The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-06
FRAUD SCHEME IS
 BROUGHT ID LIGHT Negroes At Louisville Defraud
 Government 30 U g. EXAMINATIONS
Civil Service Commissions Are Ss- cured for llIiterate and slncompe- tent Persons By False Means.
 Convicts Exposure.


 charging that there exists in Louisville an organization of negroes Tor system atically securing fraudulent appointment of persons into the civil service, and sN- ing at least one instance in Which II has worked successfully, with the possi- bilitv of more exposures to come' J' IL Henderson. convict in the Frankloft pentientiary. has brought to the atten- tion of the civil service commission one of fine most remarkable cases Of imper- soration in the commission's long record of dealing with violations of the law.
 Henderson's charges Involve Joseph Hooker, m employe of the internal reNe- me service in Louisville, and Albert ,. White, an attorney of that city lhe latter has been eXonerated by the CIVIL service commission and Hooker may es- cape punishment owing to the unusual features of the case. All the parties concerned are nesroes, two ot them De- iyc graduates of the Howard University law school of this city.
 Several months ago the commission re- ceived letter postmarNed ffahkloil' Ky, signed by one J. H. Henderson, ne declared that an organization existed in Louisville under the direction oI White, whereby a negro of lntellsehce would take civil service eNamlnatiohs, mass successfully under the name or some negro incapable of standing the mental test the result being the ap- pointment of the illiterate negro III tue classified service. After long search the commission located Henderson in the Frankfort penitentiarN, where ne haa been sent for subornation of perjury. Pressed for details. he gave the commas sion the names of White and Hooker and wrote how the scheme was ensi- neered "ln the examination held in Oe- tober. 1903, White had IIceker placed on the list of eligibles in this way: wrote , Henderson. He got a man to file appli- cation blanks under the assumed name or Henry Henderson. Joe Hooker made out sHenderson's' papers and Henderson made out Rockers. This was done to prevent detection in the handwriting. Henderson S care came to my address in Louisville and I turned it over to Hooker by request. In the examination Henderson signed Rockers name on the first blank and used Rockers number on all papers. Hooker signed 1Ienderson's' 2 name on the first blank and used Hen dersons number on all papers. Tender son made an average of Il per cent for Hooker. Hooker made almost nothing for Henderson. White was notary public at the time and stamped the ap- plication. We knew at the time there was no such person as Henry Henderson. Hooker cannot make 10 per cent. His papers will show that it is not his hand writing. There are other cases. Some of the parties have secured appointments"
 
 With this information at hand the inspectors went to Louisville in an eff fort to locate Henderson" Being un- able to do so. they returned to Frank 1. fort where J. II. Henderson, the con Vict, admitted to them that he was the Henry Henderson, who took the examination by which Hooker is al- legged to have prohted. Again going to Louisville the inspectors put White and Hooker through an examination. Hooker denied the whole story abso- lutely, despite the indisputable evi- dence shown by the examination pa pers. White, on the other hand, stated that he had executed jurats on the ap- plications of Henderson and Hooker.
 He recalled that once Henderson had brought an applicatio to him for ex- animation. White affixed his seal as a notary public and then noticed IIen- derson's name was in lead pencil. He requested Henderson to write it in ink and, during a brief absence from the room Henderson plotted the sig nature and asked permission to be al- lowed to take the paper with him in order that q correct copy might be made another blank. White con 1 scented and now remembers that Hen 1 derson never returned the application, i which was used. After further inVes- l tigation the inspectors became con | vinced of Whites entire innocence in 1 the/ affair. It seems that White and Henderson were students and graduates | together at the Howard University Law ! school in this city. After his gradua- l ton White went to Louisville and en- | tered into the practice of law, meet |! ing with much success. His standing I in Louisville was found by the inspec- l tors to be clearly established, promi- | nent members of the bar and Collector 1 of Internal Revenue Craft and Collec- l tor of Customs Dearng vouchng for 1 him.
 | When Henderson graduated he went l to New York and shortly after landed ] in Sing Sing for seven years term.