The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-10
FIGHT OVER CARSON.
Democrats Are Wrangling
About His Appointment.
CHARGES RAISED AND DENIED,
Criticism Of His Onicial Acts a. Special
Agent of Land Omce-Hn
Reply.

battle royal over Mayor Ronald's appoint
ment of J. NJ. Carson as comptroller. Two
other appointments made at the same
time have already been confirmed by the
city council, but there is hitch over the
approval of Mr. Carson's name-not
merely hitch, but a downright fight.
The opposition to Mr.. Carson comes
from three distinct sources. In the
first place, charges. more or less
definite, have been made against
his personal character, allegations
growing out of his official acts as special
agent of the land office several years ago;
in the second place, the Democratic cam
paign commi ttee recommended another
man for the position, and consequently
the members of that committee do not
feel any too happy over the mayors re-
fusal to heed their request; and in the
third place, Mr.. Carson is outspoken and
even bitter in his objection to the nomina-
ton of James Hamilton Lewis for COVER
nor, and to breathe word against Mr..
Lewis is now regarded as rank treason
among the King county faithful.
The allegations against Mr.. Carson were
laid before Mayor Ronald prior to the an
nouncement of the appointment, but the
proved. and that he would stand by Mr..
Carson in spite of them. When the ap-
pointments were sent to the city council
they were referred to special committee
consisting of ]. f. Brewer, Leander Miller
and Wolf, who reported favorably on B. Z.
Bennett for park commissioner and w.
A. Beck for clerk of the municipal court.
but are now considering the case of Mr..
Carson.
Mr.. Brewer, the chairman of the COM
mittee, said yesterday that they had tried
to have the allegations put in writing, but
thus far the attempt had been unsuccess-
full. Some of the members of the Stimson
Mill Company had intimated both to
Mayor Ronald and himself that Mr.. Car
son, while special agent of the land Office,
had been willing, for money, or other
valuable consideration, to report favorably
on certain claims. No specific instances
of such corruption had been brought be-
fore the committee in documentary form,
but the compliments had been given till
Monday to make a case.
Mr. Wolf is at Spokane, but Mr.. Miller,
the third member of the committee, was
seen by reporter of the PosT-INTELLI-
GENcER- The alderman from the First
ward said that he as yet had been shown
no charges in writing, though there had
been a good deal of talk to the effect that
serious objections could be urged against
Mr.. Carson's appointment. Mr.. Miller
expressed belief that the charges came
from several mill companies, which Mr..
Carson, as special agent, had blocked i'll a
plan to obtain timber land Illegally. In
short, that malice was at the bottom of
the whole affair.
Mr.. Carson himself when interviewed
declared that when he came here rs special
agent during Cieveiand's term as presi-
dent he found good deal of work to do.
He had made reports, resulting in the can
collation. of over 5000 acres of land that
had been filed on, 700 of them land
in which the Stimson Mill Company was
interested. Naturally, these cancellations
made him many bitter enemies. Mr.. Car
son added:
These people then and now whispered accusa-
tons against me, in.imaing that had enough
money been paid me my activity would cease.
You see, special agent is under fire from two
directions. Ii he ferrets out fraud, the losers
say he wants to be bought off; if he does moth
ing, they say he has already been bought off.
e Well, chose the former accusation and am
case of the 2,72o acres of land cancelled from
Stin,son aud Park was appealed from the local
land Office to the land commissioner at Wash
ington City, and from him to the secretary of
the interior, but in each case my report was
sustained, and the land finally thrown open to
settlement.
have been accused of trying to bride wit.
nesses-Dr. Willis E Everette, for example,
but he denies that ever approached him in the
matter. have been accused of reporting favor
ably for Andrew Haggerty, of Snohomish, be-
cause he paid me, but never made any report
on land in which Haggerty was directly or in
directly interested. The written record of my
official acts exists complete in the land offices
in this state and at Washington City, and my
enemies are free to use it.
But defy any one TO sustain against me a
single charge affecting my integrity. AWilliam
Patterson. OF Snohomish, asserts that offered
for $50 to make all right some trouble he had
over his claim on the Skykomish, but he admits
that the charge was instigated by one of nv
enemies-and at any rate l have witnesses to
swear they would not believe him unde- oath.
can prove that have refused money for making
favorable reports. Does any one suppose
would fight the big mill companies and then ba
tempted by a so bride?
The whole matter will probably come
up before the city council on Monday
night, and Mr.. Carson will be likely to
make more explicit statement there,
should the charges be set forth in explicit
form. Some Democrats, however, who
declare their faith in Mr.. Carson's COM
plete integrity, are opposed to the appoint
ment on the ground that the party cannot
afford to put forward man against whom
such charges are made, no matter whether
the accusations are groundless or not. As
Va member of the city council said yes
terday:
We have plenty OF Democrats of capacitv
acainst whom there is not even a suspicion
WHY should we take up Mr.. Carson's fight
against the mill companies? / do not believe
we shall strengthen the city administration BY
so doing. The subject will be a source of con-
tinual annoyance
Then, as to the campaign committee
Though each member expresses entire
acquiescence in the decision of Mavor
Ronald TO appoint Mr.. Carson over Mr..
Ross, and though none of the committee
men are active in opposition to Mr.. Car
son, still the fact remains that they are
not turning heaven and earth to secure
Mr.. Carson's confirmation; and should
the council reject the appointment none
OF the five workers who planned the cam
paign would feel deeply hurt.
The friends of the beautiful and fasci-
mating James Hamilton Lewis are in
much the same position as the men,
bers of the campaign committee. ].
NJ Carson does not want to see
Mr.. Lewis nominated for COVER
nor. Then. too, Mr.. Carson's chief
hacker, d. II. Gilman, would rather have
almost anyone but Lewis get the honor.
so 10 turn down NJ Carson ,ro,,rl l-:,I -:.l