Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-10
Looks More Like a Case of Perse.
cutlOn Than of the Existence Of
Any Real Grievance
BOISE MAN MAKES STATEMENT.
Explains the Incident Which Led to
His Removal from United States
Assay Office.

discussing the removal OF III. Smith
Woolley from the United States assay
office at Boise the Pocatello Tribune,
In a recent issue, says edltorially:
The Tribune firmly believes that IL.
smith Woolley assayer OF the U. $,
assay Office at Boise, is being made the
victim OF another conspiracy The mas
test fight in Idaho politics was made
against Mr., Woolleys confirmation, II
Tight that had It's origin In petty spite
and disappointment and ever since he
took charge Of the office, he has been
pursued with an apparent malice that
seemed entirely out Of proportion to
the questions involved. He couldn't
discharge an unsatisfactory janitor
without coming In for a fierce attack
and any dissatisfaction with a laborer
about the assay Office was magnihed
into an affair OF national Importance.
Now he is subjected TO a secret invostl-
cation upon charges that were hidden
from him until his resignation was sud
denly demanded, 1t Is always easy to
dlscredit a man on a one-sided state
ment, and we are glad to note that Mr.,
Woolley has declined TO resign and has
demanded a full investigation Of his
official conduct. The righteousness Of
the present attack on him shines out
pretty plainly IN the petty spite OF the
Washington special sent to the Salt
Lake Tribune, which indicates pretty
plainly some other feeling than the
mere desire for the removal Of an al
legged dishonest official. Whether Mr.,
Woolleys enemies finally succeed IN
securing his removal or not, It will be
pretty hard to make the hundreds OF
men who backed him up in his fight
against the opposition 20 his conhrmu-
ton, believe that there has been any
dishonesty or any shady transactions
In his conduct OF his office.
WOOLLEY MAKES STATEMENT.
Mr., Wooley was asked last evening II
he had received any information from
Washington respecting his difficulty,
lie said he had 5ut would prefer to
present it in connection with a signed
statement for publication, This state.
ment is as follows.
Boise, Ida Feb :, 1861 was in
formed today as TO The nature of the
alleged complaint against me as regards
the management OF this Office tu.wit.
That 1 had kept on the pay rolls and
paid for the month of October, 1904,
Kenneth r. Woolley, as laborer and
that he had received his pay for said
month IL is true he was not present
all Of October 1904, and the reason
was that | had granted him leave Of
absence until oct 81, 1904, at which
time he resigned. In granting this leave
Of absence | acted perfectly within my
rights, as all employees OF this Office
are granted leave by me and some Of
them have had as much as six weeks
since ] assumed charge. Check No
1897 was issued TO Kenneth h. Woolley
for his salary for October, and was sent
TO him at Paris Ida, by j. w. Robin
son, acting assayer In charge, as | was
on leave of absence myself Sec. H.
Art, 20, SAYS: The assayer I'm charge
shall have power to grant leave of alb
sence TO any OF his employees as he
shall see ft" Therefore, | say that
the complaint made against me Is false
in every particular. For the above al
legged cause | was this day requested
from Washington TO wire my resigna-
ton as assayer in charge OF this office;
| respectfully refused for the reason
that the affairs Of this office to the best
OF my knowledge are above reproach IN
every particular and that the above
cause did not Justify same.
| further ask for an investigation OF
this Office and the management of the
same. / beliye there Is an unfriendly
feeling against me, which has existed
since my appointment last spring, when
certain people failed to make good what
they charged against me,
/ have simply this 70 say, that from
the first day assumed charge until the
close Of business this afternoon thoro
has never been one single complaint as
regards the conduct OF this office by the
honorable director of the mint, with
whom this office does It's business, |
defy amy living person 10 point 10 any
transaction with this office since / have
been connected with the same that has
not been above rcproach In every par
ticular
II. SMITH WOOLLEY.
Attached to the foregoing is the APP
pended copy Of statement signed by
employees Of the Office
Boise, Idaho, January %, l905,-To
whom it may concern We, the employ
es Of the United States assay office,
Boise. Idaho, knew Kenneth r, Woolley
while an empioye of this Office as labor
err; that his work and duties consist
cd In keeping the grounds around the
L. s. assay office building I'M order and
at times he assisted the other employees
In the building OF the u. S. assay office,
That Kenneth r. Woolley was an
employe OF the U. $, assay Office from
May /, 1904. to October 81, 1904, and
that he was present performing his du-
Ties AT all times during the time from
Nav /. 1904. to october "a, 1904 ex-
cont such time as we understand he
was away on leave Of absence,
THAT the records OF this Office show
that check No. 1911 for months salary
for September l90i and check No. 1897
for months salary October 1904, were
issued 10 said Kenneth r. Woolley.
(Signed) Respectfully,
]. w. ROBINSON,
Chief Clerk.
A. e. DE MARY,
Assistant Chief Clerk.
w. O.. SMITH,