Evening star., 1899-04-15
Some DenfaIs,

1T has been stated that when this matter
came to the attention Of Commissioner
DueH he commenced a quiet investigation.
That is absolutely untrue The investiga-
ton was only started after five different re-
quests on my part that it be done.
1T is also stated that this supposed mis-
conduct was discovered by the captain of
had never heard a report from any source
and knew nothing directly or indirectly
that could be construed as detrimental to
the ladys or my character.
Now about the keys to the room and
how they were found missing and reported
by the messenger. That is another mis-
statement The keys to the different rooms
are left in the rooms and the last clerk to
leave locks up and turns the key over to
the captain of the watch on the main floor.
1t Is usual and quite customary for any
employe to remain in the office after closing
hours and attend to either public or private
matters. When it happens the laborer can
not wait for him it is usual to leave the
key and the clerk closes the office when he
has completed his business. My room is
seldom locked by the laborer who cleans it.
There are two law students In my room and
two or three times a week they are In the
habit of remaining in after hours to Study"
II can substantiate that" interrupted q
clerk who heard the conversation.
Continuing, Mr. Hams referred to the
statement that the chief clerk had given
him the alternative Of consenting to the
Investigation, and declared 1t to be untrue
He also laughed at the statement that he
had said he would resign. 1t was fact
that he had looked forward to the time
when he could go into business and had
several tempting offers at the present time
to leave the department. but now that he
was under suspicion there was no offer
large enough to tempt him to resign. He
proposed to stay and hight It out and vind-
cate himself
Mrs. Robinson,
Mrs. Lizzie s. Robinson, the clerk who is
being investigated with Mr.. Hams for al
legged improper conduct, is an old employe
of the patent office, having been there for
twenty years. When reporter of The Star
called upon her this morning in her office
she broke down and wept copiously. 1t was
with difficulty she restrained herself enough
to deny in toto all the charges that had
been made. If she had desired to see Mr..
Hams alone, she said, there was ample op-
portunity. for he would be welcome at her
home. Over and over again she denied the
stories that had been circulated.
Capt. HaIleck.
Captain Halleck, who Is at the head of
the watchmen in the office, was most en-
phatic in his denial of the published state
ments attributed to him. I'm the first
place." he said to a reporter Of The Star,
my watchmen are not detectives and do
not go about peeking through key holes and
spying upon the clerks of this office. 1t is
quite usual for clerks to remain in their
office after the closing hour, and the state
ment that the watchman or laborer had
ever reported to me that the key had been
turned over to Mr.. Hains is absolutely
false" He had heard none of the gossip
going about and knew nothing of 1t until
clerk some time ago had come to him and
requested him to see that Mrs. Robinson be
kept out of the room after Office hours
When asked why he wanted this done. Cap
tain Halleck said he stated that he did not
want to be In the same room with her be-
cause of the stories that were going around
At the department today the scandal was