Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1892 — OWEN VINDICATED. [ARTICLE]

OWEN VINDICATED.

Senators Chandler and Hale and the Democratic Chairman of the House Immigration Committee Ex- » onerate Him From Nettleton’s Charges. t * The Indianapolis Journal and the News of Friday contain accounts of the proceedings in the investigation of the difficulty in the Immigration Department which completely vindicate Hon. W. D. Owen, Supt., of Immigration. The testimony shows that Mr. Owen did not suggest or furnish facts for the investigation of Nettleton’s management of Ellis Island. Congressman Stumps, the democratic chairman of the House committee gn Immigration, testified that he began the investigation himself and furnished the facts upon which the investigation was based. Senator Chandler, chairman of the Senate committee, and Senator Hale both corroborated the statement. It was also shown that Nettleton had been jealous of the Supt. of Immigration ever since the office was created, that for six weeks after its creation he continued to conduct the whole business of the department without referring or permitting a single item of business to reach the tuperintendent; that at that time Secretary Foster

construed the law and designated the duties of the superintendent. After that time Nettleton continued to harrass the superintendent, discharging Supervisors at the different ports without notice to the superintendent so that in the transaction of his business he frequently addressed cor responder ce to officials who had been out of office a month or more. Air. Owen testified that he discontinued all personal relations with the Assistant Secretary of the’ Treasury January Ist, and that since then al business had been carried on by correspondence. It is quite likely that Nettleton will be relieved as the whole difficulty has been on account of bis jealousy and bis unwillingness to surrender partof the patronage which under the old law belonged to him.