, 1891-01-14
THE DOCTORED RECORD

HE LEADEH this morning deYote a
column Of type to a communication from
Mr.. l. =. Bartlett, Mr.. Bartlett was
chief clerk Of the late house of represent
atives. He feels aggrieved because Of the
structures passed upon his conduct in ialsi-
fYing the endorsements on the apportion-
ment bill, and we therefore afford him a
chance to vindicato himself in his "
way. After a careful peru.al of Mr.. Bart
let's rather yoluminous communication
the conclusion is sell-evident that il Mr..
Bartlett bad maintained silence it would
have been better Tor himself and his
cause.
When the endorsemcut' on the bill
were first read at the closing nights scs-
sion Of the house they didn't include this
clause Jan. s. Read second time"
The bill contained endorsements both
above sud below where those words should
have appeared. According to the testi-
mony OF Assistant Chief Clerk Kleeman
this Endorsement was placed on the bill
only when il became evident that the fate
of the bill depended upon whether it had
been read a second time or not. Iii had
not been read a second time 1t would re-
quire a two-thirds vote to suspend the
rules and lead up to its final passage.
This was more votes than the adherents
of the bill could command II, on the
other hand, it had been read a second
time it was then ready for final passage
aud the supporters could command enough
Of votes to pass 1t.
That Bartlett himself was conscious he
was committing a crime in placing the
false endorsement on the bill was evident
to every spectator for two reasons: First.
his remark to Speaker Kellogg when the
bill was passed over to that gentleman to
save the bill at all hazards and Second,
the extreme nervousness with which he
read the endorsements to the house. His
hand and voice trembled very perceptibly
an dwhen he came TO the false endorse
ment his courage failed him aud lie skip
ped over it and read a few words farther
on. Like a man forcing himself to take a
drastic dose of medicine he returned again
to the false endorsement and read it off in
a voice that was scarcely audible, while he
quaked like an aspen in the breeze.
MIR. Bartlett grossly Aatters himself in
the closing paragraph of his communica-
ton when he says that Mr.. Baker
shouted a motion that the chief clerk be
exonerated from all charges and the mo-
ton was carried with a whirl without a
dissenting voice. This alleged incident
occurred while the intense excitement in
the house was still at its height, consequent
upon the discovery Of the forged endorse.
ment. Mr. Baker, who is naturally OF a
fiery disposition when aroused, had made
the discovery that the assistant chief
clerk was g%uiltless of any completely in
the fraud. Highly excited as he was be
jumped uDon u desk aud yelled: Il
move that the chief clerk be exoncr
ated." DO you mean the chief clerk OIL
assistant chief clerk2' yelled several o.
those who surrounded him, some whom
hadn't yet fully grasped the situation.
''Confound it., shouted Baker, who may
possibly have used an expletive il con.
nection with the expression, Il mean
the assistant chief clerk Of course. ii
The editor Of The LEADER stood with
in five feet OF Baker when this scene &C
CURED and the foregoing is precisely
what happened.
There wasn't a man in the house
whether he was in or out Of the deal, VIII
didn't know that a fraud was being per
petrated, and there wasn't one who
when be cooled down, didn't believe tina
Bartlett was only one OF several who hnC
formed a dast irdly combination to stea
the bill through and who didn't realiz
that neither the speaker nor the Repub
lican leader Of the house" had the nerve
when the plot was discovered, to fac
the issue and force the bill through b
the high handed methods of SpeAke
Reed. They failed 10 sneak it through
but hadn't the courage to boldly throl
aside the rules and put the motion, dc
clare it carried and then lee the opponent
Of the bill seek whatever remedy the
could find. They were equal to petit lal
ceny, but there wasn't enough sand j
their craws to justify them in the con
mission OF a bold burglary.
HAD Phil Zehner made the gallaI