The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-01-17

special inspector OF Offices 50 as TO pay
this young mans travelling expenses
across the continent IS an evident out
rage on the Treasury. II Is only one
OF many 1 believe can be found.
Another Rumor.
Another rumor which has come TO
me since made my speech IS that very
large telegraph bills IN the land ONCE
VIII be found charged I'D 70 this milf IN
dollar fund 20 protect the public DO
main. I have been told that these tel,s-|
graph bills cover long extracts from
newspapers sent In BY telegraph 10y
travelling Representatives OF the Land
Office. who might just as vel have sent
the same IN BY mall
Il think your committee should also
investigate the matter Of the selection
Of special agents appointed by the Land
the protection Of the public domain
These men, Of course. are paid out OF
the miIiiOn-dollar fund, and I have been
told, and e some reason TO believe,
that f. vii De found that these special
agents have in many cases not been at
al qualified for the Important duty OF
inVeSti gating these Lraud& They have
been selected from clerks here in Wash
know practically nothing % the lands
Of the West, nor OF the fraudulent meth
obs nor Of law.
Wilcox Case.
Take, for instance, the case OF How
and IS now on the rolls es a clerk IN
the Land Ofdce ard was appointed spe-
cial agent to examine claims with a
view TO discovering fraud HIS appoint
ment was made b.- Mr. bennett. and the
basis Of the appointment, as appears
by the hI2s in the Land Office. was a
letter Of Enlargement written BY H II.
Schwartz, chief Of the field service
This letter disclOses the remarkable
fact that NJ Schwartz recommended
this young mar as q ''uea--dentisr." 4
remarkable qualification Tor a man to
Investigate land frauds In the West I
have been told that as a matter q Il1ct,
the real reason for the appointment OF
this man was that he was a, JJoUm
friend OF Mr. Ccker. chief clerk q the
Interior Department.
when Wilcox went west he almost
Immediately got into a row, was sus-
pended, brought back 20 Washington.
and in now on the rolls as q clerk in
the Land Ofhce, drawing $40 q month
out OF the 100000 fund Tor the prOtec-
ton Of the public domain
Travelling Expenses.
ct understand that the vouchers VIII
show, on this trip, hts travelling ex-
penses were paid both ways. together
with q Pc diem, paid out Of the S1,o0o.OO0
fund I O. not know whether he was
ever pafI fOr the time he was under
suspension or not I suggest that the
records be examined TO investigate that
question
Il did not deal with these matters
much in my address because as I ad-
IlItted they were merely rzmOrs. but /
FIZ EeSL to YOUR committee that you have
the power and might wei procure an
tented statement showing what eZ-
peuditurss have been made OF autlroT-
lied from this million dollar fund. for
ali purposes. You could also procure
list OF the seveu-y-lIve special agents
appointed BY the Land Office 10 inEesti-
gate land frauds and ascertain also
what the anreCeCeutS Of these special
agents are. how many are near-oeuGst5
and what their qualifications are for
The important work IN question
the question Of faTCTIriEm in the
Land Office and OF fraud in the Land
Office, ] suppose, are not questions
which your committee can properly in
vestirate. and 7 have not. therefore,
touched upon this matter