Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-21

He Thinks IL Improbable That the
Questions Were Copied When Current.

Questions Were Copied When Current.
In his letter to the House civil service CON-
mitsee, taking exceptions to some Of the con-
clusions in the report Of the civil service in
vestigation, which has already been briefly
given In TIE STAR, Commissioner Lyman
points out to the committee that there was no
| evidence presented in the testimony taken by
the committee to show that the questions
copied by Mr.. Campbell were current when
copied. There isn't shred OF evidence, he
says, to show that the papers were sold OF Of
fered for sale by either Campbell or Mrs. smith.
FACTS RECENTLY DISCLOSED.
He says, however: "A fact which has only
come to my knowledge within the last few DAYS
furnished single chance for Campbell to have
copied the November papers during that month;
and as / have nothing to conceal. and no mo-
tive for concealment, / frankly and freely state
that fact. calling attention in connection with
1t to portion of Miss Dabney's testimony, and
leave II TO the committee to judge whether or
not 1t Is probable that Campbell improved this
one chance.
On Wednesday. the Esd of November. 1887.
clerk who had been appointed in the Treas
ury department "A year before on the limited
or copylst examination was examined for pro-
motion and was given part of the papers of
the general or clerk examination of November
and December 3.
The papers OF these non-competive exanlina-
nations for promotion are ALWAYS special
that is, marked at once. and in this case the
marking was completed and they were turned
over to the secretary by the chief examiner on
Friday, the 25th of November. Between that
time and the examination of December there
We're seven clear days. including one Sunday
or SIX excluding the Sunday. During those
seven days any person copying these papers
would have copied current questions. If
Campbell copied November papers i'll Noyem-
Der ne must have copied this very set-be-
cause none others were available to him and
the copying must have been done within these
seven days.
A0UEsrIoN OF PROBABILITY
- have already called attention to the fact
that Miss Dabney testities d. 3S) that Flynn's
offer to sell her questions was made on the
Tuesday before the December examination
and this Tuesday was November 80 Between
the 10Th, when the papers of this examination.
were turned over to the secretary and became
available to Campbell. and the 18th when
MISS Dabney testities that lynn offered 10 sell
her questions, there were three Clear davs and
one OF those was Sunday. If Miss Dabuey
tells the truth and Flynn really had the cues
tons they must have been copied by Campbell
and taken By HIM to Mrs. Smith and by Mrs
Smith to Flynn, all within these three DAYS.
one OF which was Sunday. What motive could
there have been for such haste? Campbell could
DC used on December B. and Mrs. Smith could
not IN any event have taken an examination at
that TIME. The papers could not have been
soIl 20 any one having common sense, because
they contained the answers as well as the aues-
tlons which would indicate that they had been
used ana would not likely be used again. The
probabilities seem to me all against their hay
ing been copied and come into Flynn's posses-
sion through Mrs. Smith in this short space of
time. But such thing was possible and L
ieaTe t9e committee to Judge of the prob
ability from the facts stated. The question of
whether :he papers copied were current papers
Is reduced to this one chance, and / certainly
could not reach the conclusion, on the basis Of
the facts here presented, that they were cur
rent lsho1ld be obliged to say that the
chances were decidedly the other way; that if
the papers copied were the same as those used
IN the December examination they we're copied
AFTER the date OF that examination, and were
therefore not currcnt when copied. All | have
thus far said has been with reference to this
one question. and / have endeavored to ex-
anime the subject caref fully and dispas sionately
Tor the sole purpose of reaching an honest and
rlSht conclusiOn-one that will serve the ends
OF Justice and wrong no man."
TOOK NO PART IN THE INVESTIGATION.
He repeats what he has already testified to
before the committee; that he insisted upon
an investigation as soon it was discovered
that questions had been given out and had de-
clared that action should be had according to
the facts discovered without favor to any one.
lie says he was actuated by the highest and
most honorable motives in referring the in
yestlgation to Mr.. Oberiy and in not taking
part III it himself Mr.. Campbell being his
brother-in-law, he felt that there might be a
suspicion of favoritism if the investigation
should be favorable to Mr. Camubell. Mr.,
Oberly he regarded as an impartial Judge. and
TO h,m WAS lett the duty of the investigation,
and his report was accepted with entire conf
dence by Mr.. Lyman. Believing that he should
not take part in the investigation has informa-
tan rs to the facts disclosed was derived from
Mir. Oberlys report, which was favorable to
Campbell.