Evening star., 1897-05-03
GEN. DOES OFFENSE
Said to Have Been Virtually Dismissed
by Mr.. Lamont.
RECKLESS use OF PUBLIC PROPERTY
Story Told of Articles Appropriated
by Him.
OF FFICIALS RETIC CENT

Something of a sensation was caused IN
| the War Department today by the publica-
| ton of story to the effect that General
| Doe, ex-assistant secretary of war, had
| been practically dismissed by ex-Secretary
Lamont because of his alleged reckless use
| of public property. General Does resigna-
tion was accepted by President Mckinley
soon after the latter came into office and
weeks before the appointment of his sue
cessor in the War Department. This ac-
! tion. which is unusual, was due, it is now
asserted, to an intimation given by ex-
! Secretary Lamont that he was not a fit
| person for the Office
The Story of the Case.
The story of the case made against ex-
Assistant Secretary Doe by ex-Secretary
Lamont is told by the New York Tribune
as follows:
About year ago Assistant Secretary
Doe began to issue orders to the division
! Of supplies and other branches of the de-
partment that caused considerable gossip
among the clerks, and to make reQuisi-
| tions for articles for his personal use
which had not before been purchased from
the public fund.- He continued to do so
during the frequent absences of Secretary
Lamont until after the election in Noyem-
Der, when that sort of business became SO
active as to attract general attention and
within a few weeks the gossip reached the
ears or the head of the department. Sec
Ietary Lamont at once made an invesIisa-
tion. he called before him the clerks in
the supply division, the storekeeper and
other omclals OF the department. and Sc
cured statements from them which carsed
him to require Doe and Wnitton to make
restitution to the amount of nearly $1,000
In cash, and to surrender to the depart
ment considerable amount of property
Which, In Mr. Lamont's opinion, belonged
to the government.
1T was disclosed. for example, that in
the absence Of the Secretary of War Doe
had ordered two bicycles, one for himself
and one for Whitton, which were returned
10 the department and are now stored in
OF the department testified that he had
MADE two sets Of prints, about 1,OO0 In
Eumner, from the negatives purchased by
congress some years ago from Brady,
Inc celebrated war photographer, and Geo
K Jelvy, in charge of the department
olndery, testified that he had mounted these
prints ana bound them in handsome Russia
leather albums, about 12xlS inches in size,
at the expense of the government.
A.. K Johnson. the department carpenter.
testlned tnat he had been employed for
several weeks, under the orders of Assist
anu secretary Doe, in making and packing
Iurhiture and other articles, which were
shipped to GAINESVILLE, Wis Among Other
thirgs, he made ten handsome chests, two
OF cedar, two Of ash and six of poplar.
Ior Doe, and two chests of cedar for Whit
ton which hid been packed with articles
unknown and shipped away. He has also
made a fine mahogany gun case, which
cost $40 for the material alone, without
Considering the labor; twenty-five picture
frames and about forty packing cases,
which were packed full of articles by Does
messenger and shipped to GAINESVILLE.
Edward McQuade, foreman of the de-
partment stables, testified that he hauled
two wagon loads of
furniture from the department to the ex-
press office, which were shipped D. Fl. to
GAINESVILLE, Wis, in an express car obtain
ed by Joseph S. Moss, clerk in the de-
partment, whose brother is the general
manager of the Adams Express Company
in this city.
Secretary Lamont himself accidentally
discovered one day in the carpenters room
large chest sealed and addressed 20 Doe
at Janesville. When opened by his or
ders 1t was found to contain a large guam
tity OF fine stationery. sufficient to last
Doe the rest of his life, which had been
packed by the storekeeper on Whitton's
lequisition. Colonel Lamont had the chest
emptied and its contents restored to the
shelves OF the storeroom. There was an
other box caught on the fly, also addressed
to Doe, and ready for shipment. When
opened by Colonel Lamont's orders it was
found to contain six fine United States
naRs. One Of them was made of silk and
cost the department 500. The others were
of bunting and cost from $50 to 500 each.
They were unpacked and returned to the
shelves.
that a quantity of fine furniture book
cases, cabinets and writing desks of ma
hogany had been shipped to GAINESVILLE,
and he had an interview with Doe on the
subject. What occurred Is known only
to the two men. Colonel Lamont is very
secretIve, and naturally wished to avoid
scandal during the closing days of tine
Cleveland administration, SO he left no
record this nOinf and he
was not pursued any further.
1t is understood however, that Doe made
restitution In cash, and that he would have
been dismissed In disgrace but for the in
tervention of Senator Villas, upon whose
recommendation he had been originally ap-
pointed and who interceded for him with
the President. However, from and after
the interview Doe was practically idle, so
far as official business was concerned. The
storekeeper received Instructions to fill no
acquisitions that were not approved by
Secretary Lamont himself and he did not
trust the supplies to the protection of the
ordinary lock and key. Shortly after Sec
rotary Alger took charge Whitton was
removed and Captain Thorpe restored to
his old place"
Omcials Non-Committal.
All the officials of the War Department
having cognizance Of the matter were
strictly ron-committal in regard to the
above allegations. 1t was learned. however,
that the statement that General Doe and
Mr. Whitlon had paid the government $l.OOO
in cash for unrecoyered goods is not well
founded.
Secretary Alger was applied to by Star
reporter for the facts In the case, but he
refused to discuss the matter In any of its
phases. dismissing 1t with the remark that
lit all belonged to the last administration
and not to this"
All the officials of the department took
their cue from the Secretary, and were ex-
tremely reticent. The only execution was
one man, who admitted that the bicycle
episode was true, and said that the wheels
are still In the War Department store
house.
Although not SO stated. 1t is understood
that the case Is closed, and that Secretary
Alger contempiates taking no action In the
matter.
HAvnuaury urpnuwrn.