The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-30
NETTLETON TURNS ACCUSER.
CHARGES AGAINST IMMT6RA-
r,oy SUPERINTENDENT oWEM

...-~etent. VntrustWort"S
source OF Danger to the r"n"e
-. According to tho Assistant secre-
..---Ex,dence Revealing = state OF
r.,,r. IN the Treasury department. LAID
- IN. Ellis Island 1nvestigators-
n.o.pce-He and Nettieton and
r..,rv Ofpeinls May Have to 60.
r.,u,x,ros. March 29.-There were new
thar startling developments to-day In
anu r,,. island investi cation. and Assistant
,'c . of the Treasury Nettleton. who had
',. "nJer fire at the previous meetings OF
Nv ,,jn, committee. had his innings lie en-
.orad n divert tho fire OF the mmittee
himeoli. hut only succeeded tenn orarily.
most unusual thing for one bureau OIL
ID, the Government to attack another IN
rav Con. Nettleton attacked Superin-
a,o,tw. D. owen OF the Bureau of 1mmi-
ton and the result Of the personal quarrel
W, nndoubtedly be the removal OF one or
~, -, those officers After attacking MIR.
,n.o, (,en, Nettleton lost his temper. and made
a statements very damaging to himself
Tha assistant Secretary has been practically
,.-,cted of carelessness. at least In the man
.a.,ont Of Ellis Island affairs by the Testimony
.,tn,,,ted to tho Investigating Committee
- VI. last ten days. and the report will be SO
unanimously in condemnation OF his action
%,, Secretary Foster can do little less
.h.n recommend his removal. even II
y" were not already disposed to do
~ Moyeoyer, Gen. Nettleton's charges
,ncompetency and dishonesty against su-
.o,intendcnt Owen are 80 explicit TINT they
cannot bs ignored. although Mr. Owen made
to-day what he thinks was an effective
d.,ence The evidence OF his peculiar con-
duct is on file in the Treasury Department.
however, and 1t will only be necessary Tor the
investigating Committee to read the record to
And proof enough to warrant MIR. Owens dis
mssal.
Thsro has been bad blood between Assistant
secretary Nettleton and Superintendent Owen
almost ever since the latter was placed Mt the
head of the superintendent bureau at the be-
ginning Of the Fiftieth Congress. His appoint
mont was personal ono Of the Presidents.
Mr.. owens term as an Indiana Congressman
having expired on March 4. 1890. Gen. Net
Teton has frequently accused Superintendent
Owen OF incompetency. and has been more
than ever prejudiccd against him OF late
because he thought the superintendent was
the real instigator OF the Ellis Island investi-
cation, and Of the attempt to convict the AS
slstsnt Secretary OF official misconduct In
this Gen. Nettleton was probably very much
mistaken, as the members OF the Investigat-
Ing Comm ttee say ip the most positive terms
that they have received no suggestions. ad-
vice. or assistance from Mr.. Owen.
1t has been great surpriseto Secretary
Foster to learn OF the mismanagement that
he was busy with other matters last spring.
and while he was In Ohio cam paigning in the
fall and later absent from the office for sey-
sickness. The Secretary has felt himself called
ppon to deny the the, statement that he
not only Gen Neteton nae and p @
Owen. but large number Of other Treasury
officials who have had more or less to do with
come under the dlspleasure Of the Secretary
70 such On extent that he is contemplating a
spite Of the secretary's denials 1t Is known to
ss
When the Investigating Committee met this
morning In the pleasant room down under the
such "a an exciting ' Session as that which foi-
lowed. Senator Chandler and Representative
Stump. .Chairmen Of the Senate and House
as we're psse
helnsr: Epes;, Hare. coburn. and Wright: al
81 fSs as
and Superintendent Owen sat only. two
feet behind the latterland was still sitting
ttsries. In the shape OF a formal letter accusing
the superintendent OF incompetency. dishon-
esty. and several other shortcomings. Those
aware that bad blood existed between Gen.
Nettlet9n and Superintendent Owen were
Sss a,I;hhse.di at the yindctiyeness OF Gsni
s Gen. haa re rod
i9t him. and SO took the censure Of his official
testimony can be accounted for only, on the
theory that he feels already that he is doomed.
anon other peculiar things no did. he &C
sump 81 conspiring against him. and then In
nent which he admitted was unwarranted.
cross. examination. cleared himself. to his own
satisfaction san. at least. OF al the aspsr.-
req sstaar y, .trounse. in the most busnesslike
sns s,nM t %-aet Tny testified to his efforts
ssa t aas 6s
responsibility for them. which Cen Netteton.
sao ,Ster testimony had tried to shift to TIE
brook; Taking tho Whole day into considera-
Won. It has been losing one for Gen. Nettleton.
IN Ialp,erintendent Owen was the irst Witness.
in atteadanee at the sf% ns tfo
rsch session was because he had been Sum:
nN,pd by the Chairman. He said he had had
notthing TO do with bringing about the invcsti-
H. ne ne. dil not know OF any question which would
ss,99 4t 70 him.. In reply to Senator Hale he
saia ne had nothing to do with the Ellis Island
ttmproVtmcns: his work was confined chiefly
wGimmisration matters.
co zen: Nettleton then submitted for record a
Snpyy q LETTER written by Secretary Foster on
NV o'' ~ (. 1901 to the Supervising Architect OF
stt H treasury. IN which the Secretary called
nonaH INTO To- REQUEST for further transfer Of
fi mi ~ IMPROVEMENT fund. and asked for q
NILE wv, statement Of Just what had been done and
is na, ~ was proposed to do. A reply TO tho
wri Witt w s read by Gen. Nettleton. It was
ray l1we' Acting Supervising Architect. 1t
ts nethe statement asked for. Secretary Fos-
"taPproved tho transfer.
tt M u'is point spirited tilt took place be-
.'"n question which was in effect. Did not
IN ' i, Nettleton fix the policy OF the departme emit
n.n Sa,s,italer OF transferring appropriations 2
wtrmtS S sn;1 turned sharply and, with much
secretary Window had inaugmrated such a
hs wnm, ahl secretary Foster had taken it up.
ask asked XII IKE TO- know why Senator Chandler
e IhSa. Nettlcton added that no Thought the
apers njish o. the two committees were making
which i y M, attempt to fix something on him
Senator Chapn PAD. nad no ioundation.
grave cHasHrnna s snd said that that was very
Hnie a that the two Chairmsn regarded
Mr. N%G1tn,ey. He reppdi lated the statement Of
make ID Cha., and said ne had no occasion to
thsr .es IN denying Mr.. Nettletons charge, said
Of V tbaw wac responsibility for the expenditure
mined 10 ooa aeyy somewhere. and. being deter