Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-01-14
JERJEY OFFICER IS
FORCED TO PAY FOR
CLERKS SIEAl|NGS
Lieut.. A. L. Briggs Is Victim of
Seemingly Unjust Treatment.
Other Washington Notes.
Especial to the Newark star.l

WASHINGTON, Jan 14.-An act, OF
series of acts, in which u Jerseyman
is the sufferer, is the case of Lieuten-
ant a. L. Briggs, of the signal corps
of the army. Several years ago while
in the Philippine Islands Lieutenant
Briggs was appointed chief signal off,
Ger, and in that capacity had charge OF
the telegraph telephone lines u t
side of the city of Manila.
When Lieutenant Briggs took charge
of his office there was a chief clerk
who had been appointed under civil
service rules, and who was retained
in his position by the same regulations.
The clerk, who had the opportunity OF
handling the funds which passed
through the hands of Lieutenant
Briggs, as an administrative n dis
bursting officer, finally disappeared and
with him went more than $4,000.
Although Lieutenant Briggs had
nothing to do with the selection of
his chief clerk, he was held personally
responsible for the shortage in the
funds of his office and was asked to
make same good. For some months the
war department has been taking part
VI lib illOlAIiliJ pay LIN oPPiJ NIB - -
the deficiency created by the theft OF
his chief clerk. Lieutenant Briggs has
finally Interested United States Sem
ators Kean and Briggs in his case,
and an effort will be made to obtain
an act of Congress relieving him from
further responsibility in the matter.
The war department has decided that
it will refrain from taking further
-. Ia. x.4v+Il.v sa In,ty IN
give him a chance to get relief through
Congress.
1t is not so many years ago when
the headquarters of the National Rifle
Association vas in New Jersey. and
General Bird w. Spencer, Inspector
general of rifle practise, was the presi-
dent, having served for u number Of
years, and having devoted much of his
time and Tor for the benefit
of the cause. Some three or four years
ago there was a split in the association
and General Spencer was defeated for
the presidency M James A. Drain, OF
Washington, was elected.
Now Drain has had to relinquish his
office, and at a meeting of the associa-
ton held in this city Lieutenant John
c. Bates, u. S. army, retired, was
elected to succeed him. Albert S. Jones,
formerly Of Passaic, who first became
connected with the association
through the influence of General Spen-
GER, is still the secretary, a position he
has held for a number of years.
Serving as secretary of the Republic
can Congressional Committee for sew
eral years, Representative H. c. Lou
denslager, of Camden, is still continued
in that position, n he has also been
selected as the representative from New
Jersey on.the Congressional COMMITTEES.
Mr.. Browning has been in charge. of
the headquarters in New York city
through two campaigns. n each time
ne was assisted by William j. Brown
ing, chief clerk, and Frank Barto, of
Camden. 1t is probable that Mr.. Lou
denslager will have charge of the New
York headquarters X fall.
Jerseymen who took the examination
for positions in the Bureau of the Cen
sus will be glad to learn that the d.
rector of the census expects to put on
about 700 employees in the near future,
and ultimately he expects to have en-
ployment for $500 employees. The ell
! gibles on the rolls of the Civil Service
| Commission are being drawn on as rap
idly as there is work for the office
Many Of the clerks who ave been in
the employ of the Immigration Com
mission will be put on h census work
on account of having had experience
in tina sort Of statistics and handling
data very much like the census re-
port schedules will be.
Representative Kinkead, of New Jer-
sey, has introduced a bill granting an
increase in pension to James j. Ester
brook.