The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-19
THE HOUSE.

Washington, January 1s.-The house de voted brief session today to the Distrfct of Columbia business. While in commit tee of the whole on one of the bilts, the postoffice scandal was discussed. MT. Bartlett of Georgia, introduced letter from M. W. Lewis, who felt aggrieved at certain statements in the Bristow re- ports.
 When the house convened the speaker announced the resignation of MT. Griggs. democrat of Georgia, from the committee on coinage, weights and measures, and Mir. Hardwlck, democrat, of Georgia, from the committee on revision of the laws and the appointment of MT. Hardwick to the committee on coinage weights and measures; Mir Garber, democrat, of Ohio, to the committee on revision of the laws, and MT. Currier, republican, of New Hampshire, as chairman of the committee on patents.
 Mir. Gaines, republican, of Virginia, from elections committee No. 1 called up privileged resolution declaring that John A. Keliher was elected as a member of the house from the ninth congressional district of Massachusetts and was enti- tied to seat and that Joseph Cuney was not elected member from that dis trict
 The resolution was adopted with division and without dissenting vote.
 Considered Senate Bill.
 The house went into committee of the whole and the consideration of senate bill amending an act to permit the laying of certain pipes in certain streets of Washington.
 MT, Bartlett, democrat of Georgia, called attention to letter he had receiv- ed from M w. Lewis, which was sent to the clerks desk and read. MT. Bartlett previous to it's reading said that he had advised MT Bristow of the nature of the latter and that MT. Bristow had said to him that his father and son had been regularly appointed. The letter written by MT. Lewis protests against statements in the Bristow postoffice report and among other things says:
 MT. Bristow himself injected into the classified service without examination more than thirty persons. some of them postoffice inspectors employed in this very investigation, and among them his own father who was appointed as a $500 laborer on March 5, 1901. charged to the sixth congressional district of Kentucky and who now draws s1, 500 a year as a postoffice inspector in the Denver, Col, postoffice, and also his own son who dur ing his school Naca1l0n ureW sdldTy dt the rate of s720 a year in the postoffice at Washington, D. c.
 l Not Performing Duty. "It is not mistake to state that even | now MT. Bristow's father is not perform l ing inspectors duty and that the son performed nothing at all to warrant the l payment of a salary
 i Following the reading of the letter, MT. l Cowherd, democrat Missouri said:
 Tt seems to me that the point in the appointment of Lewis was not the viola | tion of the civil service law. although that was unquestionably violated. Lewis was appointed on that authority and transferred, but the point in the case is that Lewis was appointed on this partic- ular and precise day. the seventh of l April, in order that he might be at the head of the division of supplies on the ! sixth day of May, when contract was to be let and that by reason of his appoint ment in this irregular way he got into A position where he could let contracts | improperly to the loss of the government of at least some s10.ooo and probably very much more.'
 The senate bill under consideration was | then passed.
 1 At 1,2s p. m. the house adjourned until | +o,,,orrnu