceived 1853 replies. In lOl Indiana cases and
35 in other States, no notice was given by
the department. or by any one, of charges
having been filed, nor was there any investi-
CATION. These were all cases of removal be-
fore the expiration, of the term of office. In
a large number of cases the first information
received was by the newspapers or from the
presentation by a SUCCESSOR of an order of
suspension. The witness didn't suppose that
the President had any personal knowledge of
these occurrences. He came to
Washington and laid the facts be-
fore MIR. Cleveland Il found" he said
that the President knew of it, and appeared
to approve it. He said it was impossible to
make an investigation or let parties know
what the charges were. That would be to
turn each into a judicial investigation, which
he could not do | asked him then why he
required that any charges should be made.
He said they were trying to do the best they
could, and said that he regretted that we had
made an investigation. | told him most of
the charges were made by persons utterly
irresponsible, and sometimes by those who
didn't pretend to know the facts, and that
sometimes the charges were made falsely; it
was not possible to procure correct infor-
nation at all until both sides were heard. He
said that the department had to get its infor-
nation the best way it could, and that he
hoped we would go slow He had great diff
ffculty in bringing some of his party up to his
ideas of civil service reform. Indiana was
particularly Il bad state. told him | knew
this and appreciated the situation. | left
with him the list which embodied the results
of the investigation. The witness stated that
he had not to his knowledge been any change
in the condition of affairs since he laid the
matters before the President. The sub
committee will probably go to Philadelphia
next week.
The investigation into the alleged outrages
in Washington county. Texas was resumed
today by the subcommittee of the Senate
committee on privileges and elections. Two
witnesses for the defense were examined.
Robert b. Moore, n colored Republican,
serving term as member of the State
legislature, and J. NJ. IL. Randall, also
coored republican of Washington county,
testifie that they as well as many other re-
publicans, supported the peoples ticket
headed by Judge Kirk at the last election
because they didn't like the character of MIR.
Schutze, who headed the republican ticket,
and because the ticket was not placed in the
field in regular manner Their statements
in general we've that there was little if any in
reference with the elections in the county,
and good feeling existed there between the
whites and blacks. A new feature was added
to the investigation when F. ID. Jordan, coun-
sci for the negroes, who were taken out OF
Brenham Jail aud lynched at the time of the
election. was called. He had taken active
part in the proceedings before the commit
tee. He took the stand and testified that he
had against the entreaties of his friends,
gone back to Brenham last October and had
been assaulted there by Bob White, former
witness After the assault he never left the
house in the daytime, because it was not
considered safe for him, Notwithstanding
what the other side said about his being safe
in Brenham. he, the witness, though, il would
he taking too many risks for him to return,
The witness grew quite excited, and turning
to several of those present representing the
other side of the case he said God Al
mighty will punish you men for this thing
be fore YOU are done with it, if man don't.
Continuing he read from publication in the
Rrenham Banner, the democratic county or
0an. expressing the opinion that II would
have been better to have hanged Jordan and
Hackworth, rather than the innocent negroes,
who. the article said. were simply the tools
of designing scoundrels aud asked how they
explained that j. T. Swearengen OF Texas
one of the men addressed, then took the
s,ayd and testified that it was his belief that
Jordan was perfectly safe in BRENNAN if he
s.behaved" himself In answer to question
from senator Spooner as to what he meant
by "behavingr himself, he said that Jordan
was very excitsble mau, and if he went to
Texas and bothered the men Is the witness
understood Jordan bothered Wright, Of course
he would get into trouble. To call a man
liar meant fight in Texas, and it might not be