The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-24
0Uvsrnmsnt Sues Him to Recover
Large Sum of Money.
sAuNDGRs CLAIMS sio FEEe.
nuS4ug che Last Few Months Of His
AAaioistsatfon He Coi1ecseA Ger
taaa Moneys, 20 which, II II Said,
10 Claims 20 lie Enttsled-Rev-
synwenfs Position II That the Fee
ovstsn Was AbeIfshed LSng Ago.

heoegding 10 IN. allegations IN bul
a a tbs Federal court yesterday by
(pnStad States Attorney Gay against J. c.
Onmncsss the ex~eoissctor CT customs O,
aAs Pugs. sound district Is Indebted 70
shs United States treasury department In
chs sum OF ss.ais.ss.
This Is the substance OF two wits
Nroughs against the sex~coaieeior In De-
Aa1 q the United stztss by Mr.. Gay.
wv~ complaints were filed. but the ian
vuasp and The purDort of The TWO are
amahr. The two complaints were made
r>osoary by the fact that there are two
ossS e bondsmerl
Tgoxn xaa suits IL appears that Ar. Saun-
Aaa pSfAsned during the last two months
- hty ssrm or Office sassssi. which. Il IN
otAxSd. was ths property OF tie govern
enauk: ana that from February Z. 1883,
% August Z. 1896. the collector retained in
I'm possess7on money belonging 10 the
govsrusnant amounting TO s1.fis.2a. Jndg-
eneus FOR s5sais.7s In asked against MIR.
Saunders ~ principal and MS surot:es ON
hH esicial bond for $1,000.
a.hs en-oolbctor's bordsmsn. who are
ee-<stsunants with him. are Charles r.
Set. Niliard r. Hamilton. Richard Do
L{Aty and William EnarIdge.
fhare are no allegations or crisninality
IN tbs two suits and no criminal proceed-
lnes have been instituted against Mr..
eshukMs. TIE complaints are drawn In
ahe LANGUAGE OF an ordinary suit to re-
16wsr nonx. and beyond the plain f-ssts-
RaanA s1ax II has been found that Collector
0aan6Ars. on rsiif.ng from his ONCE on
AnUnUa q, 1891. was in debt 10 the gov
sanmsnA In sAs stims named. there II
oo0klng Whatever TO s;.yw tn what mannr
q ~ what method Mr.. Saunders and the
AAausv department. arrived at . point
WAavs their accownts rsfsised to balance
, 0som one wh6 is In no w.ss connected
NgtA &ts suits filed against Mr.. Saunders
= wss learned yesterday that tbs diner
GsueD between the treasury department.
ond <hs ex-collecier were over q matter
q csss and commissions. According 10
~ authority. the collector retained the
onapnt for which suit has bean brought
- Song his just fees and commissions
- 0ansaating certain kinds Of business
y ~ Office. THE salary paid to the col-
eed1ef was $3.50 per year. Il II stated
~ Tor the first two yeaD Mr.. Sauaders
~ not demand mora than his salary. but
OA4k subsequently, no retained the money
eoa0 the claim that he was entitled To
% - tees.
0Ae Tee system. II may be stated. wss
0boaShed by statute nearly eight years
60 TIE suppositson II advanced that
MA Saunders. on examining the law On
the subject became convinced that he
WnA entitled 10 fees ard commissions I'm
c4ptain departments OF tho work. and
thersSors reimbursed himself sor tho
amoslnts which he had not drawn from
month 60 month during the first two
years Of his term.
II Is understood That thu treasury de-
psrtment at Washington was fully IN
formed OF the circumstances as they were
developed AZ Port Townsend when the
employees OF Collector Huests took pos
sSssscn. Tho records wera originally ex-
amiued. and although none of the gov
srnn1ent's officers connected with the ease
will discuss tia matter. thess ara .v.-
dences that tia treasury depa rtrnent :.
back OF she suits and that they were
drawn On orders received from Washing
toA
In the FRS. of the two ss,its I'll. recital
or Mr.. Saunders appointment a. collector
and that he served untii August 81 last
- maaA II Is also alleged that the de-
fendAu, Saunders and his bondsfner
Charles Il. Seal. Willard r Hamilton and
Rteaara IA Lansy. were bound I'm the
euyn OF 81. 900 70 the government TO se-
cure fhe fsEhfui performance OF lis
duties as collector
ParagqaIsl ". Of the dYst ~ alleges
that between February : iSaS. and Jane
". 1895. Collector Saunders received and
took into rs possession large sums be-
lor;y'ng 20 the plainSiw ard urcn the al
1astneat ~ ,ha account. duly had there
was found 10 i,~ due the nlainfiT tFsN4n the
raG Jsrnes e Saunders as such collector
az customs. account az the approprla-
ton 'eAnestse Of collecting taa revsnsis
frrn onstefns Iss = balance 90 ii ga ~ 1"
A sirn;lar itsrn ia fiie same 6epArtulsn;