Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-06-18
AVly idoV sVork
1t Results in a Pension Depart
nent Sensation.
TANNERS sEoRETARY's NIsTAKE.

An htteinpt 10 CIe8r tine OmCe OF UnQ08lr-
able Feminines Develops Some Very
skillfun Man9uvres by Fair but Frail
Clerk-The Secretary Trusts Not Wisely,
but Too Well and Has to Go West and
Learn Something.
WASHINGTON CITY, June 1S.-A few days
ago Geo. B. Squires, Commissioner Tanners
secretary, suddenly resigned and was later
appointed timber Inspector in Montana. The
quidunincs we've at loss to understand why
this was thus, and various explanations
were mooted. The following is the latest,
and appears to be true 1t is the old story
of woman and a man, which might be told
almost every day of the ways of some of the
female clerks in the government departments
here, except that in the present instance
there was more than the usual amount of
simplicity in the man and even more than
the customary skill in the woman.
A Pointer for the Commissioners.
When Commissioner Tanner came into his
office he was visited by some Christian la
dies employed in the pension bureau who
told him that there were some notorious
women on the rolls, and begged him to re-
form the office. He called on the chiefs of di-
vision for information on the subject, but
learned little from them further than enough
to convince himself that there were women
in the building who ought not to be there,
but he could not get grounds for action.
The Widow Hears Something Drop.
He directed his clerks to recommend any
woman of doubtful character for dismissal
ON the ground of incompetence simply.
Mrs. Nellie c. Friend a widow who had
been appointed TO a 81 200 clerkship from
Massachusetts,, had been seventeen years in
the office and had all that time borne a most
unsavory reputation. She evidently learned
of the commissioners order, and sought a
personal interview with the commissioner at
once, though no recommendation had been
filed against her.
So Does Tanner.
MIR. Tanner refused to see her. He told
Secretary Squres about it and thought moth
ing more of the matter until last week, when
Secretary Noble summarily demanded that
Squires be discharged. The secretary gave
no reason for the sudden removal and Mr.
Tanner went to the secretary, determined to
stand by his friend if it made vacancy in
the pension commissionership.
An Eye-Opener for the Corporal.
Secretary Noble showed Commissioner
Tanner some letters which opened his eyes
Squires Immediately after learning from
his chief of the widows anxiety to get on
terms of personal friendship with the COM
missioner, wrote Mrs. Friend a note asking
private interview at her home He evil
IDENTIFY saw her there, for little later Mrs
Friend got another note from Squires in
forming her that he had seen NJ Wager, chief
of division to which Mrs Friend wished to
he transferred in order to avoid the dis
missal she was sure to get if she remained
where she then was
Development of the Game.
Squires wrote that he had no doubt her
wishes in the matter could be gratified and
that he was only sorry that his own wishes
could not he so easily gratified. 1t is to be
inferred from the next letter in the CORE
spondence that she wrote him in the mean
time complaining of his not calling, for in
his third letter he says he does not see how
she could wonder after the cool way she
treated him on a previous call Notwith-
standing Squires' efforts and promises, before
the transfer of the woman could be effected
the chief of the division over her recon-
mended her to the commissioner for dismissal
on the ground of incompetency.
The Woman's Winning Card.
Then the storm burst, and the prettiest
game in the World was played. Mrs Friend
went over TO see Secretary Noble and OBJ
tanned private audience With tears
streaming down her checks she protested to
Mr.. Noble that she was a virtuous, honest
and respectable woman; that she was about
to be removed because she refused to Weld to
the improper advances of the confidential
secretary TO the commissioner of pensions;
that Squires had recommended her for dis
missal, but that if she bad complied with his
l,.N L..
to another division, in proof of which she
submitted the letters as above.
Not a Rascal, but Very Fresh.
Secretary Noble became indignant and
sent a note to Commissioner Tanner
which resulted in the commissioners appear
ance. Tanner scanned the letters and saw
through the matter as Secretary Noble had
not done He told Mr. Noble that he could
disabuse his mind OF the idea that Squires
was responsible for the dismissal of Mrs
Friend, nor did he think that Sauires was so
villatnous as he was branded Squires was
the father of a grown up family of young la
dies and young men, The family would be
ruined If he was summarily dismissed
While he had undoubtedly been fool he had
not been trying to lead astray pure young
woman.
The End of the Matter.
Secretary Noble was won by this view
OF the case, and he readily gave Squires the
position of timber inspector in Montana, for
which place Squires left Friday night, taking
his whole family with him. The oldest part
of the affair is that Mrs Friend still holds
her place in the pension office. Some years
ago Corporal Tanner made fight for COM
mander of the G. A r. Squires was one of
the men who stood by him. and when Tan
ner was elected he made Squires his adju-
tant general. When Tanner was appointed
commissioner of pensions the first official act
he did was to appoint Squires his private
secretary.
Ladies' Bicycle Race Ended.