The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-18
CAME TO AN ABRUPT END |
". j. Burke Withdrew Yesterday
Morning from the Herring Hearing.
PROTEST AGAINST 'COLQUITT
MIR. Burke Objects 90 Lines ON Which lie
Is Conducting Examination = Tho
Revenue Special Agent Says tho
EvidVuIc Offered Is llcursny.

Much surprise and conjecture was oc-
casioned about the city yesterday when
1t became noiSed abroad that the Her
ring hearing had came to an abrupt
termination. At . O'Clock In the morn
Ing, as per agreement the court of in
quiry. consisting of Colonel Colquitt.
opened for business. with Stcnograph
Taylor. Collector Herring and w. J.
Burke in attendance. Twenty minutes
latter Mr.. Burke left the Federal build
Ing and hied himself to telegraph
office. The hearing broke up ON Mr..
Burke's withdrawal and Stenographer
Taylor was given u leave OF absence
| until sent for.
So much Is known. What was and Is
being surm!sed would MI "a large book.
one story goes that Mr.. Burke was raw
ing and tearing his hair around the
Federal building because Colonel Col
quit was flagrantly partial to the de-
fendant. Another yarn was to the ef-
feet that Colonel Colquitt had quashed
the proceedings because of insufficient
cy of evidence. Another explanation
of the hitch was that witnesses had
been spirited away and adjournment
was had until they could be found.
Still another had 1t that Mr.. Burke
withdrew the charges.
These may all be true, but from what
little could be CLEANED from an ardu
ous inquiry there need be no hesitancy
in making the statement that they are
not altogether true; in fact. vary by
several degrees from the truth.
Investigation Is Not Ended.
One thing for certain, the Herring In
vestigatlon is not ended. Colonel Col
quit refuses to say whether or not yes
terGay's sudden cessation was eQuiva-
lent to n final termination. Mr. Burke
says emphatically that 1t Is not. He
had no authority, he stated. to say what
view Colonel Colquitt would take of
the matter. but as far as he was con-
cerned the charges stand and they will
be pushed to the bitter end. lie char
acteriZed the abrupt stoppage of the
proceedings as a delay occasioned by
matters in dispute which We're referred
to Washington and which it Is expected
will be passed upon in a day or so.
The truth of the matter obtained from
a reliable source Is that the stoppage
can not be rightly characterized as
delay, an adjournment, recess tenn
porary cessation or anything OF that
nature. 1t was a disruption. Mr..
Burke objected to Colonel Colquetts
method of procedure. Words of more
than usual warmth were exchanged,
Mr. Burke told the Colonel that he was
not showing a tendency to act fair and
He then sent a formal complaint
against Colonel Colquitts methods to
Commissioner Miller. In Washington,
and everything now hinges on the ac-
tion of the commissioner.
They All Refuse to Talk
All of the principals in this internal
revenue drama are playing heavy
thinking parts at present. Their lips
are sealed when approached by the in
terviewer.
1t has been learned, however that
Colonel Colquitt deems the greater part
of the evidence Mr.. Burke has produced
purely hearsay, and informed him yes
terday the investigation might as well
stop right at that point If he had not
something more tangible to offer in
the way of evidence.
That angered Mr.. Burke and he there
upon withdrew.