The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-04-18
ROBBING UNCLE sam
THEY STOLE THERMOMETERS
These Are the Principal item OF
the Let OF Stolen Artiolss--
Loaned Money to His
Chlofo.

wAsHIyoT0N, April 1s.-Sccrctary Nor
ton this nfteruoon received the report OF
Assistant Attorney General Colby, Who
conducted tho investigation into the
charges Of illegal aud fraudulsnt disposal
Of public property la lie western bureau.
The secretary announced that be would
take the matter under adviscment. Tho
Recommendation reads ~ followsi
The imnediate discharge OF tho officials
aud employees guilty of theft, embesfic.
nlent OF Of their unauthorized sale Of gov
erument property aud their prosecution
criininally and civilly, the entire reorsan.
isation Of the executive management aiid
control Of the bureau that no government
property be loaned out or taken from tho
department for private purposes under
any circumstances whatever and that
no property 10 to be taken for Official
use, except upon rcquisi Ion duly signed
and approved. and for which q receipt II
gwen; that property carried OH the rolls
OF the bureau be sold only at public auc-
tion after due advertisement; that the
practice Of loauinR money now prcvailin.
In the weather bureau between employees
aud officers, and especially by those Of
inferior rank to thcir superiors In official
position. shall be absolutely prohibited; !;
tho entire reorganization Of the MANAGE
ment and control Of the bureau and the
official separation. as much M is practi.
cable, SO far as property responsibility Is
concerned, Of the executive from that
which 10 purely scientific or educational; |;
the establishment of such regulations as
shall require strict accountability from
each employe charged with tho possession
or control of government property. and
centcrinR, In ono Official, the control OF
and the responsibility for tho whole prop.
erty Of the bureau; that a careful invent.
ory he taken OF the government property
in the bureau.
Among the principal findings Of fact
by tho assistant attorney general wore
thesci
That In February. isa:,, q number OF
brass and iron holdings. exceeding SO
In value, wcrc sold by X. Y. Brannon.
captain Of the watch. without legal au-
tl,ority, and no returns made therefor.
That q number of yards Of carpet and
other articles bslonginR to tho govern.
.mantwsre disposed Of By said Branaass
aud no returns made.
That John ]. Ryan. an employe OF tho
bureau. had In the cellar Of his residence
In February, 1898, q quantity VI now gov
ernmsnt property.
That large new pieces Of linoleum, pro-
cured for use In the bureau. were, during
the year 1888, taken thcrefrom and dis
posed Of by employees OF the government
without authority and no return made.
That many articles OF property belong.
ing to the government. such as type, sta.
tiouary, ofYicc supplies, furniture, bound
record books, chemical materials. and
over 800 thermometers, were taken there
from In the months OF July and August.
1892. disposed Of without legal authority
and TO returns therefor made.
That flve carpets complete for rooms of
undetermined dimensions, aud - yards
Of measured carpet, have entirely disap-
pearcd from the weather bureau, and none
Of the officers or employees thereof could
or would furnish my information In re.
gard to such property or account for III
absence. Sixty-seven yards of unIneas
ured carpet, however. proved to havo been
in tho residence VI Brannon for the past
six months.
The evidence shows that tho property ol
the government has bcon removed from
the bureau from time TO time. at the pleas
urc of employees or officers, for use nj theil
private residences, without receipt bcinl
given, rcquisitions made or pay rccort
kept Of such disposition in tho bureau. .
Il further appears that Captain of ths
Watch Brannon practiccd the loaning o.
money ut high rates 81 interest TO officer.
and employees of the bureau, both to thos.
above and below him In rank, thus plac
ing his superior officers under flnancia
blications 10 him,