The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-01-18

sumner and the report to be delayed
year.
In addition to the authority conferred
upon the courts to punish for con-
tempt any witness who may decline to
answer questions or who defaults in
any manner it is provided that when
d witness is declared in contempt he
shall be deemed guilty of misde-
meanOr.
Upon conviction, punishment would
be a fine not exceeding $1,000 nor less
than 800 or Imprisonment in the COM
mon Jail not more than l year nor less
than one month.
Hitchcock Persona non Grata.
Mr. Hitchcock suggested to the
committee that the following govern
ment employees be called to furnish
specific information, explaining that
he was persona non grata with the
interior department, and that the COM
Mite was in a better position to obtain
the facts:
J. d. Yelverton, chief of division P,
or his associate Bert Marshall, or
Irving Rittenhouse, chief of the ac-
counts division, general land office.
concerning the purchase of desks, FL
ing cases, etc, out of the million dollar
fund; Frank Bond, chief cleark of the
general land office, cOncering 80 odd
clerks performing ordinary clerical
duties not connected in any way with
the protection of the public. domain,
though so paid.
Concerning the, office of chief of the
field service, occupied by H II.
Schwartz, the statement alleges that
pc sition was created for Mr.. Schwartz
without warrant of law, his salary be-
ing raised from $4,000 as special agent
t. $4,000 as chief of field service. or
500 more than his immediate superior
tie assistant commissioner His mes
senger'S salary was also raised from
1920 a year to $500, it is alleged
File System Mixed.
Mr.. Hitchcock suggested that doubt
less the other excessive salaries and
large expenditures were paid out of
this fund. and recommended inVeStiga-
fcin of statements made in an anOny
NOUS letter to him that declared Mr..
BallinGer's system of files had 80
mixed, confused and befogged the
clerks, that there is now absolutely
nc one who knows anything about
anything that appertains to the Office
re curing more than 100 clerks against
l. under the old system.
Special agents, says Mr.. Hitchcock,
have been selected from clerks at
Washington. who know practically
nc thing of the lands of the west, nor
Of fraudulent methods, or of law. He
cites particularly the case of Howard
L. Wilcox, appointed by Commission
er bennett, Mr.. SchWartZs endorse
ment of Wilcox recommending him
as a near dentist
L have been told as matter of
fact, adds Mr.. Hitchcock that the
real reson for the appointment was
that Wilcox was bosom friend of
Mr.. Ticker, chief clerk of the interior
department.
Demand ltemized Statement
Mr. Hitchcock suggests that the
committe demand an itemized state
ment of expenditures under the fund
md avoids reference to the questions
# favoritism and fraud in the land
office because he says they are mot
questions the committe can properly
investigator
The committee probably will meet
text Saturday to. continue the investi-
cation.
Mr.. Hitchcocks statement said
Chairman Mcclure of the committee
was based solely, as he said to the
committee, on rumorS. We are going
to the bottom of the matter and I
have not detected any disposition on
the part of any member of the COM
mittee to be otherwise than entirely
fair to both Sides"