Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-14
PRESIDENT HARDING'S
PRESIDENT ARDIN

in some of his appointments. AT
present one member of the national
republican committee, appointed
by the president to the important
position of prohibition enforce
r1ent officer for Montana, has
been removed from office and is
under investigation on serious
charges and we learn from Wash
ington that another member of The
National Republican, Joseph w.
Tolbert, of South Carolina, whose
name was sent to the senate, by
President Harding as United States
marshal in his home state, is be-
ing Investigated by a senate COM
mittee, his confirmation being held
up meantime. Our correspondent
says:
Investigation of charges against
Joseph w. Tolbert, to whom Pres
ident Harding has given a recess
appointment as United States mar
shall for the western district OF
South Carolina, has been undertake
en- by a new subcommittee OF the
senate judiciary committee. The
charges against Tolbert include
n that he was convicted and fin
ed for misusing funds of the post
office department when he was
postmaster at Ninety-six, South
Carolina,in 1894.
Members Of the new subcomrnit-
tee are Senators Colt Of Rhode Is
land, and Brandegee. of Connect
cut, republicans, and Senator Over
ton of North Carolina, democrat.
They succeed Senators Shortridge
of California, and Ernst of Ken
lucky, republicans, and Senator
Ashurst of Arizona, democrat, to
whom the charges were originally
referred.
The first committee called Toll
bert to appear and defend himself
against the charges being consld-
cred. but he failed to appear. The
present committee, it is announc-
ed. will insist on his appearance. 1t
is expected that several witnesses
who have written letters describ-
ing Tolbert's alleged practices in
connection with federal patronage
in his state will also be summoned.
Senator Dial Of South Carolina,
by whom the charges were laid be-
fore the judiciary committee, be-
lieves that the present investiga-
ton will result in the rejection of
Tolbert's nomination. Senator
Colt is a former judge, and it is
expected that he will be scrupulous
in protecting the court from the
reputation Of being represented by
unworthy attaches.
The record of the federal court
for the eastern district of South
Carolina shows that Tolbert was
was indicted on nine different
counts for taking money from the
post office at Ninety-Six during
his term as postmaster there. 1t
was proved that he used the money
in making purchases Of produce.
After a trial before Judge Brawley,
Tolbert was found guilty and fined
$50.
AS an additional ground for the
rejection of Tolbert's nomination
it is alleged that he has been ped
ding federal patronage in South
Carolina. Besides being republi-'
can national committeeman for
South Carolina, Tolbert is a ref
cree in the distribution of federal
appointments made by the Harding
administration. It is charged that
Tolbert has been collecting fees
of from 5000 to $500 from appli-
cants for federal jobs.
At leafs one witnesses is ex-
pected to testify before the COM
mittee that Tolbert had a plan for
creating competition for federal
appointments so that he could in
crease the amount of his fees. One
man wrote in a letter, now in the
committees possession, that Toll
bert would promise, on payment of
a given sum of money, to use his
influence in obtaining a federal ap-
pointment for III applicant, and
then tell another candidates for
the same position that he had a
rival. When the latter would
agree to pay $50 or 500 more than
applicant No. !, Tolbert would
back him for the job, it is alleged.
The renewal of the fight against
ToIbert's confirmation is expected
TO disclose to what lengths Presi-
dent Harding is willing to 20 for al