Evening star., 1901-06-03
GROSS FRAUD is CHARGED
CIVIL SERVICE APPLICANTS SAID TO
HAVE OBTAINED QUESTIONS.
The President Asked to Dismiss From
ONCE the Customs Collector
at Ell PasO.

at Ell PasO.
The investigating committee of the Ma
tional Civil Service Reform League has
submitted to the council of the league
report which deals with the alleged viola
ton of the civil service law by the collector
of customs at Ell Paso. Texas. The league
has placed it's information in this case be-
fore the President, and has asked OF the
executive that the collector be removed
from office.
The report recites that in July, 1898, COM
petitive examinations were held for the
purpose of establishing a register OF eligi-
bles for the customs service at Ell Paso.
and according to the evidence obtained by
an examiner sent there by the civil service
commission to Investigate alleged frauds.
prior to this examination, Moses Dillon. the
collector, told w. c. Holmes, member Of
the customs board OF civil service exam
iners. that there were four applicants. e.
NJ. Fink. H. F. Bloom. one McDougal and a
son of the collector, whom the collector de-
sired to pass the examination. 1t Is
charged that the collector ordered him to
communicate this desire to w. A. Race,
secretary of the board Of civil service ex-
aminers, with the injunction that it would
not be wise for him to refuse; that there
upon Holmes communicated this desire to
Race and on the day before the examina-
tion Race gave him copies of the questions
to be asked in spelling, arithmetic and let
ter writing. and that Holmes took these
copies of questions to the residence of
Bloom, one of the candidates, and there
saw Bloom and Fink, another candidate, at
work on the questions. All this is alleged
in the affidavit of w. c. Holmes, given to
an examiner of the civil service commission
October %, 1900.
David L. CresweI. inspector of customs,
gave his affidavit to the commission Octo-
hnrs Nlx.1r T.
that the examination papers in July, 1898,
had been opened and that he and Bloom
had the papers or blanks before the exam
ination.
Had QuestiOns in Advance.
E. M. Fink. inspector OF customs, one Of
the men examined, gave a signed state
ment to the commission, October "a, 1890,
stating that on the afternoon before the
civil service examination, Bloom met him
on the street and asked him to come to his
house that evening; that he went there and
found Bloom and Holmes in the house and
the copies Of the examination papers on the
table; and that he looked over some of the
questions intended for the examination
next day. Bloom and Fink passed the ex
animation and were appointed.
Mr.. Holmes, it Is said, gave his testi-
mony to the representative Of the civil
service commission with much trepidation.
He apparently could lose much and gain
nothing by his affidavit, which implicated
the collector. Mr.. Race the former sec
retary of the board, was then in the Gus
toms service at Gibara, Cuba. The evidence.
the report says, would appear to show
very clearly that the examination was
f, audulent, and that Moses Dillon, the col
lector, as well as Holmes. Race. Bloom and
Fink were concerned in the violation Of
the law.
Contributions for Political Purposes.
The report proceeds as follows:
THE collector at Ell Paso also received
contributions for political purposes In his
office at the Federal building. William T.
kitchens, one of the inspectors. gave the
civil service commission his affidavit dated
October 30, 1900. stating that on Sunday,
February IL, 1900 a meeting of inspectors
was held at the office of the collector Of
customs in the Federal building. to con-
suit and devise means for controlling
county convention so that certain dele
gates, among whom was the collector
might be selected to represent the county
in the state convention to be held later at
Waco Texas Some one present suggest
ed that it would be necessary to raise
money to carry out this purpose; that
thereupon the collector said he would head
the list with SO. upon which Kitchens took
IS out of his pocket ard placed it on the
table Of the collector; that the collector
took the money and in like manner, one
other contribution Of So was made and re-
ceived by the collector. The others not
having the money on hand, contributed af-
terWard and the convention was held and
controlled by the collector against all rival
interests, and the collector sent as dele
gate to the state convention.
David l.. Creswell, an inspector of Gus
toms, states on October % 1900 that he
attended this meeting, that he arose about
11:3O to take his departure, when some one
at the table suggested that funds ought to
be raised; that he authorized Mr. Holmes
to pay So to the committee for him, which
Mr.. Holmes did
states on October a. 1900, that he was
present at this meeting, and that the COL
lector said it would be necessary to have
funds: that he would lead the list with a
contribution Of $25, and that this took
place in the Federal building.
The Principal Witness Dead.
James Marr. another inspector Of Gus
toms. made affidavit November g. 1900,
that Henry F. Bloom requested of him a
contribution for promoting certain politi-
cal business in connection with the Waco
convention. the principal object being the
selection Of the collector as a delegate;
that he told Marr he made this solicitation
at the request Of the collector
This case was laid before the Depart
ment of Justice and an effort made to Sc
cure an indictment Of the guilty parties,
but the witness Holmes was dead and the
others refused to testify upon the ground
that their evidence would incriminate
themselves. Hence no indictment was
found.
On the morning Of April 18, 1901, the
Iacts in this case We're submitted to the
Secretary Of the Treasury, who said that
as the office Of collector was a presidential
office, the complaint should be made to the
president, and that he would be glad to in