The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-04-19

WASHINGTON, April l7.-Secre.ary Nor
ton this afternoon received tho report Of
Assistant Attorney-GeneTal CO.bv, who
conducted the investigation into tine
charges OF illegal and fraudulent GispOsal
OF public property in the weather buresu.
The secretary read the report and an
nounced that after going through the i'm
mense amount of testimony in the case he
would teke tho matter under advisoment.
The recommendations are as follows:
The imme iiate discharge OF the officials and
employees guilty Of thejt, embeZz ement or Of
tho unauthorized sale ot government property
and ther prosecution therefor crinilu1liy anu
civiilT.
Tue entire reorganization of the executive
man0ge aud control of the bureau aud the
Ofiic al separation. as much as practicable, 80
far as proper possibility Il conc rned. OF The
executive from that which = purely scientific
or educational. The establishment OF such
Tegu alton as shall require a strict account
ability from each empioye charged with the
possession OF control o. and responsibility Tor
tne whole properly of the bureau. 4 hat a
careiu! inventory be taken OF the government
property la the bureau. the shortage thereof
determined aud the employees respOns ible
there or required 70 respond IN civil damages.
the assistant encouragement were these
That in February. 1928. a number of brass
and iron nnolds. exceeding go in vs.ue, were
sold by Il. l.. BrannOn, captain OF the watch,
without legal authority aud no return made
therefor; that in October. 1892, "A number OF
yards of carpets belonging TO the government
we're disposed OF by said Il. +. Brannon and no
returns made therefor; that IN September,
1892, the SAID Il. +. Brsnnon sold. without legal
authority, quantity or wood or lumber be-
longing 10 the government aud made no re-
turns therefor.
That John J. Ryan, an employe of the bu-
reau bad IN the cellar of his residences IN Feb
raary, 1893, ne shown by the testimony OF Lewis
uoptenmaier, quantity OF new government
property estliuR;oi 20 he worth from Sl0O TO
500, consisting OF pencils, pens aud envelopes
and other stationery supplies IN unoroken
packages and boxes takeu from the weather
bureau. aud offered 10 ssll tie same 10 said
hoptenmaier.
That large, new pieces of lin0ieum procured
for use in the bureau were during the year lo92
taken therefrOm aud disposed OF by employees
of the government without authority and no
returns made therefor.
That on Dec. II, leg2 six or seven cases OF
type we're, without authority, taken from the
bureau and disposed OF By employees OF tie
government, nnd no returns made therefor
That many other articles OF property belong
ing TO the government such Is stationery,
office supplies. furhliure, bound record books,
chemical materials aud over 500 thermometers
were taken therelrom in the months OF July
and August, 1892 disposed OF without legal
authority and no returns made therefor.
That 6vc carpets complete for rooms OF IN
determined dimensions and seventy-ei9ht
yards OF measured carpet have entirely dIsap-
peared from the weather bureau, and none of
she officers or employees thereof could or would
furnish any information in regard TO such
property or account for its absence.
The evidence also shows that there has been
n decrease IN the price reported OF the sales OF
paper made BY employees of the bureau from
6S.s cents per hundred pounds. or an average
pIior to July l, 1891. TO 46s cents per l0U
pounds since the transfer TO the agricultural
department without any change IN the market
price thereof.
The evidence shows that the property OF the
government has been removed from the bureau
from time to time at the leisure OF the employees
or officers for use at their private residence,
without receipts being given, acquisitions made
therefor, or any record kept OF such DISPOSE
ton in the bureau.
IL further appears from the testimony that
Capt. OF the Watch, Brannon prGcticed loan
ing money at high rates OF interest TO officers
and employees OF the bureRu. both 20 those
above and below him in rank. thus placing his
superior officers under obligations 10 him.
An inventory directed by me during the in
ves:iCation on the item of carpets alone dis
clossd the absence, or shortage. of five com.
plete unm'asur carpets used In various OF.
fees of the burehu, and 125 yards Of un-
measured carpets, Ixty-seveu yards of the lat
ter. however, returned after notice on the day
OF The inventory by the captain OF the watch,
after having been in his private possession and
use at his private residence for more than six
months.