Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-03
Declines Offer of Hearing on
Ground Accountants Inves-
tiqation Is Unofficial.
REPLIES TO THE LETTER
OF CHAIRMAN JOHNSON
Auditor of the Supreme Court Of the
District Appointed by That
Tribunal.

Under date of May % Chairman Ben
Johnson Of the House District COM
mittee wrote to Louis A Dent, auditor
of the Supreme Court of the District,
him an opportunity OF a hear
ing before q subcommittee of the Dis
trict committee on the proposition to
place the auditors office on q salaried
basis. urged by Accountant Spalding in
his recent report to Mr.. johnson. a
resume of which was printed in The
Star last Thursday. togther with Mr.
Dents reply.
This offer Of hearing has been de-
clined by Mr.. Dent, who contended that
the investigation and report by Mr..
Spalding were personal and unofficial
and without authority Of law, and that
therefore it would be improper and in
eficacious to seek a hearing in re-
Spouse.
The resolution under which Mr.. Spald-
ing acted in the matter by direction Of
Chairman Johnson is that under which
the investigation was undertaken of
States and the District of Columbia,
and authorized an examination into
the accounts of the District of Column
bfa with the United States and the acts
Columbia
Not District Official.
The auditor of the Supreme Court is
not District official. He Is appointed
by the justices of the Supreme Court
Of the District of Columbia That
dcers of which are under the dtrec-
80
accounts and administration, like the
judges themselves. are under the su-
pervision of the President, through the
Attorney General
MT. Dent in his comments on Mr..
spalding's report printed last week,
called attention to the fact that the At
torney General, through one Of his spe-
ctal examiners, had last January made
an investigation into the subject and
submitted his report to the Senate in
response to resolution Of that body.
It Is contended that legislation with re-
spect to the courts of the District has
never been and is not properly the sub
tect Of consideration by the District of
Columbia committee. but falls under
the Jurisdiction Of the judiciary COM
mittee.
The report Of the Attorney General
with respect to the Office of the auditor
was referred to the Senate judiciary
committee.
Reply Of Auditor Dent.
The auditors letter. dated June 2, is
as follows:
II have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt Of your letter Of the 22nd OF
May, tnclosing a copy Of a report OF
Mr.. William w. Spalding. relating to the
Office Of the auditor Of the Supreme Court
Of the District Of Columbia, said report
purporting to be the result Of an investi-
cation made by Mr.. Spalding under
House resolution 203 of the Sixty third
Congress- and in pursuance of directions
courteously inform me that II I desire
a hearing before the subcommittee which
has charge Of this matter you will ar
range for such as soon as possible.
Il am advised that House resolution
No. 203 authorizing the committee on
committee thereof to make certain In
vestigations, and appropriattng $4,000
for the expense thereof does not en-
brace the office Of auditor of the Su-
preme Court Of the District of Colum-
bia or the discharge of my duties as
such officer. The auditor Of the Su-
preme Court of the District Of Column
bia is not an Officer or employe (past
bia," and as such auditor I have had
no business dealings or transactions
with the District of Columbia.
Acts Only Under Court.
The auditor of the Supreme Court of
the District of Columbia is an appointee
of the court; acts only under specific
orders or DEGREES of the court in each
instance in civil causes pending in said
court He receives no salary or compen-
sation from the government of the United
States or from the District Of Columbia,
either directly or indirectly. under either
executive or legislative authority; Is sub
ject to no orders or directions from the
District Of Columbia, or any officer, agent
fully execute any such orders or direc-
tons, If given. Nevertheless. when Mr..
Spalding called upon me gave to him, as
q matter of personal courtesy to you, such
Information pertaining to the once as he
1T now appears. by his report, that
Mr.. Spalding, who has been most as
tute to discover supposed technical
grounds for criticism Of the conduct
Of the office. has entirely overlooked
the limitations imposed upon the
powers and authority of the commit
tee on the District of Columbia by
the very resolution under which he
has assumed to act. The committee
DeluB WllAOul any J0AAo0ASIAoh VI dh-
thority in the premises, as you will
Instantly recognize upon reading the
terms Of House resolution 203, it
would be obviously ineficacious and
improper for me to ask any hearing
by the committee or subcommittee
thereof with respect to the matter.
Notwithstanding this, however, I
feel it to be my right and duty to
state that none Of the criticism Of me.
and by inference of the justices of the
court, set forth in this unofficial docu-
ment, has any Just foundation in fact
or law, and that it was grave intus-
tice to give publicity thereto, by print
ing and circulating such criticisms I'M
der the appearance of congressional
authority and at public expense when
they are in fact but the ex parte and
unofficial criticisms of private per-
son having no authority and no re-
sponsibiltty. other than personal. in the
premises"
CHAUFFEUR TO BE TRIED.