The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-01-26
some HOT STUFF
Democratic Congressman Files Sensation
al Charges About
Use OF PUBLIC MONEY

Use OF PUBLIC MONEY
Hitchcock Declares to House Com
mittee That Funds OF the Interior !
Department We're Improperly Used
in Paying Private Travelling E1-
penses OF Ballinser's Nephew.
Somewhat waning interest in the
investigation OF the so-calied Bal
linge--Piachot controversy was
quickly revived in congress Monday
BY sensational charges against Sec
-eta-y Balliager. Of the interior de-
pa.tmen,. aad other officials. fled
By Representative Hitchcock. (Den-
ocraD, OF Nebraska. with the com
m!t,ee ca expenditures in the interi-
or department. and incidentally by
the sena;e's adoption OF the inves.i-
CATION resolution agreed upon in coa-
ference. The house will adopt th>
resolution later.
The mos: important allegation Of
NJ. Hitchcock is that funds OF the
interior department were improper
" used in paying private travelling
| expenses 81 Secretary BallinSer's
nephew. The secretary and other
| oMc!a!s Of the interior department
| will DO subpoenaed before the house
onm!ttee on expenditures to which
Nc. Hitchcock's charges were ad-
dressed.
The statement asserts that when
Nr. Balliager became commissioner
OF the general land Office. the 20
sition be held before entering the
cabinet. he reduced the salary Of
Law Clerk Wrigh. so that Judge
w.icht's $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.. Bal
l!nSer's order. OF confidential clerk.
l have been told Wright died OF dis
appo!rtmen. aad humiliation soon
thereafter
Jack Balliager remained gear
in the service, the statement says.
his manner os living. about the tim.
his uncle resigned. IN March. 1908,
being alleged TO illustrate the recs.
less expenditures Of the land OF
ace.''
1T was announced" the seatenen,
goes on to say. that young Jack
Sallinger was leaving the land Of
sce to resume law practice In Sc
attic. In order that he might re
ceive q final rake-oT be was desig
mated as special temporary inspec
!, tor Of Offices. an evident outragt
on the treasury. This enabled hin
to draw travelling expenses FROM
washington to Seattle and pc:
, diem also. Within two weeks afte'
: he reached Seattle. he resigned. a:
. understood in advance. and resumed
. law practice. including. OF course
practice before the land Office ou
. there and also in Washington.
Er. Hitchcock declared this to b
only one OF man! outrages oa th'
treasury which can BE- found. The
s,atenea. was presented by Ar
, Hitchcock at a meeting OF the con
ni,,ee called to permi, him to sub
stantiate his charges Of extravaganza
in the interior department
The committee decided % !ssu'
suhpoenas on Secretary Ballinses
i. Commissioner bennett. OF the gen
earl land ottlce. and all others inter
ested In the charges 20 appear a!
witnesses before the committee mex
Wednesday morning. The affidavit:
alleges improper use Of the millioI
dollar appropriation "tor the pro
lection o: the public domain. mount
Ing into the tens OF thousands o.
dollars the erection OF a certain
large brick chimney 70: land Of
ace 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 (eit.
ing the case OF Chief OF the Field
Service Schwartz as this instance)
long expense bills. which cove!
long ext: ACTS from the newspaper
sent in by travelling representative.
OF the general land Office. selection
Of special agents not at all qualified
etc.
/ Mr.. Hitchcock suggests to the
committee that certain employees OF
the general land Office be called to
furnish specific information. explain
ing that he was persona non-gTata
with the interior department. and
that the committee was in q better
position to obtain the facts concern
ing odd clerks performing ordinary
clerical duties. not connected IN any
way with the protection OF the pub
lie domain. though so protected.
Concerning the Office OF chief OF
the Held service. occupied By II. Il.
Schwartz. the affidavit alleges that
| position was created 70. Ar.
Schwarts without warrant OF law. bis
| salary being raised from $4,000 as
special agent to $4,000 as chic; o.:
Geld service. or $500 more than his
immediate superior. the assistant
! commissioner His messengers sal.
a-y was raised from $120 year to
$500. i. IS alleged. although all other
land office cessengers receive the low
er rate out Of the regular !uld.
Mr.. Hitchcock recommended !nves-
| :igation o. statements made in an