Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-13
GOING FOR TAYLOR
The Civil Service Commission Get
ting Evidence.
AFTER HIS PERSONAL RECEIPT
CoIored Department Employees Are
Afraid to Talk. ..
I III E CA Sc OF FINLEY

There Is robin fact two or three
In pickle for Charles H. J. Taylor, recently
appointed recorder of deeds for the District
Of Columbia. 1t will be remembered by
readers of The Star that the recorder was
recently alleged to be connected with a
political organization engaged In soliciting
and. when requests failed, forcing eontri-
buttons to the democratic congressional
campaign fund from the coiored employees
in the various government departments in
Washington
Mr.. Taylor thereupon wrote a letter to
The Star. vigorously denying that he was
connected in any way with any association
or body which was engaged in such rep
rehensible practice frightening poor de-
partment clerks, messengers and iaborers
into parting with portions of their pay for
base political purposes. He disavowed all
connection with one r. c. Still, who was
sending out pleas TO political patriots in
government office in behalf of financial help
for the democratic party, and, metaphor
cally, washed his hands of the Afre-Amer-
lean bureau of organization of the demo-
cratic congressional committee, which was
the euphonious appellation of the associa-
ton in question. and immersed himself
again in the sacred quietude of the record
er's Office.
still Unexplained.
Mr. Taylor. however did not explain the
meaning of several letters bearing his auto
graph signature. which were addressed TO
coiored men in government employ with
whom he did not have the honor of a per-
sonal acquaintance. requesting them to
meet him on matters OF Importance to
themselves. Neither dill he see fit to d.
vulge the reason why each of the recipients
of his original note who did not comply
hrafOr
him was a letter sent. which read very
much like the following:
Afro-American Bureau Of Organization of
the Democratic Congressional Commit
tee Room 8, Corcoran building.
August 3, 1894.
Advisory board-C. II. j. Taylor, Kansas;
NJ. L. Koonce. Alabama H. C. c. Astwood.
New York: t. w. Swami, Pennsylvania:
w. f. Gross, New York; Clifford Plummer,
Massachusetts; John Brown, New Jersey.
j. T. c. Newsom.
Dear sir: We sent you a letter some time
ago asking You to call and see on mat
tiers of Importance to you We received no
reply, neither have you called.
The congressional committee of which
Senator Chas. s. Faulkner is chairman is
making great efforts to perpetuate the pres
ent administration, and as We were Informed
that you were in sympathy with the ad-
minlstration, we deemed 1t unnecessary to
inform you that the assistance of all friends
Is Immediately Eeeded
Kindly call upon the receipt of this letter.
The office Is open until $50 pm
Respectfully,
(SigneO r. G. STILL.
What the COlored Men Could Not Tn
derStnnd.
The colored clerks, messengers and others
who received these letters could not under
stand the connection between Mr. Tayior's
request for a personal interview and Mr.
Stills exposition of the efforts being made
to perpetuate. the present administration
until they examined the last document TO
arrive. and the recorders name.
preceded by its, trinity of initials, leading
on the list Of members of the advisory
beard.
Hints dropped here and there by clerks
and Others who were afraid to open their
throats to tell what they knew for fear the
Cfhcial guillotine might mar their useful
ness forever more. indicated, however, that
Mr.. Taylor and MIR. Still were working the
contribution fim-ham game on the terror
stricken colored clerks like pair of politi-
cal Siamese twins Then stirling rumor
was circulated to the effect that Mr. Tay-
lor and Mr.. Still were at swords points
because Mr.. Still had handed over some of
the morey collected by the A. A. B. o. o.
0. T. ID. c. G. to the white treasurer of the
democratic congressional committee for dis
tribution where 1t would do the most good.
wnen the rotund recorder wanted to at
teno TO that portion of the game himself
Among the clerks who had assented To
the demand made for a percentage of their
selaries none could be found who would
the power exerted by Messrs Taylor, Still
ct al. In the various departments. At any
rate, the opinion was industrousfy cfrcu-
lated among those who were disposed to
Kick against the assessment that they
would be discreet IL they gave up their
money and said nothing.
The Case OF Finley.
If they demanded a reason thew were
told in hushed whispers how w. F. Finley,
a colored clerk IN the bureau Of educa-
ton. and a republican had received a let
ter, signed by c. II. J. Taylor. requesting
him to attend a meeting to hear something
of Importance to himself. The whisper
dropped still lower 1t recited how Fin
ley had the temerity to take no notice of
the epistle whereupon he received a letter
similar to that published above. and wrote
a vigorous reply to Mr.. Still. stating that
he was republican, but owed his office to
no political influence. and refusing to put
up even SO much as a sou marquee to help
perpetuate this administration.
Then the whisper grew merely a hint OF
sound as 1t enumerated a visit by the Afro
American leaguers to the Interior Depart
ment and the subsequent summary dismiss
sal of MIR. Finley from the government
service. This story and those of others who
had met similar fates for refusing to put
up and shut up in behalf of the democratic
now every colored clerk in town is as dumb
as an oyster on the subject of political as
SesSmentS.
Civil Service Commission Inv estiga-
ting.
The cat was let sufficiently out of the
bag, however before the gathering strings
were drawn taut, to enable the civil service
commission to ascertain the color of the
animal and the popularity of stripes that
will make 1t easy of Identification, and that
body Is engaged upon the work of uncover
ing all the transactions of Messrs. Still,
Taylor, ct al, and the result promises to
be inter esting. Commissioner Proctor,
president of the civil service commission has
the investigation in charge. and If Recorder
Taylor lays the fattering JUNCTION to his
soul that because Commissioner Proctor is
democrat any violation of the civil service
law on his CTaylor's) part will be wnked at
he Is nightly mistaken.
Taylor Has Gone to Indianapolis.
Mr.. Taylor and all the other colored DEM
ocrats who are aware of the workings of
room p Corcoran building, and the record
ers office in the city hall are out of the
city today attending the meeting of lead
ing colored men at indianapolis. When