The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-05-10
VERY SERIOUS CHARGES.

How CIvIl service Reform was a Farce
Under the Democratic Administrations.
Startling Facts brought Out Before the
Investigating Committee.
. WASHINGTON, May 9.--The commit
tee ON civil service OF the senate yester-
day resumed the Investigation OF the OPP
Grafton OF the law, which was under
taken some time ago
Commissioner OF Pensinos Evans and
Commissioner Herman. Of the general
land office, recommended that the chief
clerk. appointment clerk, private seere-
tary. chiefs OF the divisions and exam
incrs and inspectors should be exempt
from the classified service.
Thomas Robinson. a $1,000 treasury
clerk, complained that he had been dis~
missed on demand OF Georgia senators
and others because he had printed the
only Republican newspaper In Georgia
during Grants second campaign.
Wilim w WIN. former assistant SUI
pcrlntendent OF the free mail delivery,
charged that there had been collision
between the postOiiiCe department and
the civil service commission 10 violate
the law by the employment in 1884 and
1895 OF 80 spies. whose employment WAS
not authorized by law. Two OF the IN
spectors. termed spies, Mr.. Hill assert
cd. were brothers OF Mr.. Nnchcn. SUI
perlntendent Of the free delivery service
one OF Mr. MAchcn's brothers mad been
under charges OF embezZlement IN To-
ledO when appointed, and another OF the
appointces had been dismissed from the
Washington office for cmbe1zlIng funds
of the Letter Carriers Association.
In the campaign OF 1894 six OF the In
spectUrs. Mr.. Hin asserted, had been de-
tailed to influence the votes or letter
carriers In the Fourteenth congressional
district OF New York.
Mr.. Hln testified that in Philadelphia
the Cleveland administration had man.
aged to get rid OF many Republicans ana
old soldiers on the letter carriers force
in October. 1894, by evading the law. The
department had increased the force by
the appointment OF eighty men, salaried
at $500. and shortly afterward had de-
creased il by Diminishing seventy-eiSht
carriers salaried at Si,GO0 and twenty"
two galarled at $500 The salaries OF the
inspectors were paid by money taken
from the remittances Of posters made
In currency and deposited TO the credit
OF their chief, Mr.. Bollman. In wash
ington bank.
Political Assessments In ohio.
The inspectors had been assessed for
the expenses OF the Ohio campaign in
1895. To make arrangements for the as
sessment they had been massed in Chi.
cngo at a meeting OF them held October
81 which had been addressed by Mr..
Machen. superintendent OF the free de-
livery service, who had gone from
washington for that purpose. That
they might better bear the assessment
the salaries Of the inspectors had been
raised from 81 70 s. Il day in July, 1928,
Evidence OF the assessments had been
riyen the commission including evidence
that Mr. Machcn had declared that he
would discharge the men who failed 10
nav assessments. The witness had not
been informed that the commission
made report discriminating Machen
and Belimnn, but that the attorney gem
ernl had ouashed the charges. An aiti-
daylt was read from an emplOye OF the
posto!llce department that Mr.. Machen
had withheld money from the salaries
OF spies for political purposes.
Mr.. Hlll declared that Assistant Post.
master General Jones had employed
spies to follow him, had learned that he
gave information 90 Representative
Oyerstrect, OF Indiana, regarding the
assessments and had then discharged
him. upbraidIng him with ingratttude.
The pcrsonal character Of the spies, Mr..
nm declared. was very bad. Many OF
them had been arrested in various cities
FOR drunkenness and dlsorderly con-
duct.
In Diminishing Mr. Hill form the post
office department Assistant Postmaster
General Jones had told him that he
would pursue him and secure his dis
mlssal from the department OF justice
as assistant commissioner Of claims,
which he did.