Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-18
DEMOCRATIC CHARGES
Against Sec. Bal!inger Will Make Mil
lions of People Laugh.


against Secretary of the Interior Bal
linger and other officials, alleging i'm
proper use of public funds to pay priv
ate travelling expenses of a nephew Of
the secretary, We're made in state
ment filed today by Representative
Hitchcock, Dem, Neb., with the House
committee on expenditures in the in
terror department.
The statement was presented by Mr.
Hitchcock at a meeting Of the commit
tee called to permit him to substan-
tate his charges Of extravaganza in
the interior department.. The commit
tee decided TO issue subpoenas on Sec
rotary Ballinger, Commissioner Dem
nett of the general land office and all
others interested in the charges to APP
pear as witnesses before the commit
tee next Wednesday.
The statement alleges improper use
Of the S1,000,000 appropriation for the
protection Of the public domain against
frauds by the purchase of expensive
furniture amounting to tens of thous-
ands of DOLLARS the erection of "a GER
tain large brick chimney for a land Of
flee at considerable expense" the en-
ployment of some so additional clerks
salaries increased and in one case at
least doubled" telegraph bills etc.
Mr.. Hitchcock suggested to the COM
mittee the following government employees
be called to furnish specific information
explaining that he was persona non
srata" with the interior department trd
that the committee was in a better DO
sition to obtain the facts
j. ID. YelvertOn, chief of Division c, or
his assistant, Bert Marshall, or Irving
RittenhOuse. chief of the accounts di-
vision, general land Office concerning the
purchase of desks, filing cases, etc. out
of the 100000 fund; Frank Bond, chief
clerk of the general land office. concern
ing S0-odd clerks performing ordinary
clerical duties not connected in any way
with the protection of the public do
main. though so paid
Concerning the office of chief of the
field service, occupied by II. H. Schwartz,
the statement alleges that the position
was created for Mr. Schwartz without
warrant of law, his salary being raised
from $1,000 as special agent to $4,000 as
chief of field service, or 500 more than
his immediate superior, the assistant COM
missfoners. His messengers salary was
raised from $720 a year to 5000, it is al
legged.
Special agents, says Mr. Hitchcock
have been selected from clerks at Wash
ington who know practically nothing of
the lands of the West nor of fraudulent
methods nor of law. He cites particularly
the case of Howard L. Wilcox. appointed
by Commissioner bennett Mr. Schwartz's
endorsement of Wilcox recommended him
as a near bennett"
II have been told, as a matter of fact"
adds Mr.. Hitchcock, that the real reason
for the appointment was that Wilcox was
a bosom friend of Mr.. Ucker chief clerk
of the interior department"
Mr.. Hitchcock suggests that the COM
mittee demand an itemizcd statement of
expenditures under the fund and avoids
reference to the question of favoritism
says they are mot questions the commit
tee can properly investigate"
The committee will probably meet next
saturday to continue the investigation.
MI. Hitchcock's statement" said
chairman Mcclure of the committee"
was passed solely, as he said to the COM
mlttee, on rumors. We are going to the
bottom of the matter and 1 have not de-
"cted any disposition on the part of
any members of the committee to be
otherwise than entirely fair to both
sides"
ne statement asserts that when Mr..
BallinSer became commissioner of the
general land office, the position he held
before entering the cabinet, he reduced
the salary OF Law Clerk Wright so that
Judge Wrights $4,000 salary could be
given to Jack Ballinger, his nephew,
not under the title of law clerk. but
under the title, created by Mr.. Balm
gers order. of confidential clerk. l have
been told Wright died of disappoint-
'ncnt and humiliation soon after"
Jack Ballirger remained a year in
the service the affidavit saws, his man
ner of living about the time his uncle
resigned in March, 1908, being alleged
to illustrate the reckless expenditures
of the land office"
1T was announced" the statement
goes on to say, that young Jack Bal
linSer was leaving the land Office to
resume law practice in Seattle. In or
der that he might receive a final rake
off ne was designated as special tenn
porary inspector Of offices, an evident
outrage on the treasury This enabled
him to draw travelling expenses from
Washington to Seattle and a per diem
also Within two weeks after he reach
I'd Seattle he resigned. as understood
in advance, and resumed law practice,
inclu6in OF course, practice before the
land office out there, and also in Wash
ington.
tContiaued On Page Tw ,lye)