The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-09-04
|SP0FFORD'S SHORTAGE.
Accounts Of the Venerable Librarian
of Congress in Confusion.
ALLEGED DEFICIT OF THOUSANDS

This Decalcation Said to Exist In the Fay
Roll Accounts, and in Addition to This
is \ Discrepancy in the Copyright and
Search Fee Accounts---The Accused Or
fetal Makes Statement.
dispatch from Washington says: Inc
| thousands of friends and admirers OF AlnS-
worth R. Spofford, the venerable Librarian
| of Congress, will learn with pain tnat Ills
financial affairs as Librarian ofConSress ana
Chief of the Copyright Bureau are IN an In
extricable tangle and that his shortage 10
| the Government is at least S35,ooo, anu
probable amount above that which can
never be definitely ascertained. on account
of the destruction of the librarys account
books and his failure to keep anything ap,
proximating a correct record OF recelpts anu
| disbursements.
The detailed report of Treasury Expert
| MYERS. of the Fifth Auditors Ofnce, who has
| been investigating his accounts, has SHOWN
| so serious condition Of affairs that Secre.
| tary Carlisle laid it before the PRESIDENT
| for action.
The report OF Expert Myers shows that
| Treasury funds have been misappropnated;
| that thousands, possibly hundreds OF thou-
sands. of dollars have been lost or wrong
fully disposed OF, and that false and fraudu-
| lent vouchers have been presented at the
| Treasury Department by Mr. Spoflord for
| payment
| This last statement will come as stun
| ninc blow to those friends Of Librarian Spoil
| ford who have explained the peculiar con-
| dition of his accounts by suggesting that MS
| mind was too much occupied with DOCKS ana
| their contents to be able to keep his Imam
| cial affairs in the strict. methodical fashion
| of a business man. There are, however,
| on file in the Treasury Department pay
vouchers drawn by Mr.. Spofford in the names
| of clerks for much larger sums than were
actually received by those clerks, and 1t Is
| shown that he has for years been drawing
| salaries for positions which have been pur-
posely kept vacant by him.
In addition, Expert Myers has discovered
| that Mr. Spofford has collected fees for
which there was no legal authority, amount.
| Ing to between 5000 and $500 month, and
has made no returns to the Treasury Depart
ment of them.
Librarian Spofford made the following
statement: 'sAs to the statement that fraud
ulent vouchers have been presented, the
| facts are that two bills, one for S25 and one
| for about sc, both bearing receipts. but
| neither marked duplicates were rendered
| in the accounts from the library, the duplt-
| cation not having been detected either by
myself or by the clerk having these accounts
| in charge. The amount overdraWn was OF
once made good On attention being called
| to this error.
"Regarding payment of salaries, 1t is true
| that the Librarian has for long time Sc
cured larger services for the library under
appropriations specifically for larger sum
than that paid. and this under the authority
Of the law, which provides that whenever
| the duties of clerk of a higher grade can
az we'll be performed by one of a lower, 1t
shall be lawful to employ more than. one
within the limits OF the appropriation
made. Acting under this, I have in
| good faith employed, in cases where no ex-
| pert OF adequate experience was found for
| vacancy, two persons for the salary OF one
person for much longer time within the
| limits Of the appropriation made. This has
secured for the Government much more SER
| vice for the amounts, aud it never occurred
| to me rs thing improper, much less llle-
gal."
Mr.. spofford said that. instead OF there be-
| ing only twenty-four persons employed in
| the library, rs had been stated, there were
! actually thirty-eight, the law requiring
| thirty.
':To those who know anything of the multi:
| farious duties thrust upon the librarian"
continued lr. SpOnOrd, III Will NOT appear
| strange that have asked for a separation
| of the duties OF register of copyrights, which
| should be under the charge OF distinct
bonded officer connected with the library OF
| Congress, from those Of librarian, so as to
secure the full benefit of the publications re-
| corded under the Copyright law.
| ''The net result OF the whole matter so far
| as now seen. is: That there will be due the
| Treasury about $4,000 on adjustment of
copyright and salary accounts, although no
absolutely final audit has yet been reached.
| The amount due am, of course, readyto
pay Immediately"
The Library of Congress was established1n
| 1902, but it remained for Mr.. Spofford to
make 1t famous. His reputation as
| librarian Is worldwide, and his acquaint-
ance with the contents of the thousands
| Of volumes under his care is phenom-
| email. To members of Congress he is we'll
nigh invaluable, being able to supply them
| with information on almost any conceivable
| subject. He entered the library In 1861,
J and three years later was appointed by Presi'
dent Lincoln to the place he now occupies.
| The Office of librarian is probably the only
one OF that importance which the President
may fill without the advice and consent of
the Senate-it is his absolutely. Section 8S.
Revised Statutes, says: 1.-THE President
solely shall appoint, from time to time, q
librarian to take charge of the Library of
Congress-"