The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-09-27
The Author Charges Private Dalzell with Hav-
ing Betrayed His Confidence in Giving
or Selling 1t to Newspaper
Rev. Townsend Fearless Condemnation
of fSouthern 0utIageS on His Race.
Change Proposed in the Method of Levying
Head-Tax on Foreignes-How the Knights
Templars Will Be Entertained.


TANNEhS LETTER TO DALLELL-
Its Only Eject VIII BE to sIislead Those Who
DO Not Understand the situation.
Special TO the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26.-The publication
of Commissioner Tanners CONFIDENTIAL
letter to Private Dalzell. of Ohio, was
talked about in Washington to-day, but
was surprise to no one and contained no
information. 1t will receive no reply from
any official quarter 1t is well understood
that persons directly interested would have
the soldiers believe that Commissioner
Tanners retirement was on account of his
liberal construction of the laws. and new
rules making it easier to procure new OF in
creased pensions. 1t is we'll known in
Washington, in every quarter. that this is
not true In the least possible degree. Your
correspondent had talk with Secretary
Noble this afternoon in regard to Mr.. Tan
ner's intlmaticn, that his (the Commission
er's order for a re rating of pensions below
S4 month up to that amount. and his
order placing the testimony of
private soldier on the same footing
with that of an officer, were the source of
his trouble in the department. Secre-
tary Noble would not speak for publica-
ton, as he will not engage In a controversy
with a subordinate or any other officer, and
is adverse to interviews and newspaper
statements generally In times like this.
Shortly the report of the commission that
investigated Mr.. Tanners record and the
conduct of his Office and the employees un-
der him, will find its way to the public, and
that will explain all. 1t can be stated the
orders referred to in the Dalzeu letter, by
Tanner, had no relation to the retirement
of the Commissioner. They were never re-
ferred to by either the President OF the
Secretary of the Interior in their. several
fee was discussed and the utter
ances of Mr.. Tanner and various
other things distasteful TO the administra-
tion and injurious to the public service
orders of the Commissioner discussed by
the President and the Secretary. The in
compatibility of the Commissioner as q
manager of the Pension Office was located.
SO far as objections to him from his superior
Offices were concerned. away from all gen.
eral orders.
This much can be said authoritatively:
The letter to Dalzell will have no effect,
unless it is to mislead those who do not
understand, the real issue as 1t exists. and
as it will presently appear. 1t is stated
that private Dalzell is regular contribut
to the Democratic newspaper at st. Louis
which published the letter to-day, and that
i W
same terms as other contributions from him.
The Investigating Committees Report.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26. - The Evening
Capital says: 'The report of Messrs
Ewing, Campbell and Bruce. the commits
sion that investigated the Pension Office,
though closely guarded by Interior Depart.
ment officials, is gradually becoming
known. 1t is known that the report takes
up each rerating case separately, aud each
case is an exhibit in itself. Stress
is laid upon the fact that Deputy
Comm ssioner Hiram Smith, jr., received
over $4,000 as rerating This action ofhis
comes in for severe criticism In the report
or not the report does not state. Mr.. Smith
receives his pension in the Tokepa agency.
Secretary Noble. in view of the report of
the commission, has himself questioned Mr..
Smith as to the facts attending the rerat-
ing. The report also condemns Mr..
Squires, and especially for his action in
making cases special 1t states that Mr..
Squires possessed the stamp of Mr.. Tanner
as Commissioner and affixed it to papers
without the Commissioners knowledge.
The number of such cases-a very large
numbers given, and Commissioner Tan
ner is criticised for his carelessness in thus
intrusting his official prerogative to a
mere private secretary, who violated
names nne of the pension ose o
cials who caused themselves to be
rerated. form a conspicuous part of the re-
port. Several were discharged at the time
by Secretary Noble, and they now point to
the fact that the one who received the
largest amount of all-Deputy Commits
sioner Smiths still In office. A member
of the board who made the investigation
intimated to the reporter that the chief cul-
prits were still in position, but would soon
Nv int nriv "a
What Mr. Tanner Says.
To the Western Associated Press
WASHINGTON, Sept 26.-Pension Commits
sioner Tanner was, to-day. seen by a repre-
sentative of the Associated Press, at his
residence on Georgetown Heights. and
questioned as to the genuineness of the let
ter purporting to have been written by him
to private Dalzell, and telegraphed this
morning from Caldwell, O.
"Yes," replied the Commissioner. "the
letter, as printed. is substantially as
wrote it. 1t was written, however, in the
| strictest confidence, 10 man whom i be-
| lieved TO be my friend. A man under these
| circumstances writes that which under
other circumstances would not. and should
I. not, have been written. The letter was
| evidently stolen. cannot believe that any
man could so betray his friend"
This evening Commissioner Tanner tele-
L ktdpncu lisotO DdlLCh w WhCtuCk
| the letter had been stolen, or had reached
| the public in some other manner.
To Post reporter he made the following
statement respecting the re-rating ot
| First Deputy Commissioners Smith.
THE re-rating cases that came before me
| were in batch. Among them was that OF
| Deputy Commissioner Smith. His case was
not made special. There were nine other
1 cases where the disabilities were about OF
the same character, namely, the loss
| of an arm and q leg. 1t was May
| last when these cases came before me
| There were photographs of each sub
| ject, including some very bad cases
| While the question of re-rating these
pensioners was under discussion. there
were present in my Office Gen. Lew Wal
lace. General Barnum. of New York. and
more than dozen newspaper men. There
| was not the slightest criticism as to the
| Justice of re-rating these pensioners. II
| was generally indorsed by the press, in
| Guiding papers which have been generally
opposed to me. As l said before. the case
of the Deputy Commissioner went alonl
with the others / do not recall whether
signed il subsequently or not. III | did II
| was done with n rubber stamp-the way IN
which the signature of the Commissioner
| and Secretary of the Interior is usually at
| tached to the certificates If Mr.. Smith
signed it, his own signature viii appear OF
the certificate"
The Commissioner declined TO discuss th'
contents of his letter TO Dalzell, or those o.
the report of the commission appointed 10y
Secretary Noble to investigate the work
ings of the Pension Office, which have no