The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-18
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 17.-Somewhat I
waning interest in the invcstisation OF
the Ballingcr-Pinchot controversy was
| quickly revived in congress today by-
sensational charges against Secretary
Bollinger, flied by Representative Hitch
COCK OF Nebraska and incidentally by the
Senate's adoption of the investigation
resolution as agreed upon in conference.
The house will adopt the resolution to-
! morrow
The most important allegation of MIR.
Hitchcock is that funds of the interior
department were improperly used in pay
Ing private travelling expenses of Sec
Tetaiy Ballinecr's nephew. The secre-
taLy Jay and other officials of the interior
pelore the house committee on eXpendi-
lures. 10 which MIR. IIitchcock's Charges
were addressed
Plans for Caucus.
The Republican caucus 10 select mem
ners trs Of, OF The joint Investigation commit
The Democrats have selected Rainev OF
Illinois and James of Kentucky. The sen
aaG asna m members no Of the Gomittee will be
president of the senate
me statement Was presented by Mr..
,,iltchcnck at n meeting of the commit
his. charges OF extravaGance in the In
terlor department. The COMMITTEES de-
ciosI TO subpoena Commissioner bennett
oI uhe general land office and all others
10 appear before the committee next
Wednesday,
Detail of Charges.
, The statement alleges improper use of
lne mlillon- dollar appropriation for the
fra'.ss fPro,Senon or the public domain against
.Iduus by the purchase Of expensive
turniture. mounting into the tens OF thou
sands Of dollars. the erection of "a cor
sain large brick chimney for a land Of
Ploymeut OF some @ Eighty eighty additional ddi emi
clerks, salaries increased, and in nnn
Sa SaHs at least doubled" out OF this million
the Field Service schwartz as This i'm.
stance, long telegraph bills which
r,,,N o"Eer long extracts from the newspa-
of the general land Office, selection of
special agents not at all qualified" etc.
Record as Commissioner,
The statement asserts that whom Mr.
Bauinger became commissioner Vof the
general land office, he reduced the salary
9J,,l.St' 9t Lsw Clerk Clerk Wright so that Judge
to Jack Rallnger. his nephew, not Under
the title of law clerk. but under tho tide
created by Mr. Ballinger's order, of con
ndential clerk ! have been told Wright
thcrea fter =
Jack BaIlinser remained year in the
Sc service. the affidsv Wit says; his manner
signed in March. zoos. being alleged TO
The reckless expenditures OF
the land Office
1t was announced" the statement
er Was leaving the land office to resume |
Law practice in Seattle In order thai
he might receive final rakc-off he WAS !
designated as special temporary inspector |
of offices. an evident outrage on the |
treasury. This enabled him To draw trav-
cling expenses from Washington to Sc !
attic and per diem also,
Only Short Service.
Within two weeks after he reached
Seattle he resigned. as understood in ad-
vance. and resumed law practice includ-
ing, of course. practice before the land
office out there and also in Washing
.oIl."
Mr.. Hitchcock declared this to be only
me Of many outrages on the treasury
which could be found.
Mr. Hitchcock suggested 10 the COM
nittcs that the following government
employees be called 10 furnish specific
Information, explaining that he was
persona non grata with the interior
department., and that the committee was
II better position 10 obtain the facts:
Witnesses Called For
i. u. Yelverton, chief Of division r.. or
lis assistant. Bert Marshall. or Irving
chief of the accounts divl-
ion general land office, concerning the
purchase OF desks filing cases, etc. out
( the million dollar fund; Frank Bond.
hief clerk of the general land office.
oncerning eighty-odd clerks perform
d in any way with the protection OF the ,
ubic domain, though so paid
Concerning tho office Of the chief OF
BE 6warIa Gla sGyie' bd 9sSgp9a ssSf BY osd b
osition was created Tor Mr. Schwartz. $
'lthout warrant Of law, his salary being
iised from 5000 as special agent 10 $4,000 c
: chief OF field service. OF 500 moro than /
is imm6 dlate superior, the assistant .
Ills messengers salary .
as 500 to $500 q year. it is alleged. h
Wants Investigation.
Mi. Hitchcock suggested that DOUBT
IS the other excessive salaries and. large
\penditures were paid out of this fund s
ld rccommenccc investigate of state G
euts made In an anonymous letter to "A
IN that declared Nh Ballinger's system o
e clerks. flies and records that there n
now absolutely no one who knows any c;
ing about anything that appertains to
c Office: requiring more than 100 >.
srSs against fifteen under the old SyS- =
More Serious Charges :.
Special agents saws ATr; Hitchcock, =
Ston. who know practically nothing OF :.
q lands of the west nor OF Fraudulent X
ethods nor of law He cites particular !.
the case or Howard l.. Wilcox. ap- !.
nted by Commissioner Dcnnett Mir !.
bwartz's Endorsement al Wilcox recon- =.
ending his as q near dentist" !.
Il was told as n matter of fact adds J.
r. Hitchcock that the real reason for :.
o appointment was that Wilcox was n :.
som friend OF Mr. Ticker. chief clerk -
the interior department." :.
MIR Hitchcock suggests that the com =
ttoe demand an itcmlzed statement OF ).
penditurcs under the fund and avoids y
'crcnce TO the question OF favoritisrn -
II fra nd in he In nd Z
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