Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-11
THRIFTY OFFICERS
BAD State of Affairs in United
States Courts.
The OFFICIALS AFTER FAT FEES.

And One Judge Too Willing to Leave
Matters with Counsel in the Case A
Sioux Chiefs Grave Charge Against
the United states soldiers-Numbers
aud Values of Our Cattle, Hogs, and
sheep-Prepsring to Sue the Pacific
Reads-A Veto OyerruIed
WASHINGTON CITY. Feb. IA sub
committee of the house committee on the
p2diciary, which spent some time last ses-
NON in investigating charges OF Illegal
practices in federal courts IA various parts
n the country, submitted its report on the
Inquiry TO the full committee yesterday
Copious extracts from the testimony
saken are embodied in the report To show
Che character and extent OF the practices
INDUCED in. These practices embrace the
general suspension Of sentences pro-
hoaaced on persons convicted Of violating
the internal revenue and the timber cut
hng laws, principally in the districts OF
West Virginia and northern Georgia and
"a :he northern, middle and southern dis
h1ets OF Alabama thus encouraging meth
eds OF fee-making practiced by United
States district attorneys, marshals and
their attorneys. United States commits
sioners, clerks of the federal courts, and
ether officers connected with the judicial
department of the government
Amounts to a Conspiracy.
The evidence shows that in some parts
81 che country men are induced by deputy
narshals and United States commissions
e1s to make complaints gainst each other
Tor violations of the internal revenue and
timber laws, are arrested by the deputy
sqarshals aud brought before the commits
EOners where, after a hearing, they are
Sound over to court, Otter becoming bail
for each other, and appearing before the
SQUIRT As defendants, witnesses and bail.
They come up in patches, the report says,
and at one tine in the state OF Alabama
slghty-nine men from Marion county
pleaded guilty at Huntsville, and at an
ether time forty-one men from Lamar
county pleaded guilty at Birmingham. of
violations of the internal revenue laws
and IN both instances sentences were sus-
pended and defendants discharged with
1Gt punishment.
They Make the Business Paw.
1t is shown by the report that large
Numbers of witnesses are summoned in
nearly every case, the federal officers
charging for every petty service performed
n securing them, increasing their mileage
allowances by making unnecessary trims.
and that they pocket allowances intended
Tor witnesses and others who pay their
SwD charges. United States commission
@rs By these means secure annual incomes
ranging from S2,000 10 5000 Commits
I -
= criticised for obtaining fees b. prsc-
sces such rs these The cases are mostly
frivolous, and By compromise the com
Ikissione- and the other officers secure
sheir costs, which is shown to be usually
double the amount due to the government
Tor tax, penalty, and specific penalty, max
2ng the enforcement Of the law oppressive
against the poor and ignorant
Committee Recommendations
The report recommends the substitution
oil salaries Tor fees the only method of
quitting an end to the corruptions. The
practice prevailing in the United States
court in Boston of allowing court clerks
ana deputies to naturaliZe foreigners.
eharginS lees ranging from 81 to 81 for
performing each step OF the process. l. con-
demned IN strong terms. II also recon-
mends the passage of the bill introduced
m the house by Oates OF Alabama, to reg
oiafe immigration ami to amend the na,-
2ralization laws OF the United states, and
e'her measures to stop the abuses
A Judge Censured.
The subcommittee recommends the dis
nissal of J. T. Green, United states cir
quit court commissioner for the northern
district OF Alabama, and in referring to
Judge Bruce, of the northern and middle
alstrlctN OF Alabama, it says that it feels
obliged TO say that Judge Bruce is too
nuch inclined to surrender the discretion
shat belongs to him alone and to register
as the judgment OF the court the agree
nent OF the counsel