The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-30
said that. as n full and frank explanation. he
would flle n COPY Of u letter addressed to Sec-
rotary Foster by himself. Here Is the letter:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT. !
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. I
WASHINGTON. March %. 1892.

WASHINGTON. March %. 1892
SIR: It has become my official duty to invite
your attention to tho following facts which
am prepared to substantiate in every particn.
lar. and to ask that such action be taken by
the Secretary Of the Treasury and by the Pres
idGnt g those facts may seem to warrant;
migration. is unfit and Incompetent to perform
the duties OF the office which he holds; l., ~.
hs Of Ss oca ass
licions ISLANDERS against his superior officer in
teErity are slirshod reckless. and a source OF
s TtEin h Fs sonr t" the public funds partially
ib,j hand you certain papers marked "Ex-
ht Al ehn 9T mt s n 2a Of st Ps
New York. transmitted to the Secretary of the
advertisement for the furnishing Of instru,
ments. books. hospital clothing, and druggists,
IN serves at Yo a
were thus transinit!ed. Said letter further
bids 10 accepted and tho articles purchased,
such lowest bids being clearly set forth and
and the amount o: each BID. ' ''''"' ''O''
such lowest bids recommended to be nc
ce5sji ss! 81 s se II 8 ovon os s0Dorn
pared. checked with his initials. and sent to
John b. Weber. Iommissionsr Of iinmiGration;
authorizing him to accept all the bids he had
received. reeIting said bids in full by names,
SIul6. Il. or more than TO per cent IN excess
Of the asSregate asked for by tho Gomm m, Is,
me on the strength OF Superintendent Owens
HeGs WAS to
aitcrward.. Attached. to Exhibit A" is my
letter to superintendent Owen. based upon
cining thereafter to sign letters from his office
authorizing the expenditure Of public moneys
upon tSSy which they We're based I 'A'A"' f"D'
l4.l also hand you certain papers marked
Exhibit b" which shows Tint on or about the
Superintendent Of immigration. Joined Frank
W and hs In
voucher Tor 81 / $50 for the alleged service OF a
person not in the employ of the Government.
had not rendered the service for which said
voucher was presented. supe;ssintend Ter
said services were rendered are attached to
said fictitious voycher h GS,tiiied eoRy , whereof
proval it was stopped and its payment pre-
vented. On the 10Th Of January, the day inter
owen in writing Tor an explanation !see my
lettcr Of that date forming part OF Exhibit
n On the 2Oth OF january MIR. owen re-
sponded in writing. furnishing such explana-
ton. which admits the entire transaction tsee
his letter Of that day forming part Of "Exhibit
then regard the voucher as still in force. The
original voucher itseli is in the possession OF
ehe Wsh e soud Be IN
connection with his subsequent statement
that at certain stage he had abandoned the
1t is left for the proper authority or tribunal
to decide whether the transaction in question
sso any he
standards and tho fitness for responsible Sta
ton Of a bureau officer who is capable OF en-
gaging in such an attempt and then submit
ting such an explanation are left to the judg-
rent OF the Secretary.
Ever since Mr. Owen assumed his office in
July. 1891 have been compelled. as his ssu-
perior officer by your assignment. to call his
attention yer" to the sInnders nh nr
which he was directly responsible. These
blunders and irregularities. il permitted to 60
ment into ridicule. entanged the Government
in annoying complications. and In certain IN n;
in the wrongful abstraction Of money from tho
public treasury. Respectfully. yours.
A. b. NETTLEroN. Assistant Secretary.
After the letter had been read a recess was
GEN Nett Ien again gal took the stand
Il had good reason to think" he said. " that
there was animus on the part OF the two Chair hair;
Withdraw what have said. am hero to give
an account on the lines of tho resolution OF in
wrong action in my. official capacity. My i'm.
preston from the line OF questioning was that
an attempt was being made to fasten respop-
sibility on mvself. whether was responsible
for actions or not"
Gen. Nettleton then spoke OF errors and
which he ut first attributed to nowness in
office. but when they continued he saw 1t was
Lorenzo Crounse Assistant Secretary OF the
Treasury. WAS the next witness. He said he
had q general knowledge Of the building bust;
resa r to exnsnatu S st Ellis sand
knew Of the criticism In the department Of the
b s W to ss ttat on eS stF
he was told that Gen., Nettleton had made 2
scmnlni9t about it. Witness also hs knew newt that
seen, tho testimony taken IN explain
nf f. A
had done work after office hours and presented
4 bin for extra COMPENSATION Witness Thought
was told that II he made out q voucher and It
vas approvSWy, by hin Oven, Ell, Erhst would get
to got such Vouchers through was by assign
name than that q the person doing the work.
out m RearilE the name Of Nellie H. Ernst. Wit.
ness then Thought some questions might ). be
look out for 1t himself, so he went to AS.
slstant Secretary Spau!dng and asked II
one doing work could assign an account to an
other person. Mr.. SIanlding said he had never
heard OF such u thing. Witness said the
voucher was not presented to Mr.. SpauldinE
for signature. Io returned the voucher to
Ernst and told him the account could not pass
the department. and the only way to get it was
to put In II claim to Congress. The voucher
was not placed In tho books by the bookkeeper
OF the office. About three weeks aiterwArd
Ernst came to him and said that NJ r. Rose.
chief Of tho appointing division. who was
aware of the OK istence Of tho voucher. wanted
to know how Mr.. Owen was getting on with
the account. and asked for tho voucher. say
ing he wanted to look into tho matter
Ny next Information" continued Mr. Owen.
was from Assistant Secretary Nettleton tell
ing me that no had the voucher and asking
Tor AN explanation showing that Nellie ii.
Ernst did tho work then told Ernst that he
should not have let tho voucher go out with
out being accompanied by signed account
and said that standing alone 1t did not fairly
explain the transaction. Ernst did not have q
signed account. but made out one and sont It
to Assistant Secretary NettletOn."
No more was heard Of the matter until Fob.
%. and then wtnoss know that Assistant Seq
rotary Netlloton had 1t under official consid-
Grafton. Witness added that 1t was never pre-
scented to Assistant Secretary Spaulding nor
was 1t entered 10y the, ,bookkeeper. but went to
Mr. Rose In n friendly manner only. and did
not ect to Mr. Nettleton''s hands in. an official
way After what was said in the matter, added
Mr. Owen. Mr. Ernst resigned, but on the 10Th