The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-11-22
LYNCH RECEIVES
OFFICIAL REBUkE
Failure to Investigate
a Scandal the
Cause.
Internal Revenue Collector
Gets Warning From
Washington.

Inc news comes from washington Indt
a caustic letter has been sent from the
Treasury Department to John c. Lynch,
Collector of Internal Revenue, that is
causing that Federal official to doubt the
wisdom of wading so deep into local poll
ties. The Collector is given a pointed
''hunch" to investigate the conduct Of
some of his subordinates and in sarcasm
that withered much of the self-compla-
cency of Mr.. Lynch, the Commissioner of
Internal Revenue intimated that the in
vestigation might profitably extend TO
himself and his administration of the Of
Lynch has been promising the Commits
sioner an investigation of numerous
causes of complaint and adverse reports,
but has continued to neglect to make full
and satisfactory reports to his superior
until the Commissioner, apparently has
become convinced of Lynch'S unwilling
ness to remedy the abuses in his office.
In consequence come the peremptory in
structions from Washington and rumors
of shake-up in the Federal building.
And Iynch's troubles are not coming
singly, for he is now in Southern Cali
fornia trying to cover up the wrongdoings
Of a deputy collector in that part of the
State.
The immediate cause of the solar plexus
it is said, among the more fragrant abuses
that exist in the internal revenue SER
the Collectors usual effort to stand be-
tween his subordinates. however ineff1-
cient some of them may be, and the
Treasury Department for the sake of To-
cal politics. Lynch always has an eye to
State and railroad politics, and with such
a policy any dismissal from the service
that might jeopardize his power is an i'm
possibility. The services may suffer, but
his fences, never.
Revelry in Bonded Warehouses.
Bert NJ. Thomas, Special Treasury
Agent, some time since had his atten-
lion called to registering in the bonded
warehouses Rumors came to his ears of
gay parties with gaugerS as hosts, of
maudlin toasts drunk in liquor under
bond, of bacchanalian revelries in the
warehouses at hours when Government
regulations require them to be under lock
and key, and of the silvery laughter of
women and coarse jests of men floating
out into the darkness from inside walls
that gave no other hint OF the revelry
within. Thomas began looking for evil
dence, as is his duty, and in broad day
light some of the offenders put evidence
agent that he based upon it an immed-
ate report to the Commissioner at Wash
ington.
Thomas, in company with Frank H.
Driscoll, special gauger, had started the
rounds of the warehouses by day. AT the
brandy warehouse on Bluxome street they
came upon a giddy trio of women escort
ed by a gauger making a, friendly call
upon a storekeeper gauger assigned to
that warehouse. The regulations strictly
forbid the presence at the warehouses OF
persons who are not there on business,
and the offense of the gaugers in receiV-
ing calls from women at such place was
of the sort that merits dismissal
Thomas report was sent to Washing
ton at once, and post haste Lynch re-
ceived an order from Washington to in
vestigate and dismiss the offending gaug-
ers if he found the facts to be as stated
in the report of the special agent. Fol-
lowing his usual policy, Lynch made a
partial report and promised full investi-
cation later The gaugers have so far
escaped the penalty of their conduct and
the Treasury Department has received no
satisfactory explanation from Collector
Lynch.
Commissioner Loses Patience.
The Commissioner, it is reported from
Washington, decided TO bring affairs TO
a climax. Lynch has repeatedly followed
lust such a course when reports were
sent by Special Agent Thomas or some
of his subordinates of inefficiency or ques-
tionable methods on the part of any of
port calling attention to the failure to
correct abuses and order after order from
Washington have failed TO secure the re-
moVal of incompetent and dishonest clerks
and gaugers. Lynch has simply squirmed
from one difficulty into another, prom1s-
ing Investigations which he never made
and reports which were never forthcom-
ing. 1t was this long continued offend
ing on Lynch's part that led the Com
missioner to take up the recent scandal OF
the gaugers' drinking parties as the peg
on which to hang the severest sort OF
roast for the Collector.
Lynch's period of representation by
way of protecting men for the sake of
politics has apparently come to in
glorious end The Washington authori-
ties are evidently determined that an ac-
counting shall be rendered, and from the
tone of the Commissioners letter as out
/ lined from Washington Lynch now has
the choice of putting his office on a bust
ness basis and giving heed to the de-
/ mands by the Treasury Department for
efficient service, or, on the other hand,
facing the very imminent danger of los
ing his official head.
It is said that the offending gaugers
formerly held forth in revelry with whis-
ky drinking females at the grain ware
/ house" at Third and Townsend streets.
! Most of the rumors of warehouse carous-
ais connect them with that building. 1t
/ is needless to say that gaugers are not
/ for the present shining as hosts at the
| expense of the Government or of the dis
/ tillers. Their social stunts are temporar-
/ lily suspended, and unless the Commits
! sioner of Internal Revenue has a change
! of heart Collector Lynch is likely to lose
/ some of his subordlnates and be COM
PEELED to straighten out lot of tangles
! that he has long sought to conceal and
/ ignore.