The sun., 1893-06-08
lIE. COOPER JUST DIDN'T.
aUlr is THr he FAILED TO IN
5TGHT TEN SECRETARY CARLTSLE

,,rbctt's Trip 90 Europe-The Cuipr,t
Always Goes Free. Mr.. Cheney Snys-
S.nd Of Testimony from Importers.
ADptaiser Cooper reached his office In tho
.prrnlsers stores early yesterday morning.
II was to be an evertful day with him. He had
,,ou,sed to appear before the Fairchild Gus
tom uouse Commission and answer Stephen
" Rassetts charge that ho ordered Basse,t to
csr,int perjury as to how the letters Of Sec
retayy Foster. concerning tho restoration OF
t,ao,incr Joseph c. Wiswoll to tho service.
40, into pint. Bassett has been confidential
atpno-taplot at the Appraisers stores for n
suaitsr oi n century. In 1883, when he was
called before u commission to testify as to tho
acts Of APPRAISER McMullen. he declined. say
inc that rs the confidential man OF the Ap-
pra!ser it would not DO becoming in him to tos-
;liy. Since Bassett Gavc his testim ony al against
APPRAISER Cooper ho has spent all OF his
limo At ;he Barge office. Appraiser Cooper
ordered his desk taken away from his oiflce.
Almost tho first man TO greet Appraiser
Cooper yesterday morning was Bassett The
Appraiser was ut his desk.
GOOD mornirg. Mr.. Appraiser" said Bas-
sett.
Tho Appraiser looked up through his two
rnirs OF eyeg asseS and saw Dassett. Before
the Appraiser conld speak Bassott continued:
Have you anything for me to do. Mr.. hp-
praser"
Il have nothing for rot to Go. sir" replied
NJ Cooper.
- Haven't YOU anTthtcE ior re to do,' plead
ed Bassctt
You shall 10 nothing for nee. sir" severely
replied Mg. Cooper, and Bassett left
Tie Appraiser. lii conversation. said that he
:tit hutnllaSed by the conduct OF the Fairchid
Comu.iss!un toward him. He said that his
tern Of Appraiser was out, but that he did not
now expect to DO per,aittod to resign. but that
hc would be removed. Appraiser Cooper was
detained at his deal; all the morning. and did
not apl ear before the Commission until nearly
oclocn. BY that time Bassett Was there and
also Wiswel!. Besides testi!ying as to Bas-
sets charge. the Appraiser was also ex-
peetcd to testify concerning the additional
duties and renalties put upon tho invoices of
J. Il. simon IL Co. The Appraiser said that no
was not then ready to testify concerning
Simon & Co.'S invoices. and added that AS
sis:apt Appraiser Corbett and others had been
engaged in preparing schedule OF tho addi-
,ionai duties and penalties put upon the FIRMS
invoices. Commissioner Magone asksl Mr.
Cooper II ho could produce documentary cv;-
dence to Justify his staten ent made on q pro-
ylous examination. that additional duties and
penalties, amounting to $50. 600. had beep i'm
posed upon J. r. Simon & Co. Mr. Cooper ad-
mitted that he could not produce such evil
dence
Commissioner MacFarlane then drew tho at
ton OF Mr. Cooper to the testimony OF Bassett
and Corbett. the former declaring that Mr.
Cooper had ondeavored to get Bassett to per-
lure himself in order to conceal from Secro-
tary Carlisle his responsibility for giving off,
clal correspondence Of Secretary Foster to tho
pross. and Corbett to a considerable extent
corroborating him. Appraiser Cooper asked
that the questions he put to Bass EFT after Sec
rotary Carlisle had ordered the investigation be
read. These questions asked Bassett how old
he was. and all that, and ended with the in
.erroCatory II ho knew how tho letters Of Sec
rotary Foster came to be printed. Appraiser
Cooper admitted that the questions were cor
rect. and. looking toward Bassett. said that
Bassctt had taken his copy OF the questions
from his desk. and that he had never soon
them sfterward. Bassstt looked shespfaced at
this charge.
Appraiser Coorer then made general state
mont. which was ct times interrupted by the
questions Of Commissioners Magone. Dunn.
and MacFarlane. They succeeded pretty Of
tsctually in tanrlinG tho Appraiser as to GER
tain details. but on the main charge OF Bnssett
Appraiser COOPER was explicit He said e
4e 10 the questions ! put to him. l never
asked him to perlure himself. never SAID
I didn't care how Bassett or Corbeit an swerei
The questions e Il any letters were e!yen out it
levod that he was u truthful man but | was
never able to get direct answer from him on
Itold Bassott that Assistant Secretary Hamlin
happened l would get Bassett a good place
when We went out OF the service isuntruthful."
at times vary the question as 10 how the let
!e,s 20 out. MIR. Cooper, was very much. con
He admitted that Gorbstt 1 hnd told Rfm thst
no had shown one letter before he lthe Ap-
isle commissioner @ MacFarisno M Ri % asked ask tI Ir.
Cooper why he did not SO inform Secretary
Well. dldnt, that's ALL" replied Mr..
,2.You reported to the Secretary tina. you could
lean how the cerrespondence got OUT A:-Yes.
c9nMGlL yon did learn something. didn't you. from
&-Yoa have heard the testimony of Mr.; Corbs.t. |
tayns that 40 told you he had shown one letter: A.
man ST;Ani y2u have aye saa that he was tr,.l:elins
2Icoroet has testified here tia. you, told him you
:" Sei. Gs gwen oHI wo!,d d you say tna.
b i ln III. .Sa. IN in ihG.s any wsfs woIss
TO deny h,Fs that dia,
n your report that you had earned that letter had
hNO"H bul not Tor nnbicatiJn. WouIdrt { that
rave tnighiened he Secretary regard TO the very
thInk II would
that's a.. " " y"
Away! h..Becauso thought had given enough
so-corbett ht, testified that when he learned that
secretary IAr i,ie hal ordered investigation he
eut 20 you al asE"l you not 10 deceive tEo Secre
NY orCNuse he was willing TO accept all sponsiby.
Nr eVIoe, say iuat to yon' A-Ao, sir. he did not
,,H,,it hA, 81 k,iieG and you sim think him
m.'ntI mAnE A-WhaLs the use OF asking IN that
To fnrthor innnIrt.s 80 NJ. M..p,., u |
.ooper replied: " refuse to he criticised. Are
2oa ns tgo,nG t. Teep me hers a day trying to get
'als matter' said Nr MactarlanH
We'll. the truth will como cay enough"
e9MmpiaceNtiy remarked Mr.. Cooper |
Nr. tooper th"n hecaGne iTrituiel under ths /
,fS. ,tfeSste examination and said: am not sorry
out. Ihelieve it was II good thlnu Tassa,t az
.tln say 70 me that CorNu;t had given tLo cass
AVA !" the Iow -paro's. Atthctimc lie toid
,nS Sn,,I rmts ne WAS lcahIr$ over my desk holding
:. n.in pa.e. q taner.. fir pai'ed tho papers and
ralu' CAV" out those ulpprs TO Ia. new w
raners they would anp!hi!ate lingle'" '''"''
~.