Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-10-27
POLITICAL ASSESSMENT HEARST THIRD PARTY
FEDERAL JUDGE MAY
LOSE HIS POSITION
FOR INTIMATINo TO EMPLOYEES
THAT THEY SHOULD PAY
PART OF SALARY TO THE
CAMPAIGNERS.

Washington, Oct. 1.-THE charge of
soliciting and accepting campaign con.
tributions in the campaign Of 1909,
made against United States Circuit
Judge Baker of Indiana, by the Civil
Service Commission, has been referred
to the Department Of Justice by the
commission. In connection with the
reference the commission gave out an
official statement of the case, In which
Il was said the statute of limitation
Is the only defense which can be oppos.
ed ito the charge" The commissions
statement in part said:
"The Civil Service Commission,
through Commissioner Greene. conduct.
ed an examination on the 22d and 23d
of September, 1905, into a charge Of a
violation of the civil service act by the
collection of illegal assessment at
Goshen, Ind. In the course of this In.
vestigation Guy G. Boulton, a clerk in
the postoffice at Goshen, testified that
he was told IN the fall of 1902 by the
assistant postmaster. Alderman, to
NlblN VI INV
United States Court of Appeals for
the Seventh Circuit; that he was sent
during office hours to see Judge Bak.
err; that upon visiting him he was told
by Judge Baker that II was to his In
terest to keep in power the servant
of the party to which witness (Boul.
tom owed his appointment; and that
even II witness was in the civil service
his superior would give him trouble
In case of change of administration.
He was also told that Judge Baker
paid literally h.,nself for political pur.
poses and that clerks in the service
usually gave per cent of their salary,
with other statements along the same
line. In pursuance of these sugges'
tions from Judge Baker Boulton after.
ward paid per cent of his salary
being $50, to d. W. Neidig. chairman
Of the Republican County Committee.
Lamar Croop. also a clerk In the
Goshen postOffice, testified that Judge
Baker was in the postoffce In the fail
Of 1902; that in the same fall the as
sistant postmaster told witness 10 90
and see Judge Baker, just as Boultou
had been told to go and see him during
office hours. The Judge urged wit
ness to pay money for campaign pur
poses and the witness told Judge Baker
that he could not afford to. Whereupor
Judge Baker said to him:
"'You can afford to do without q
suit of clothes and make your pay
ment.'
He was urged to pay per cent
Thereafter the witness spoke to Post
master Sherwln about paying his as
sessment and said that he did not hav,
the money to pay, and Sherwin advann
ed him $50 for his assessment. which
was paid by Mr. Croop.
Martin l.. Schnur, a clerk In tn,
postoffice, terrified that he also wa
sent in the fall OF 1902 to Judge Bake
and was In Ike manner urged by hin
to pay money to the Republican cam
paign fund, and did pay s25, pc
cent OF his salary. He was unable I,
make the payment and the postmaste
loaned him the amount.
This testimony was presented I,
Judge Baker, and without going int,
details of conversation the facts stat
ed by the above witnesses were admit
ted by him to be true. The Civil Ser
vice Commission has felt some hesitn
ton in taking any action in the prem
lses, but 1t is felt by the commission
tina. inasmuch as violations by other
Of the civil service act occurring In tn
} Goshen postoffice are to be proceeds
against and punished, 1t is not RICH
that distinction should be made in IA
yor OF violator of the law, howeve
exalted his position may be. Tn
charges against Judge Baker hav
therefore been referred to the Depar
ment nf JuStipa