The Detroit times., 1909-03-11
$1,000 DIFFERENCE
IN HARsHA'S FEE
AND REPORT
SPECIAL EXAMINER DEWooDY
MAKES SERIOUS INITIATION
AGAINST U. S. COURT OFFICIAL
UNDER INVESTIGATION.

Walter ). Harsha, CLERK OF the Unit
ed States district court and special
master in chancery - this district, ~
lighting against the department OF
Justice. as represented Dy SPECIAL Ex-
aminer Cuas. De Woody. 10 retain the
custody OF hlS records.
DeWuody wishes 30 examine the ac-
counts oi harslla as master IN cnan.
Gerry. Harsha refuses 20 let him &c
SO and DeMoouy . petition IN the mat
ter has gone 10 judge Swan, VINO viii
hear the case in chambers Saturday
morning. Harsha mas retained Harri-
son Geer as attorney To defend his IN
terests.
The point raised is technical one.
Harsha contending that the examiner
has no authority 10 80 into these ac'
counts in chancery, bat only 10 go
over harshas accounts as circuit
court CLERK.
The nub of the matter Is that the
rich compensation IN the clerk posi-
ton rests III his cases as master III
chancery. AS circuit court clerk
Harsha Is only entitled To S5,oOO per
year, all above that going To the gov
eminent and must pay his own clerks
But as master in cbancery, in such
cases as that OF the Grand Trunk
Western reorganization. the Shore
/. Inc proceedings and sale ana the De
uoit Toledo & lronton receiNershlp
and litigation now going on, the al
| lOwances. are enormous.
Harsha uses his Offices as clerk to
carry on the practice OF master III
chancery. lie has won several SUITS
in which he was involved with the de'
partment of justice ana mas also
aroused much antagonism among a.-
torneys by his charging fees, AS clerk
up To the legal limit. There Is thus
much feeling in the case
Previous examiners have lalied ~
ind any fault in Harsha's accounts as
clerk but no attempt was ever haue
| before to Investigate his accounts d.
master in chancery. Examiner ne
Woody has chosen the case Oh hNeIe''
against the Shore Line railroad as 4
test case. and makes the claim tha'
! Harsha did not turn over ceIlaih
accounts rs fees.
THE point is purely legal one
said Clerk Harsha "Wednesday morn
ing. MY records rs master III cnahc
cry are entirely separate from lhos0
as circuit court clerk. | hold that the
examiner has nothing to do Win mem
AS master in chancery, there are
no set fees, the amount being agreeu
upon by the parties and confirmed oy
the court in open session. NO one mas
complained OF the amount OF the al
lowances. | have every paper III eV'
cry case
In the Everett case, did not have
tn turn any moneys over The case
never came to me as clerk.
is It true that the compensation
as master in chancery amounts 10 , To-
600 to $4,000 per year, was asked
"Oh. no., said Harsha, i would say
that ii was not nearly so much, not
nearly"
why did you take the trouble 10
hire an attorney"
oh | am busy and ! wished 10
have some one TO advise me.
Only once has there been complaint
as TO Harshas conduct of case as
master in chancery. That was when
the Oakland hotel at st. Clair was
sold under foreclosure. Hasha pur-
chased a controlling interest in the
concern and has since retained his in
terest in II. Some other stockholders
objected at that time. particularly al
leging that the affairs OF the hotel