The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-05-09
HOW JOHN SHERMAN USED HIS PO-
SITION TO ENRICH HIMSELF.

| MRS. Marion Todd of Eaton Rapids
Mich, the distinguished Populist author and
| orator. whose portrait appears elsewhere in
| this issue, has written a new and striking
| book, called Honest (0 John Sherman: a
| Foul Record and has sent MS some ex-
tracts from the same, which we take pleas
ure in publishing as samples of the whole
work.
AT the instance of Mr.. o. L. Pitney.
custodian in the treasury department. Mr.
>. BRAD Adams in the winter and spring
OF the year 1880 furnished stationery etc
| to the Sherman campaign committee,-a
! political committee for the Advancement of
| the candidacy of Hon. John Sherman for
the presidential nomination in '1SS0-whose
headquarters were in the Corcoran Build
| ing, opposite the treasury department build
| Ing. For this stationery sundry vouchers
| or accounts against the treasury depart
! ment aggregatng $502, were made out call
| ing upon their face for file 'holders,' as the
artlcles actually purchased and We're paid
out or the treasury. The file holders so
named in such vouchers We're never pur-
| CHASED or received in the treasury de-
partment nor was any other article fur
| nished to the treasury under such vouchers
| See page of report
On May 9, 1873, there was paid to John
McDermott & Bros. Sal Is on the following
voucher and certificates:
The following is copy Of Mr.. Pitneys
certificate:
Il certify on honor that 1 have examined
the items of this bill, that the prices
charged are just and reasonable and ac-
cord1ng to contract and that the calcu-
latlons are correct O. L. PITNEY,
Custodian.
See pages and of report
The work specified in the voucher was
performed by John McDermott & Bros for
senator John Sherman in repairing his pri-
Vate carriage, a victoria, and charged to
him individually the books
Inc items on the face of the vocher were
written there by l.. S. Norton accountant
| under Custodian Pitney at the instance of
| Mr.. Pitney. -
McDermotts made out the account against
MI Sherman individually just as charged
on their books and sent it to him by mail
Inc letter and accounts passed into the
hands of Custodian Pitney who directed his
| accountant. Norton, to charge the account
| TO the treasury department and make the
voucher accordingly. which was done and
the money paid thereon.
| Mr.. s. L. Norton testified as to this vouch-
er as follows:
Inc bill was presented there by McDer-
mott for repairs on the secretarv,s
| private carriage. We had no VIC
| toria at the stable.
| Question. Tell all you know about that
| voucher
| Answer. That is all that I remember
Mr.. Pitney said we would have to pay it.
Question. What did you do when that
! account was presented?
Answer. l received the account from Mr.
| Pltney with the instruction that we would
| have to pay it.
Question. Then you made out that ac-
| count and made it against the United
| States? 49, =
Answer. Yes, sir
| question Did Mr.. Pitney give you any
| reason why he ordered that?
Answer. No. sir.
Question. Why would you have to pay?
Answer. That | do not know ,:=
| See pages II and 13 of report e
| In October 1879 Herman Blau who had
| oeeh Tor many years laying carpets in the
| treasury building, told that Custodian
Fltney wanted him TO go to Secretary Sher-
| mans residence and relay some carnets
| Ihereupon he went to the house and laid
the carpets, charging s12 therefor, and was
| pald out OF the treasury.
James A. Rodbird, employee in the
cabinet shop of the treasury department
| worked on the premises of Senator Sher-
| man at sundry times during office or bust
ness hours of the department, in all the
| JOBS probably about one month.
The only pay Mr.. Rodbird ever received
was his regular wages and the only re-
ceipt he ever signed was the pay roll
In regard to this pay roll Mr.. Rodbird
SAID: I'VE signed blank There
| was nothing there to show how much a
man had made. it is not altogether right
and yet we had to submit to it. There
|
| signed our names something that
| l never did before when / signed a gov
| eminent pay ROLL
William Paul Brown, an employee in the
cabinet shop, did work during office hours
| about the stables end premises of Secre.
| tary Sherman, and was paid therefor from
| the treasury on the regular monthly pay
| roll Henson Mackal worked about two
days with whitewash brush and bucket
from the treasury department, at the
| stables of Secretary Sherman, and was
| paid out of the treasury
| John Niernesee, a draughtsman employed
| in the office of the supervising architect OF
the treasury department, worked some ten
days during office hours, in making the
| plans and the details and the general draw
ings for the new house of Secretary Sher-
man, on K street. and paid out of the
| treasury. Edgar M. Kienroth
George B. Phelps, D. w. Gill and Edgar P
| Simmons, draughtsmen, employed in the
| office of the supervising architect of the
treasury department., each worked a few
| hours during office hours the drawings
ETC.. for Secretary Snerman's house and re-
ceived only their regular pay from the
See pages so, IT, 50, 81 and IS. Pitney
testifies
Question In January, 1880. Mr.
| Sherman, who was then secretary of the
| treasury, sent for me to come to his room
I went. He stepped into his private
|
He told me they were about estab-
| fishing Sherman committee rooms across
| the street in the Corcoran building; that
| they would need some furniture.
See pages SO, 70, Il and Is.
Question. Did you make arrangements
| with Mr.. Moses for furnishing those rooms:
| Answer Yes, sir.
Question Why did you go to Mr.. Moses
| Answer. lie was a furniture man
= and had dealings with the depart
| ment.
Question. Now state what you know
| about the letter press.
! Answer Among other things he wanted
| a letter press and he wanted some more
| stationary. This was when Feering came
in. l then went to Mr.. Sturtevant told
| him that those fellows there would
never get enough, that they wanted some
| more stationary. Mr.. Sturtevant
told me that he had supplied all that
| could be charged to the secretary's office
without attracting attention and he could
| not furnish any more.
See page IS and 81.
Question. Did you tell Mr.. Feering how
the stationary was to be paid for?
Answer I told him we could get it paid
for by the department but q he must
| not talk about it at ALL
| See pages IS SO.
Question. Will you explain also the
! candle vouchers?
Answer It has been the practice in the
| department to buy lemons and sugar for
| the purpose of making lemonade for the
| secretary'S ROOM E T..
| These lemons and sugar were paid for
| generally as soap or candles something
| of that kind instead of calling them lemons
| and sugar. About the time of the
| Chicago convention a private wire was
tvs, 1,,;J1 X X NJ.