Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-08-23
WASHINGTON LETTER
(From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON Anp 19-Raal A

(From our Regular Correspondent
Washington, Aug. 19.-Real Ad-
miral Schley, who has been in Wash
ington for several days and will prob
ably remain until the close of the Coul t
of Inquiry, looks like man who knows
be is right and is absolutely certain of
winning. He spends much time with
his counsel, giving them pointers in
the preparation of the program that
will be followed by them during the liz
quiry. To day all three of bis counsel.
Judge jeremiah NJ. Wilson, Hon. Isl
dor Rayner. Attorney General of Mary-
land, and Capt. Parker,-made for
NAL call on Acting Secretary Hacket
for the purpose of presenting Schley's
supplementary list of witnesses to he
ordered before the Court, and to ask
for a list of the Navy Departments
witnesses. Acting Secretary Hackett
has promised that Admiral Schley will
be furnished list of the Department
witnesses as soon as it is completed
Admiral Schley regrets having to aban-
don his purpose of accompanying the
Washington knights Templar to the
Louisville Conclave. but he feels that
it would not be good taste for him to
do so under the circumstances; that it
might be thought that he was seeking
to be lionized by his fellow Templars
for effect. When he promised to go
with the Washington Commandery.
OF which he is a member, he had no idea
that he would, at this time, be prep
airing to appear before Court of In
quiry.
There are reasons other than the
n 1t,.ofS tro IF u i,al
Schley, why courageous and fair
minded Congressional Committee could
do the country real service by thor
oughly Investigating all branches of
the Navy Department. One Of them
may be found closely connected with
the cruiser Columbia, which cost S.,
100000 less than ten years ago, and
which was allowed to rust at the League
Island Navy Yard until in danger of
sinking, with no caretaker other than
a single Waterman, and which was late
ly sent to the Brooklyn Navy Yard to
be used as a receiving ship. Although
built for it's class. the Bureau of NaYi-
cations has from the day it was first
p ut in Commission, assigned the Col
umb1a to obscure tasks The reason
ascribed for this would appear ridicui-
GUS, if it were not SO obviously true.
The Columbia was designed by Rear
Admiral Hlchborn, who has always
been an outspoken friend of Admiral
Schley, and has in consequence been
constantly opposed by the Bureau of
Navigation. The country certainly
has right to know whether there was
any other reason than spite or envy
for the deliberate plans of the Bureau
of Navigation to lay up $5.000,0 900
cruiser in order that neglect might
make it useless, and a Congressional
Committee could find out, if it went
about it the right way.
The low grade clerk IN the Post Of
flee Department wh6 was discovered
working on the night force of the Cen
sus Bureau, was compelled to resign
the latter place because Director Mer-
RAM could not cOuntenance the draw
ing of two government salaries by one
man-after it had been made public.
The heads of other government bu
reaus do, however, countenance the
drawing of two salaries by one man.
Here are some prominent cases that
are we'll known: Maj. VIM. Z. Hux-
ford, draws $500 year as retired
Captain in the Army, and about the
same amount as Clerk of the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs: Charles
E. Morse draws 81, 100 year as re-
tired Army Captain, and 81, 800 a year
as Discussing Clerk of the U. s. Blu
reau of Labor; Herman Schreiner
draws 81 100 as retired captain, and
81, 900 as clerk in the Office of Com
missioner of Railroads. There are 9th
ers, but these examples are sufficient
to show that the law against drawing
Of two government salaries is dead
letter, whenever the man who wishes
to do the drawing has pull enough. In
addition to two salaries, the officials
mentioned above enjoy, as retired army
officers the privilege of purchasing all
their family supplies from the U. 8.
Quartermaster's Department, at the
wholesale price which the government
pays for them, quite a valuable pri
vilege to the man who purchases the
of large house.
Another petty thief in the govern
ment service has come to grief. For
a long time, small sums of money have |
from time to time been stolen from the !
Patent Office mail and the thief not |
detected. These funds have, as rule |
belonged to inventors. A few days ago, |
an envelope containing $780, which |
was placed in the custody of the Chief |
Clerk, disappeared. Commissioner
Allen made an investigation and was
satisfied by the evidence that it was |
stolen by Edward V. Shepard, who has |
been chief clerk of the Office for lit
tie more than three years, and he was.
accordingly, dismissed from office-t
there is seldom any delay in knocking
put the little official thieves. 1t is not |
known whether criminal prosecution !
will follow, but as Shepards wife has
4 big social pull, that was what got
him his job-it is doubtful.
Call and See 1t.