The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-01-22
DlllIneER's PRIVATE GRAFT.
REPRESENTATIVE HITCHCOCK
OF NEBRASKA FILES CHARGES
AGAINST SECRETARY.
Committee OF House Will Probe Mat
tcr-will Issue subpoenas I'm Or
der 20 Determine Truth rs to Sec
retary's Alleged Misuse OF Land
Once Appropriation.

waning interest In the investigation
OF the so-caiied Ballinger-Pinchot
controversy was quickly revived In
Congress today by sensational
charges against Secretary Ballinger
OF the interior department and other
oflcials, fled by Representative
Hitchcock (Dem.) of Nebraska, with
the committee on expenditures in the
interior department. and incidentally
BY the senate's adoption of the inves-
tigation resolution as agreed upon In
conference. The house will adopt the
resolution tomorrow.
The most important allegation OF
Mr.. Hitchcock is that funds Of the in
terror department were improperly
used In paying private travelling ex.
penses Of Secretary Ballinger's neph-
ew. The secretary and other off,
cials Of the interior department will
be served with subpoenas to appear
before the house committee on ex-
penditure. to which Mr.. Hitchcock's
charges were addressed.
Secretary Ballinger late tonight is
sued q lengthy statement in which he
denied catesoricaify the charges Of
maladministration made by Mr..
Hitchcock. His denial was sweeping
and emphatic. several Of the charges
being characterized an ridiculous"
while others were said to be "ridicu-
lously false" The statement came
Al surprise. as Mr.. Ballinger dur
ing the afternoon disclosed q dispo-
sition TO let the matter go unanswer-
ed until the Joint investigating COM
mittee 10 organized. A,l
The statement asserts that when
Mr.. Ballinger became commissioner
OF the general land ofice. the posi-
tion he held before entering the cab
met. he reduced the salary OF Law
Clerk Wright 20 that wright's $4,000
salary could bc given to Jack Bal
linger. his nephew. not, ender the
title OF law clerk. but under the title,
created by Mr.. Ballinger's order. Of
confidential clerk. I have been told
Wrisht died Of disappointment and
humiliation soon thereafter"
Jack Ballinger remained q year in
tho service. the statement says, his
manner Of living. about the time his
uncle rsigned. In March. 1908. being
alleged TO illustrate 'the reckless ex-
psnditures Of the land offlce."
1T was announced" the statement
goss on to say. that young Jack Bal
lipgsr was leaving the land once to
resume law practice In Seattle. In
order that he might receive q final
rake-on he was designated a. special
temporary inspector Of ofices. an evi-
dent outrage on the treasury. This
enabled him to draw travelling expen-
So from washington to Seattle and
Per diem also. Within two weeks af-
ter he reached Seattle ne resigned.
~ understood In advance. and re-
sumed law practice. including. of
course. practice before the land Of
nee out there. and also in Washing
ton" Mr.. Hitchcock declared this TO
be only one OF many outrages on the
treasury. which can be found.
The statement was presented by
Mr.. Hitchcock at a meeting Of the
committee called to permit him to
suostantiate his charges OF extrava-
sance In the interior department The
committee decided to issue subpoenas
on Secretary Ballinger. Commission
er bennett Of the general land ONCE
and all others interested In the
charges to appear as witness before
the committee next Wednesday
morning. The statement alleges i'm
proper use Of the million dollar ap-
preparation "for the protection of the
public domain against frauds" by the
purchase OF expensive furniture.
amounting In the tens of thousands
OF dollars" the erection Of a certain
large brick chimney for a land office
at considerable expense" the employ
ment Of some so additional clerks" {"
salaries increased and in one case
at least doubled. out of this million
dollars under Getting the case Of
Chief OF the Field Service Schwartz
as this instance) selection OF special
agents not all qualified" etc.
Mr.. Hitchcock suggested TO the
committee that certain employees of
the general land office be called to
furnish specific information. explain
Ing that he was persona non grata'
with the lntnrlnr dan, ri x,ann4 M 49, 4