New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-11
T0RREY, CHIEF ASSAYER,
OUT AFTER 81 YEARS
Resigns On Request of President
Taft, Who Says Changes
Are Planned.
BLAMES MAN He EMPLOYED
Says Clerk Charged That Out
side Work Was Done in Office,
but Explains That He Had
Proper Sanction.

Herbert G. Torrey, chief assayer here.
has resigned after almost thirty-seven
years OF service He has sent in his
resignation 70 George z. Roberts. d.
rector of the Mint at Washington. who
wrote to him ten days ago that IL had
been called for by the President The
resignation takes effect on November 1.
when Mr. TOrrey will have been in
charge Of the assaying at the local assay
office. in Wall street. for thirty seven
years He blames a man whom he placed
in the service for the loss Of his Office.
When Mr.. Torrey received the letter
from Mr. Roberts he and some OF his
friends wrote TO President Taft asking
him why Mr.. Torrey was asked to
resign On Thursday last Mr. Torrey re-
ceived a letter from the President tell
ing him that he would have to go, as it
was planned to reOrganize the assay
office here.
At his home in Stirling. y J. Mr..
TOrrey said last night that he thought
his resignation had been called for on
account of trouble he had had for MANY
months with one of his subOrdinates- He
said that several members OF his staff
had told him that one Of the clerks
had been making complaints to Dan
iel P. Kingsford. superintendent OF
the office. and probably TO the Director
of the Mint. the foundation for which
was the fact that Mr.. TOrrey for some
time had done private work in the as
say office. with official permission
Succeeded Father in Office.
MY father. Professor John Torrey. Of
Columbia College" said Mr.. Torrey
last night. was appointed the first as
sayer in New York by President Frank
lin Pierce. in 1871. I succeeded him as
chief assayer in 1873. DIR. Linderrlan.
of Washington. the first Director of the
Lint, told my father that he could do
outside work-that is he could take work
which mining engineers and others took
to him The Secretary of the Treasury
ratified the permission
| when I became Chief Assayer the
/ Director of the Mint told me that T
could do the same. II being understood
that all materials we're to be paid for
| by me. / kept a strict account of all
acids and other materials which I used
| in the outside work I had my own fur
mace built and paid for ID myself. ! had
my own gas meter put in, so the govern
ment was under no expense.
| Mr.. Roberts seven years ago took ex-
/ ception to my doing outside work
| told him that I would make arrange
ments TO have it done in other places.
though I said to him that permission
had been given 20 me and my father by
the Director of the Mint and the Secre-
tsry of the Treasury. After he made
the ruling I built a shop at my home
and another at Maplewood. n. J.. and
made arrangements to have the Iabora-
tory work done in Brooklyn. OF course
I could not prevent men sending work
TO me at the Assay Office
Tells Of Mistake in Delivery.
About September I a package cams
to me from out Of town A postal card
that came with it notifying me Of the
work was put by mistake on the desk
of the superintendent. When he spoke
to me about IL L told him il related 20
outside matters. II seems he wrote TO
the Director of the Mint saying that
outside work was coming to the Assay
Office and asked for instructions"
Mr.. Torrey made no comment on this
action.
He received in reply" he continued.
"a letter saying that the use of a gov
erument office for transacting private
business is contrary TO the rules and
regulations and must not Je allowed IL
was following that that received my
letter from the director saying that the
President wished my resignation I'm
mediately on hearing from the President
/ sent him the following letter; L here
by tender my resignation as assayer in
chief of the New York Assay Office. 10
take effect on November I, which COM
pletes my thirty-seventh year of service
II am leaving the government 70 so
into private professional work / shall
open an office for assaying and examin-
ing mining properties. I feel that my
retirement comes as a result of the de-
termined efforts of a man whom I have
befriended for thirty years.
II took this man into the Assay Office
when he was only a carpenter. and at
the request of my wife taught him all
that he knows about assay work. In
thirty years I have increased his pay
from s. TO So day. As a return for my
friendship and the many favOrs / have
done him. he has been for months max
ing every effort to do what he consid-
cred would be the greatest injury he
could do 10 me. Ny conscience Is clear
and I feel far more pity for the man
who has been against me than l do for
myself"
Nothing could he learned from Super
intendent Kingsford yesterday. He was
in Washington comforting with Director
Roberts and Charles Mindeleff. who -
investigating the processes in all the
United States minis and assay Offices
Several of Mr.. TOrrey's men said that
they knew no reason why he should re-
sign or why any one should force him