The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-18
Fresh Sensation Injected
Into Affairs Of the
Secretary.
TREASURY FUNDS
FOR PRIVATE USE
Representative Hitchcock Makes
Sweeping Accusations of NAL
feasance in Office, and Con-
gress Will Investigate.
Subpoenas Will Be Is
sued for Witnesses.

washlngto ton, D. c.. January 1T.-
Somewhat waning interest in the in
yestigation of the so-called- Ballinger-
pinchot controversy was quickly re-
vived in Congress to-day by sensa-
tional charges against Secretary Ball
niger, of the Interior Department, and
other officials, filed by Representative
Hitchcock CDemocrat). of Nebraska,
with the Committee on Expenditures
In the Interior Department, and Incl
dentally by the Senates adoption of !
the investi igatlon 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'sl
nephew. The secretary and other off,
cials OF the Interior Department will
be subpoenaed before the House Com
mittee on Expenditures. to which Mr..
Hitchcock's charges We're addressed.
The statement asserts that when Mr.
Ballinger became Commissioner of the
General Land Office. the position he
held before entering the Cabinet, he
reduced the salary of Law Clerk
bNTlSUl SO ludl SIiSoht1 Y S-'o'SS
salary could be given to Jack Ball
niger, his nephew, not under the title
of law clerk, but under the title. Gre
ated by MT. Ballinger's order, of con-
hdeutial clerk. 1 have been told
Wright died of disappointment and
humiliation soon thereafter.
Jack BaIlinger remained a year IN
the service, the statement says. his
manner of living, about the time his
uncle resigned, in March, 1908, being
;tliegdd TO illustrate 'the reckless ex-
penditures of the Land Ofice.'
a Final Rake-Of.
tIt was announced the statement
goes on to say. that young Jack Ball-
niger was leaving the Land Office to
resume law practice In Seattle. In or
der that he might receive final rake
off he was designated as special tenn,
porary inspector of Offices an evident
outrage on the Treasury. This ena-
bied him to draw travelling expenses
from Washington to Seattle. and a
per diem also Within two weeks af-
ter he reached Seattle he resigned, IS
understood In advance, and resumed
law practice, including. of course,
practice before the Land Office out
there and also in Washington. 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 meeting of the COM
mittee called to permit him to sub
stantiate his charges of extravaganza
in the Interior Department. The COM
mittee decided to issue subpoenas on
Secretary Ballinger. Commissioner
Dennitt. of the General Land Office.
nj nd oil nth n n
charges, to appear as witnesses be-
fore the committee next "Wednesday
morning.
The statement alleges improper use
of the sl,O00,Ooo appropriation for the
protection of the public domain against
frauds by the purchase OF expensive
furniture. mounting into the tens Of
thousands OF dollars. the erection OF
a certain large brick chimney for
Il land office at considerable expense"
the employment of some eighty ad-
ditional clerks salaries increased. and
in one case at least doubled out of
this million-dollar fund, citing the
case of Chief of the Field Service
Schwartz as this instance; long tele-
graph bills, which cover long extracts
from the newspapers sent In by trav-
cling representatives of the General
Land Office: selection of special agents
not at all quallhed, etc.
Wants Employees Called.
Mr.. Hitchcock suggested to tie COM
mittee that certain employeE5of the
General Land Office be called to fur
nish specific information explaining
that he was persona non grata with
the Interior Department. and that the
committee was in better, position to
obtain the facts concerning eighty
odd clerks performing ordinary clcri-
cal 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 IT. IL.
Schwartz. tho statement alleges that
the position was created for Mr..
Schwartz without warrant OF law, his
salary being raised from $4,000 as
| special agentto $4,000 as chief OF field
mediate superior, the assistant COM
lmissioner. His messengers salary
was 5000. 1t is alleged, although all
! other Land Office messengers receive
! the lower rate out of the regular fund.
Mr.. Hitchcock recommended nves-
| Litigation of statements made In an
anonymous letter to him that declared
| Mr.. Bullinger's system has $50 mixed.
Iconfused, befogged tho clerks, files
| and RECORDS llldL liete - tio" uusp-
lutely no one who knows anything
about anything that appertains to tho
4 office" requiring over 100 clerks
against 15 under the old system.
Bnllinger Denies 1T.
81 Secretary Ballinger late to-night is
\ Isued q lengthy statement In which he
/ denied categoricaly tho charges of
smaIadmlnistration made by Mr.. Hitch
cock, His denial was sweeping and
Ling characterized as ridiculous,"
swhile others were said to be ''rdicu-
Elously false.n Tho statement came az
/ -,s, -, poy ,rbrecf, iunn ny 6