The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-17
The Commissioners Find Much Conflicting Tes-
timony and False Swearing, and Recon-
mend Prosecution Of the Offenders.
Congressman BecomingAnxioustoKnow
When the Extra Session Will Be Called.
The President to Return to Washington To-
Day-Changes Recommended in the White
House Building-The Cherokee Strip.
GAVE FALSE TESTIMONY.

Prosecutions Recommended by the Commits.
sioners in the Grand Rapids Postofice Case.
. WASHINGTON, July l6-The Civil-serviee
Commission to-day submitted to the Post
master-general the following report upon
the condition and management of the post
Office at Grand Rapids. Mich:
In course of recent examination by the Civil
service commission into the condition and man
aagement a4'e, OF the postotiice at Grand Rapids.
visions OF the clvil-strvice act, certain charges
were made against the postmaster. Mr. Blair.
and against the then chief clerk OF the railway
mail service, Mr.. +. A. Hudson. The charges are
backed up by sworn atfdavits and are OF such a
nature that the commission, in view OF q lack OF
power to subpoena witnesses and administer
to sSe 1ne S
ingly they herewith submit to said department
the a,dsyits Of iGnn George J.
William Weller. Charles L. Brown and ira c.
Barnes.
The only affidavit affecting Mr.. Blair Is that of
McConvilie. which asserts that Mr.. Blair was
present In the government building, at Grand
Rapids. one day I'm October. 1888, and assisted
him CMcConviIle) contribution of money for
political purposes. On this point the affidavit Is
unsupported by any Others while it Is explicitly
contradicted by the affidavits or both Mr.. Blair
and Mr.. Hudson, and the commissioners do not
consider that in itself sufficient to warrant their
asking sss any aeGn M . to be taken zen thereon Bnr IN
charge him with having collected or attempted
TO collect money for political purposes from gov
Grand Rapids, last fall. The affidavit of McCon-
vile has been mentioned above.
The atiidavits of Salisbury and Ergenzeigner
set forth that. at Hudson's request, they paid
him money for campaign purposes in the gov
ernment building, at Grand Rapids, last fall;
they also set forth that, at his request,
1889, stating that they had not been
asked to make. and had not made. such
the letter for fear of losing his pis e. While Sails
bury asserts that he wrote his from motives OF
friendship. winslow's afiidavits set forth that
Hudson, last fall, told him, in the government
building, that he might give him whatever sums
he chose, mentioning that he (Hudson) already
had in his possession money contributed by the
postal clerks. Wellers affioayft sets forth that
Hudson, In the government building, solicited
from him money for campaign purposes, threat
eniug that he would be dismissed il he did not
give II; that he did not give IL and was snbse-
quently dismissed. Browns affidavit sets forth
that Hudson called him into his tHudson's) office.
and notified him that he was assessed S20 FOR
campaign purposes. hich, however, he did not
pay. Barnes's affidavit sets forth that he was
shown by Hudson a roll OF bills which, he said.
he had received from the ''boys'-meaning the
II the assertions contained in these atfidavits
ere not disproved or explained by other evil
dence, the commissioners believe that they war
rant Mr.. Hudson's indictment under Sections IL,
II, 13, Ia and 8 of the civil-service act. But
Mr.. Hudson has submitted, together with his af-
fdavit denying specifically all the charges, the
affidavit of the chairman of the local Democratic
party organization, denying that Mr.. Hudson
turned over such sums as were alleged. and also
copies of letters from Mr. Ergenzeigner and
Salisbury, denying the very facts they set forth
III their affidavits, as we'll as letters and other
matter tending to show the bad character or the
improper aninlus of the other men who make ain
davits against him.
II Mr. Hudson is guilty he should be prose
falsely against him should themselves be prose-
cuted for entering into peculiarly Infamous
commissions limited power, especially in the
matter of administering oaths and subpRnaing
witnesses, it il impossible to properly investi-
gate such a case, and accordingly we herewith
turn over all the affidavits and other written
matter In our possession to the Postmaster-gen-
eral tor such action as he may deem necessary.
CHAs LYMAN,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT,
HUGH s. THOMSON.