The record-union., 1893-04-18
Special to the REcdRD-USIoS.

special 10 the hEIOID-ONION.
WASHINGTON, April II. - Secretary
Morton this afternoon received the re-
port of Assistant Attorney General
Colby, who conducted the investigation
into the charges of illegal and fraudulent
disposal of public property in the
Weather Bureau. The Secretary an
nounced that he would take the matter
under Amusement. The recommends
tions are as follows:
The immediate discharge of officials
and employees guilty OF theft, embezzle-
ment or unauthorized sale of Government
property, and prosecution criminally and
civilly; the entire reorganization of the
executive management and control of the
bureau; that no Government property be
loaned out or taken from the department
Tor private purposes under any circum-
stances whatever, and no property to be
taken Tor official use except upon a requi-
sltlon duly signed and approved. and for
which receipt is given; that property
that is carried on the rolls of the
bureau must be sold only at public
auction, after due advertisement; that
the practice of loaning money now pre-
Vailing in the Weather Bureau between
employees and officers, and especially by
those of inferior rank to their superiors
IN official position, be absolutely pro-
hlbited; the entire reorganization of the
executive management and control of the
bureau, and official separation, as much
as practicable, as far as property re-
sponsibility is concerned, of the executive
nom that which is purely scientific or
educational; the establishment of such
regulation as shall require a strict &C
countability from each employee charged
with the possession or control of the
Government property, and centering in
one official the control of and RESPONSE
bility for the whole property of the
bureau; that a careful inventory be taken
of the Government property in the
bureau.
Among the principal findings of fact by
the Assistant Attorney-General were:
That in February, 1893, a number ofbrass
and iron holdings, exceeding $50 in
value, were sold to r. +. Brannon, Cap
tain OF the watch. without legal author
ity, and no return made therefor; that a
number of yards of carpet and other
al SiSACo " IuG NONGTuHl6DG
were disposed OF by said Brannon, and
no returns made; that John J. Ryan, an
employe of the bureau, had in the cellar
of his residence i'll February, 1893, a
quantity of new Government property:
that a large piece Of linoleum procured
for use in the bureau was during the
year 1892 taken therefrom and disposed OF
by employees of the Government without
authority, and no return made; that
many articles, property belonging to the
Government, such as type, stationery,
office supplies, furniture, bound record
books, chemical materials and over 500
thermometers were taken therefrom in
the months of July and August, 1892.
disposed of without legal authority, and
no return made therefor: that five
carpets complete for rooms of undeter-
mined dimensions and seventy-eight
yards of measured carpet have entirely
disappeared from the Weather Bureau.
and mono of the officers or employees
thereof could or would furnish any in
formation i'll regard to such property or
account for its absence; sixty-seyen
yards of unmeasured, however, proved
non for at least six months. The evil
dence shows that property of the Govern
ment had been removed from the Bureau
from time to time at the pleasure of the
employees or officers for use at private
residences, without receipts being given,
acquisitions made or any record kept OF
such disposition in the Bureau. 1t fur
Their appears that Captain of Watch Bran
non practiced loaning money at high
rates of interest TO officers and employees
OF the Bureau, both to those above and
below him in rank, thus placing his
superior officers under financial obliga-
tiQn IN him