Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-07-05
NEWS OF THE CAPITAL.
The Fairchild Commission Com
plains of Unruly Officials.
LYONS LETTER NOT RECEIVED.

New York's Surveyor Says He Has Resigned,
but the Treasury People Know 1t Not.
The BImsteIlIo Leagues caII-TechnIcaI
Evidence Required In the Disaster Case.
WASHINGTON, July 5-The Fairchild
commission has informed Secretary Car
Isle that it Is very much embarrassed by
the action of the New York custom house
officials, especially that of Mr.. Lyon.
Previous to leaving the city Secretary Car
Isle after receiving this information from
New York transmitted to thei president
at Buzzard's Bay for whatever action he
thought advisable in the premises. The
president Is perfectly familiar with all the
circumstances attending the efforts of the
Fairchild commission to investigate Gus
tom matters at the port of New York and
the obstacles thrown in its way by the
old officials" to use the expression of a
treasury officer official, to prevent it from
arriving at the exact facts in the case.
The impression obtains at the treasury
department that the president will not
longer hesitate to take summary actions
in the case Of those who have apparently
defied the authority of the Fairchild COM
mission, disregarding explicit orders of
Secretary Carlisle and, to use a legal
phrase, have brought themselves into
contempt Of court"
Had the president been able to agree
Upon the successors of Mr.. Lyon and Mr..
Cooper last week, as at one time seemed
possible, the changes would then have been
made, but now even IL he does not appoint
their successors in view of their recent
action. he will probably vacate the offices
of surveyor and appraiser. Since Mr..
Lyons statement that he had sent letter
to Secretary Carlisle treasury officials have
awaited letter in vain.
The Letter Never Came.
An official statement from the treasury
department. has been made on this subject
to the effect that Mr.. Lyon was called upon
by the commission to furnish certain in
formation concerning these subordinate
officials and employees and declined to do
so. This fact was reported to the depart
ment by the commission, and thereupcn
Mr.. Lyon was ordered by the secretary to
comply with the request, but he has not
done so up to the present time. In an in
| terview published in the newspapers, he
claims to have sent letter to the secretary
OF the treasury disputing the authority OF
| the commission, but no such nor any other
letter has been received from him on the
subject, although his interview appeared
i several days ago.
Much Red Tape Necessary.
It is stated that the government must
prove by sufficient evidence in each case
that the victims of the Ford's theater dis
aster were killed by the collapse OF tbs
building before the grand jury will return
indictments against Messrs. Ainsworth
Dant, Covert and Sasse, charged by the
coroner's jury with responsibility for tbs
affair.
A witness must be produced that he saw
the dead man in the wreck or brought ant
placed in the patrol or other vehicle. An
other will give evidence showing that de
ceased was removed to the morgue, wherS
the third witness will be called upon tt
testify that he saw the dead body in thu
deadhouse, thus forming chain of evi
dence commencing in the ruins Of the old
theater building and ending in the mOrgue
a detective has been put to work hunt
ing up the necessary witnesses and il is ex
Ipected that the evidence will be completes
by the end Of the present week.