The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-16

could not arrange IL in some way, Wab lhe
rePIyy Moore ,bo no.,mos,,r wa. asked
II Mr.. Ball ever reported for duty at tho
Office This Is his reply
"Not that can recall. Certainly not IN
n way that would lead me To believe thar no
intended 10 perform the duties OF laooTer;
or that the Department expected IL
do not recall that he ever did.
Mr. Moore was asked to'describe the du-
tics Of laborer and he did 80 IN the follow
ing lang uagc'
I'VE had no particular duties for such
man. Some slight duties around the Office
sweeping &c. we're performed by the reg
ular clerks. They didn't amount TO
great deal and once every month II was
scrubbed out and the windows washed
Regarding the scrubbing Nj. Moore
said the amount paid prior to MI. Ban
appointment in 1898 did not amount to moro
than IS or 50 n quarter. The persons thus
employed were paid by Mr.. Moore and the
amount charged to incidental EXPENSE.
No change in the method 81 dong TINS
work was adopted after the appointment.
Clerks swept the Office and scrubwomen
scrubbed the floors and windows the same
as before. In fact II was pretty conclusvely
shown that Mr.. Ball did not do any work
although he drew the money. 1t was also
shown that Mr.. Ball was Democrat.
THE KATHERINE CLARK CASE.
The katherine Clark case was dug up
niece Of the wife Of Melvin II. Taylor. who
on Nov. 0 1909, succeeded Arthur X. Moore
as postmaster at Fredonia. Mr.. Taylor
was n henchman of Mr.. Hooker and Mr.;
Hooker took an interest in the matter. as viii
be seen from the following letter. which IS
part Of the evidence before the committee:
FREuoNrA. Y, Dec o. 1899
My DEAR Mn BEAVERS. ! wish TO thank
YOU Tor your Kind letter concerning the clerk
I would Ina wiling a make
this appointment AZ Fort Pam additional
to those necessary in the oficc, and then
W. u. HOOKER.
The committee also secured letter
dated Dec. 10. 1900 in which the First A.
sistant Postmaster General, Perry ). Heath
directs the appointment of Miss Clark as
stamper in tho Office at Fort ram al
salary OF 500 per year.
The next document in connection with
this appointment IL another letter from
Mr. Hooker 70 Mr.. Beavers, In which he
says.
Il also beg to call your attention TO the
appointment OF Miss katherine Clark TO
c.erkshp at Fort Plain, n. y, in Congress-
man Shermans district. What | wish to
have done is for the postmaster at that place
To send her a check, or send 1t To you ana
you can send it 10 her, and then you transfer
her TO Fredonin. viii appreciate THIS very
much if you can take it up and have 1t done
very soon.
The transfer was made "a requested
Mr. Hooker wrote letter TO MIR. Beavers
April rs 1900 in which he thanked that
gentleman for what he had done.
There was considerable correspondence
at one time and another regarding this
young woman, even after MIR. Hooker had
taken his place on the supreme Court bench
For example, read this letter written on
paper stamped Supreme Court, state OF
Nav Yprk and dated Nav s. 1900.
My DEAR BEAVERS / am greatly Obliged
20 you for your kindness with reference TO
tho matter Of Katherine Clark IN the tredonlH
post oflco Her SALARY will be entirely salts
factory at 5000 and you need not raise II 10
NV reason for making this sugg-stion If
this There are two young fellows In the
Office here Mr. Charles IAnters aud Edwin
" Easton Who have been here for some time
and nre both very competent ana captble
clerks and they are only receiving now $500
each and would Ike 10 have these Two young
men received salary OF 5000 eaSn a,,,, IL y9u
| May or June ! VIII appreciate II very
much indeed, and leave Miss Clark's salary
as il is az 5000 per annum.
Mr. Beavers replied very promptly that
tho postmaster had been authorized to
make the raise. Whether or not Miss
Clark was kept at $500 salary does not
appear except by inference. as the last
communication In regard to the matter IL
from the acting First Assistant Postmaster
General, after an investigation Of the FIRE.
donia post Office had been ordered, and
reads in part as follows.
am in receipt Of report OF a post ONCE
Inspector that katherine X Clark. money
order clerk salary 81 go, Is not needed IN
tho post ONCE and that she was not needed
at the time of her appoi ntment. Accordingly
you are directed to reduce Miss Clark to the
position OF substitute clerk. 20 take effect
on Aug. /.
This letter was dated July IS, 1903 SO
far as the committee records go, that ia the
last OF Miss Clark.
THE MAURICE HOOKER CASE.
Tho committee has voluminous cor
respondence regarding the appointment Of
| Judge Hooker's nephew as a laborer IN the
! Dunkirk post office. This correspondence
| simply shows that Postmaster Taylor re-
uuested the appointment OF the boyle
! was then but ! O years of age-in 1902 The
request was ,ndorsed by Judge Hooker.
! The appointing was made and the young
man carried on the Government payro.is
for year and hall without rendering any
, apprcciabe service in return This also,
/ IL should be remembered, occurred while
! Mr. Hooker was engaged in dispensing
1 justice from the Supreme Court bench.
THE puNKIRK POST OFFICE BUILDING.
Equally voluminous = the testimony re-
/ parding the DuukIrk post Office building
| deal In 1901 State Tax Commissioner
Lester + Stearns and Judge Hooker erected
D three SlOIN DITCH II44IlIE OH ORG OF ttlt
principal streets IN the city Of Dunkirk.
| Work on this building was begun on Jan. 1.
/ on Jan. 3 Mr. Stearns made an application
( to the Postmaster General 10 rent the
! prospective building when completed The
I Implication was fayorably considered. The
/ lease was signed oct 10, 1901 at an agreed
/ rental Of 81 $50 per year-a reasonable
price.
on Feb. 4, 1902 the first lease was can
! celled and a second was made for a rental
| of 81 500 per year.
ON May 20. 1902, the second Lease was can
! celled and a third was made for a rental OF
g 600 per year
Copies of these leases are part OF the
evidence which will be submitted by the
committee and il will be shown that the
third lease for s. 600 per year really allows
the Government less space than the first
lease for 81 $50
JUSTICE HooRER's DEFENCE.
At the first meeting Of tho committee
Judge Hooker submitted an affidavit which
embodied his defence. This affidavit waa
rot made public. put portions o.. the same
can now be gly"n VIZ.
As 30 the appointment of Maurice Hooker
have 90 saw I'm tho month OF january
lpu,. the postmaster at frrdoui1 came 20
ma with o. letter addressed % TIE Post Orirr
iruurimeut asking for the appointment
of 70 laborer Hud asking that Maurice Hooker,
nly ryUhcW. Young man who Lived iu tho
ulliy Frcdouit and desired 20 attend
school NJ Froionll. DE NI.n,i 20 0l the place.
B IorWnrded tho letter the ID 'pIrtmcnt