The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-17
TRYING TO scalp HERRING.
Revenue Collector Faces His Accuser,
S ". j. Burke. ~
1T MAS A PRIVATE HEARING
Colonel Colquitt. tho Government Com.
missioner. Places a Chinese Wall Of
Secrecy Around the Proceedings.
Names Of Witnesses Examined.

Colonel Colquitt. the commissioner
sent on from Washington to sift the
charges preferred against Collector
Grant Herring by his former employe.
William j. Burke. began the taking of
testimony yesterday.
The hearing was conducted In the
marshal's Office. in the federal building,
and the greatest privacy Is being main
tained. Nobody is allowed to be pres
ent except the principles. the commits
sioner and the stenoSrapher John Tay-
lor Everybody. including the wit
nesses, were sworn to secrecy, and II
was next to impossible to get at the
proceedings. Tribune reporter pre-
sented himself at the hearing yesterday
afternoon but was politely invited to
retire.
Mr.. Herring was questioning the wit
ness when he espied the reporter, and
raising his hand, to command silence,
notified Colonel Colquitt that there was
reporter present. The august COM
missioner then requested the reporter 10
withdraw, stating that the hearing was
strictly private. The reporter, 1t is
needless to say, Withdrew. and sought
other sources for the desired details OF
the case.
Witnesses Heard Yesterday.
The charges in general are neglect OF
duty. incompetency and gross immor'
ality. Yesterday was given up princi-
pally to the consideration of the first
named allegation. Three witnesses were
heard. They were James c. Noll, former
distilling clerk, who was yesterday ad-
mitted to the Lackawanna bar; $. p
Famshold, the present chief deputy, and
John White, night watchman at the
government building. All these wit
nesses were summoned at the instiga-
tion Of Mr.. Burke.
All admitted that Collector Herring
was in the habit of spending much OF
his time away from the office, and one
of them. Mr. Noll testified that two
days a week was about the averag,
time that Mr.. Herring devoted to the
office.
Today 1t Is expected that William
Craig will be called upon to tell wha
he knows about Mr.. Herring's conduct
He could not be found last evening, ant
some of his acquaintances said that he
went over to Maplewood yesterday tc
spend a couple of days with eX-Sherifl
Robinson, who is on a fishing eXpedi
tion there.
| Mr.. Burke was interviewed last night
or rather visited, for he refused to bt
interviewed. He maintained silence
that would put clam to shame.
MIR. Burke Not Well Pleased.
| 1t is said, however, that Mr. Burke
confided to an intimate friend that ht
Is not altogether pleased with Colone
| Colquitt's demeanor in conducting the
| case. He evidences tendency to be
| little Mr.. Burke'S charges, SO the lattel
intimates, and also seems to take side!
with the defense instead of merely sit
ting as an impartial magistrate.
Like everybody else connected witt
the case, Colonel Colquitt maintains tn,
| deepest kind of silence regarding tht
proceedings. He unbosomed himsel
long enough. however to say that h,
was conducting a rigid examination
and If the evidence will warrant 1t will
have Collector Herring arraigned be
| fore the proper authorities in Wash
ingtsn on the charge of malfeasence il
office. The hearing may be continued
| several days.