The record-union., 1899-07-12
10 Issuing Circulars Appealing to 0ffics-
holders for Campaign Funds.
Representatives Of the United
States Civil Service Bureau In
vestigating the Charges Which
Were Preferred by Charles A.
Busiel, Former Republican Gov
ernor Of New Hampshire.

SentatlVeS of the United States C1Vl
Service Bureau began a sitting here
to-day, for the purpose of investigating
charges preferred against Senator j.
H. IGallinger of Concord by former Re
publican Governor Busiel, alleging vio-
lations of the civil service law dur
ing the last campaign in this State.
The specific charge is that Senator
Gallinger, as Chairman of the Repub-
lican State Committee, distributed cir
culars appealing to Republican office
holders for contributions to the cam
paign funds.
Civil Service Commissioners J. b
Harlow and Mark S. Brewer, who ar
rived here from Washington, were in
charge of the investigation. Senator
w. E. Chandler was among those prea
ent, as a party interested, though
whether as a prosecutor of defendant
is somewhat uncertain, in view of tbs
charges and counter charges made.
The only witnesses at hand when the
session opened were Postmaster Knox
of Manchester, National Bank Exami-
ner Carroll of Warner and t. F. Cliff
ford, who was Assistant Secretary OF
the State Committee during the cam
paign.
This investigation is held to allow
the Commissioners to examine the evil
dence, and to decide if it warrants the
further prosecution of the case. II
they decide that il does, the United
States authorities of the Department
of Justice will be called in.
At the conclusion of the morning ses-
sion it was announced by the Commits
sioners that Mr. Busiel had detailed the
circumstances which attended his
making complaint to the Civil Service
Commission last October, and the corr
respondence between him and the
commission.
The principal feature of the session
was a long statement by Senator
Chandler, previous to which, however
Colonel Rufus N Elwell Collector oi
Customs at Portsmouth, stated thai
he had received a circular letter from
William F. Thayer, Treasurer of tho
Republican State Committee, asking
for a commission to carry on commit
tee work.
Senator Chandler said: 'fI said tC
Senator Gallinger in 1895. and agar
in 1896, that he ought to leave the
State Committee for reasons connected
with the civil service law but he would
not do it. In 1898. much to my sur
prise, he took the Chairmanship Of the
State Committee. After had recov-
cred from my surprise I went to hin
to endeavor to cooperate in the work
of the campaign. We talked over the
means of raising money, both agreeing
that very little would be needed. Wt
spoke of individuals and of nominees
for State offices, but nothing was said
of Federal officeholders.
This was on October 10th. Be.
tween that time and October 18th
heard that an assessment circular had
been sent to Federal officeholders. Gov
ernor Busiel asked me if 1 knew OF
this assessment. He said that he hao
reason to believe that a circular fol-
assessment had been sent to office
holders, and he produced a circular
which had been sent to State officers
and said that some of them had beer
sent to Federal officeholders. We had
a long conference, the result of which
was that he said he would complain
to the Civil Service Commission, un-
less some other way could be found
to prevent these officers from being
assessed. Accordingly Governor Busiel
with my knowledge, asked the COM
mittee about the terms of the law
He came to me later and said that he
had determined to make a complaint
In this I concurred, and the letter OF
October 24th was prepared, contain
- ing the names of those to whom Ii
was believed that the circular had been
sent.
IT did not go again to the COM
mission during the campaign. The re-
port of my connection with the bust
ness was all in the correspondence
with the commission. I called on the
committee when 1 went to Washing
ton last fall, and told them that
would be at their service.
This is substantially all I wish tc
say If / find that the Federal office
holders who have been requested by
the commission to appear here do not
come, or If they come and do not
testify, I shall tell the commission al
/ know about the matter
At the conclusion of Senator Chand-
ler's statement he exchanged some
warm words with Senator Gallinger or
his (Senator Gallingers) contribution
to the party funds in 1894 and 1896.
James o. Lyford naval officer at the
port Of Boston, was the last witness
and testified to receiving the circular
from Treasurer Thayer. He also stated
that the assessment circular was SEM
to Federal officeholders in 1896.
The commission then adjourned un-
ill Tomorrow