The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-11
BRYANT BLUE BOOK.
Gen. Dum0nf Reading the Big
Mass Of Testimony.
COL. LEWIS HELPING BRYANT


taken lH tire investigation 0z the charges
against Inspector Hryznt. ~ Seattle,
some weeks ago. supe-y sing IH@p~e Tor
Birmingham, Of the First District. Vas
oFs1ered simply TO take testimony IN fhe
ease and report ali the evidence 20 tas
Department here without making any rec
onn1eBdaf5on whatever. Charges against
BRYANT had been male 30 many times
and 80 continuously during his term OF
offsen that Gen pumonf deemed Il Desk
that the judicial eoussderat ION - the fes-
slnaony should be made ~ 0tza person
ally. Hence the Instructions 20 BerTlB2-
ham. which relieved him 81 the custom
AIRY duty Of reporting e Is conclusions -
10 The facts presented In the testimony.
The evidence taken tefore Berfnt DEflan
ha& All been tyfsewrstSen and nilea 80
pages closely written. This has been
neatly bound ga black mofoceo boards.
stamped ard anlsaed tn library style,
the whole making a very handsome
took. about the size % one Ct the vol
an1es Of the Century dictionary The evil
sisuee aidaced on the fsart 81 the prose
eNsti1a fills zfs pages. the remainder desng
devoted 20 the testimony brought forward
In REPUTATION Of the charges or In sa=-
tanning Inspector EryaBts character as
an officer and a gentleman Gen Du-
mont IL much dispieasesi 20 think that
vast ar amount OF rubbish was per-
mIated TO be injected Into the testimony
larry 30 "a ne IL very conscientious
man and DESTROYS of faithfully studying
the evidence on both sides Ills many
duties here make IL impossible for him
TO give mere than short time each day
20 reading the Bryant Blue Book
as be calls f.. and II may be some time
YET before he Is ready 20 make his 1nal
report ia the matter.
While IL may be possible 10 obtain some
snkiiag nf Gen. Dumout's conclusion
when n has been REACHED. yet the gen
erai row says hLA Fefs5ft can not Dc given
out until after It haz been passed upon
by the secretary OF the treasury. After
Gen. Dura0Hf's examination OF the tesfl-
I10ng. the whole matter viii be gone over
by what Is known as the supervising
board, which under the act OF 'al-s2. con-
Essts Of an inspecfOr general and the as
sistan. secretaries Of the treasury de-
partmeat Their findings will De sub
United to Secretary Carlisle himself for
final decision.
Bryant is represented here by Col
James Hamilton Lewis. OF Seattle. who
appears 10 be working very enthusiastic
ally in the cause Of his client He has
also been bringing some personal and po-
Htieal Influences 40 bear upon the super
sising Inspector general. having been TO
the department la reference 10 this mat
ter. With Gen. Malone. Of Virginia Hon
William r. Villas, Of wisconsin and
John w. johnson president OF the Ma
tional Metropolitan bank OF this city.
These. together with the deputy internal
revenue collector. "a hold-over Republi-
can. held session with Gen. Dumont and
said many good things in behalf of Col.
Lewis and his client
similar trial IL IN progress at the
same time. involving an Inspector at Bal
tlmore. and the same contentious are be-
ing made for his removal as In the Bry-
ant case. The board has suspended SIT
tIngs 10 await some matters from Bal
tifnore and the attendance OF the tnsyec-
tors attorney. The counsel for the gov
eminent tn these matters was taken m
so. too. was Col. Lewis. representing Bry-
ant, with malaria. The latter has gone
down 20 hls graBdfather's plantation at
foindexter, Va run OF eighteen miles.
and Will stay three days o< the courts
adjournment trying "a re>sIperate.
Gen Dnnont Is a very pleasant gentle
snan and talks freely upon all matters
connected elth the service While he has
made no direct statement regarding tho
Bryant matter. yet from certain
expressions which he has let drop from
time 10 time concerning IL. u seems safe
prophecy 30 say that there is no reason
able probability OF the removal OF In
epector Bryant. Gen. Dumont slaA a high
regard for Bryant as an Individual. and
the latter has many friends who are IN
serss'tng themselves ia his behalf one
statement which Cen. D8mont made 20
your correspondent may he considered as
significant. Il would recommend" he
said. my own brothers dismissal from
the service. should l End him dishonest.
bu; such dishonesty would have 20 be
proved beyond reasonable doubt" He
also said nc WAS not IA favor 81 a YolitI-
cal warfare against n man just when his
salary had been increased 70 the point
which made the Office worth nehflnE for
fFsar afsss. -
fcen bat $500 year. Ry a clause I'm one
" the appropriation bills 81 she last ses.
stan. recognising the service and fixing
a definite rate OF pay for each inspector
according 60 the amount Of work done
in the district IN the way % inspecting
vessels during the preceding year In
spectaF Rrysnts salary viii be g. eo
The Seattle district has grown very ran
tdis In The past few years and has now
surpassssi IN amount of business rcfsort-
Ell the Portland district. thus making Ia
spectnr BTyant's office ore Of considerable
Importance This fact. together with the
Increased salary. Gen. numont believes
se be oae 81 the principal causes for tho
fight that Is being made hy certain dis
gFgutlei Stea mboat men on Puget Sound
g. get his Office. His recerd as an lnsrec-
TOR is eeTtainly a geed one and 81 has
bftn the experience 81 4he def,a t.feri Z
thas more Complaints are tled against
men who do their duty faithfully in this
service. and refuse licenses 50 al Who are
not entitled thereto because Of incorn-
potency. irrespective ~ personal friend
ship ~ political backing,
" hat Is Considcrrt the most serious
charge o. all against Inspection Bryant s.
thai he travelled upon steamboats, on the
Soafnt where he Was nct required - pay
his fare Oh account ot his position as In.
rpectNr % the district ana then deIib.sr-
ately charging up 50 the government she
4Fsss ss-tef - -
had re pai3 g. as PARK OF the expenses
% SIS "trip. Hryant's explanation % this
t. that he frequently dld work about
steamboats, For which hu was entitled -
pay. watch he did not take but accepted
free pGEssEe In heu thereof Also in
como cases where h vas testified that h,,
has net paid his fare On a certain trlp.
while his expense account showed he
hsd charged h VT - the government. he
states that nc frequently paid fare ono
way and that As made u0 disi notion as
10 going or coming 90 or from place
when ua5Stuy O@t hts &ecouns 20 tire gov
ermnaent-
The sntip&thy fess toward braNRnG by
raany Steamboat men en Puget IS not
eniy in the evidence whIeh appears IN the
nUEkS book before meaf l1sse1. b,1 also in
many personal letters to tae Eat,l tfsrrit.
On 4ae osheF hAnA SHert are equally "a
many papcrS which hate t4es nlca IN
Erxaags Aeaaif Meme - fNe=r are like
~ 10 81 takse into coas!tcFattea Gas rem
aerlnx a ectSion. Tae SUPERVISING ln-
srecser an4 tzle seercf&FS % tse treasury.
49, tota confne theHaseises to tae setual
testimony rceSatiy s@sea IA Iae jases.s-
xs'3on.
steamer Mails on tsnset sound.
Washington CITY. April a-~Spes sal --
Steamboat service has tsst Aesn este b-
a. "a FRk