Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-05-27
WANT HIM REMOVED
Civil Service Reformers Arraign
Collector Sapp'
HAVE Ape LED TO THE PRESIDENT
Accused Of Coercing Employees in
Political Matters.
ALLEGED ILLEGAL METHODS

The investigating committee Of the Ma
tional Civil Service Reform League has
made a report to the league regarding al
legged violations of the civil service law in
the internal revenue service at Louisville
KY. The league has placed the statements
before the Secretary of the Treasury and
the President, and has asked for the re-
moval of the collector, Charles E. Sapp.
The report says:
Reported Political Assessments.
''In 1899 the civil service commission,
through it's examiner, w. 8. Washburn,
from which It appeared that one Joseph
Potoning levied political assessment Of 8
per cent on the salary Of each Of the en-
ployes, payable monthly. This was shown
by the testimony of Charles Wetzel, Sam
uel B. Glover. John J. Brile. Jacob ]. Bun
nell, Hugh Bell. George M. Ferguson, E.
B. easier, NJ G. Miller, F. N. Barns L. w.
German and John Roser. Contributions
were solicited from all Of these men, and
all have paid except easier. Barns. Fer
guson and German. Payment was de-
manded both by letter and in person, and
often in the building occupied for official
duties. Potoning represented that he was
authorized by Sapp to levy these assess
ments and that he made monthly reports
as to the employees who had or had not
paid; that on the basis Of these reports the
assignments to duty Of these employees as
storekeepers. gaugers and storekeeper
gaugers were made, by which their work
was determined and their pay regulated;
and that If the assessment was not paid
less remunerative assignments or dismiss
sails would follow. AS a matter of fact,
those who made contributions were given
appointments with good pay, while those
who failed to contribute were given as
1,otr
ton; and some OF them, for example, L.
w. German, e. B. easier and F. N. Barns.
were dismissed from the service.
I'm view of these circumstances, there
was settled conviction on the part OF the
employees that they were expected to con-
tribute regularly. and that their retention
in the service depended upon making such
contributions.
THE evidence is clear that Collector
Sapp knew that these assessments were
being levied and paid. He himself request
ed d. w. Holmes to solicit contributions
from Storekeeper w. w. Daniels and Mr..
John Schanty, both employees or the inter-
nal revenue service.
Alleged Coercion of Employees.
Besides violating the law as to assess
ments, Mr.. Sapp has used his official influ-
ence to coerce his employees in their political
action by keeping them from attending the
meetings Of the so-called 'Hambrick' fac
ton Of the republican party, which they
desired to attend, and by compelling them
to take part in meetings Of the so-called
Davis faction, contrary to their convic-
tions. In regard to this. Charles Wetzel
testified that he had a conversation with
Mr. Sapp in his office. during which the
collector suggested that he thought it
would be best not to attend the Hambrick
meeting Wetzel adds, did not much
like to stay away from the meeting, but
upon his suggestion I stayed away. The
Davis wing of the committee shortly after
had meeting. We were asked to attend
was advised by the chief deputy collector,
Mr.. Newman, to tell Mr.. Sapp that he had
come over to the Davis wing, since 1t was
foolish for him to butt his head against a
brick wall WetZel accordingly saw Mr..
Sapp and had a conversation with him.
Wetzel states that he did not want to leave
his friends and his convictions, but after
being advised that he was taking great
81 day was better than nothing and
thereupon he left the Hambrck people
and went over to the Sapp and Davis and
Evans crowd
him not to attend the meetings Of the
Hambrick committee any more and Brile
answered that If 1t was to the interest of
the collectors Office he would not attend
any other meeting. Sapp then said: You
will be able to see a good many Of the
other boys and you had better advise them
not to attend Brile adds: Seeing the ne
cessity of placing my political convictions
In allegiance l acceded to his demands. l
returned to the Davis committee =
and have been working under instructions
of the collectors office
&C. 8. Dodson, a citizen Of Louisville tes-
tif1ed that after the split between the
Davis and Hambrick factions) he saw Mr..
Sapp standing in the dark at the entrance
Of the building where the Hambrick COM
mittee was to meet; with him were Will
lam Evans and Richard James. I saw
them call as many as a dozen men one
side and say, You had better not go up
stairs" number Of these men were en-
ployes in the government service.
After the night that Sapp was on guard to
watch for them, not one of the federal en-
plOyes attended any Of the meetings.
But worst Of ALL Mr.. sapp used his Of
fetal authority, not only to coerce his sub
ordinates, but to overthrow the freedom OF
elections in the republican primaries of
Louisville. which were held June 10, 1890,
for the purpose of electing delegates to the
republican state convention on July II,
1899 Mr.. Sapp and the Davis faction were
In favor Of the nomination Of Mr.. Taylor
for governor and set about controlling
these primaries with little regard to the
wishes Of the voters.
Mr.. ]. J. Brile (gauger) testif1es that the
collector asked him whether he Brile) did
not think that mass conventions in the
wards would be the best thing, to which
Brile replied that be would have a hard
ught IN the NTH ward, owing to the fact
that all the opposing forces were cent cred
there. Mr.. Sapp then asked him, Does it
make any difference to You If you have a
mass convention and you are chairman,
who Is opposed to you? Brile replied, IT
1 am chairman will win. as chairmen Of
mass conventions are expected to do Mr..
Brile was directed by Sapp to call the
meeting to order by solar time.
IL. w. German, then one Of the deputies
stated to the chairman Of your committee:
I heard Mr. Sapp tell Mr.. Brile to close
the doors when they went into the hall to
call the convention to order. and to recoe-
nize a certain man who was formerly
night Waterman at the court house who
would introduce the list Of delegates. Brile
was then to put the motion and have the
delegates appointed and dismiss the meet
ing without any motion to adjourn
Fifth Ward Meeting.
Mr.. John Searcy, a business man and
member Of the Louisville republican city
and county committee, testifies to what &C.
tually occurred at the meeting thus held
In the fifth ward. The internal revenue
men,, he says. went into the hall at
o'clock in the forenoon and locked the
doors. This was done for the purpose Of
keeping out the friends Of other candi-
dates. About forty people were thus locked
up in the hall. The call for the convention
stated that II would meet at 1 o,cloob.