New-York tribune., 1871-11-04
PLOT AND C0UVTKRPLoT IN TIE HART.
...... FORD ,POS5-0FFTCE


retains his pcaon az Collector Of the port of NewYork
Notwithstanding the serious charges which hava baen
made against him but Government onieer In this eY
Postmaster Whitaker-has been removed, because act
ing the advice Of GoveFnment detectiyes Ia made
In his reports b tho Department for two quarters An
equalization Of his payroll, which did not change the
footing as 1t should be- His removal has excited a rood
deal OF interest oil the State and especially hare In
Hartford, where 1t L k1egn that Gov Jevers In.
uence with the Administration has bean TIA c.usa Of
the change. The accounts Of the affair a. puhlished
here and In New York, have 'been 1oss exaggersons
and THE TRIBUNE correspondent desirous Of presenting
tho facts they are has made thorough examination
Of persons and papese and now prepared to narrste
what to be very singular proceeding on the part
OF the Administration and Of the few individuals who
have contributed to the result finally attained.
When Gen. Grant took the Presidential ofHce there
were leading candidates the Postmastership
of this city-Gen. whitaker who had made handsome
and Mr. H. p spey, one Of the propretors of TIE Post
newspaper, In which Gov. Jewell interested part
ner 6perry the indorsement Of the Governor and
others, while Whitaker had petition signed by aOOO
soldiers and got the appointment which TIE Posi- the
ne 1t day that It's announced said was lone
not t be made" The Post subsequently savagely at
tackled Grants Administration, aud it created much
comment In political circles that Gov. Jewell, who was
known TO be a adherent Of the President and
then candidate before the people, published card In
which said that he had disposed Of his interest in the
paper Whitaker unfortunate at the outset in
curing as money-Order clerk one p. B. Hathaway who
became defaultcr to the amount Of &562, which the
Postmaster was obliged to make up to the DepaFtm ent.
Hathaway's defacatIon was used against Whitaker by
his enemies and 1t represented and was not con-
indicted that tho appointment was on the sco1e OF old
acquaintance regardless OF fitness when In point Of fact
1t was made the special written recommendation Of
United States Senator Buckingham Hathaway lost bis
money by gambling and through Whitakers influence
the faro establishment where he had lost 1t broken up
and by his exerons the abscondng clerk was arrested
in Iowa and brought back, and subsequently forfeited
the bonds which the United states Court had placed him
under.
The chief clerk in the office, when whitaker entered
upon his duties Oliver Woodhouse who had been in
the Office under successive Administrations for about 20
years He applicant, though not q very promi-
nent candidate, for the Office Of Postmaster when Whit
ar and Sperry were seeking It, Whitaker retained him
as head clerk. There had been, itappears, numerous
missing letters reported to the Department having
failed pass through the Hartford Office, and during
the Summer Of 1870 Detective B. H. Camp here TO
make investigation Before he had made much progress
he told Whitaker that he almost convinced that the
chief clerk committing depredauons; but Whitaker
rebeled at this and said to the detective very empha
caly that could not be possible Camp persisted that
he the right track and then said that would be
necessary in order to make his work successful to en-
on the chief clerk" whitaker knowing that the detec
tive was responsible agent OF the Department,
sened cooperate with hm in his plans, though he
riOusly questioned the conclusion which Camp
had reached. Camp then went ahead, virtually
having the control Of the Office One OF his
instructions TO the Postmaster 70 prepare quietly
possible for the arrest Of woodhouse but TO see 10 1t
first that other clerks famiarized with the cOmDli-
Gated work performed at his desk so that the public
service would not feel the loss. Whitaker made ar
rangements accordingly About the LIST OF September
Mr. L. W. Allen entered the Office as an expert under
Camps orders, vacancy being made at the stamping
clerks table for him. where he proceeded to work as
croep clerk He was placed desk that he would
have a favorable opportunity to watch decoys. The
matter Of paying him coming mp between Camp and tho
the former said that IL must DC nxed on the
roll and the allowance to the Office was not sufficient
he would assist in getting an increased allowance Be
this the Postmaster had agreed to pay his brother
William Whitaker who chief distributing clerk at
an advanced rate, for that quarter, his duties
having been increased by the sickness OF his AS
sistant but the employment OF Apen compelled
the payment TO him for only two months Of the
quarter at the increase agreed upon. When
filling M the payroll Allen required pay at the rate Of
$40 yearly The roll had for years been signed in blank
and no objections made the object being to make
each clerks salary confidential with himself Postmaster
Cleveland carried out this plan during his adminstra-
tiOD. Allen advised the transcript OF several amounts
clerk was getting than had before been paid the
stamping clerk Whitaker here consulted his counsel" and
was advised that he should do requested that as
detective measure performed under the advice OF agents
for special purpose it was certainly justifaOle espe-
ciay as il did not change the credit obtained nom the
Government decrease the amount paid any clerk
1t has sad Of the garbed reports OF this
transaction that the clerks cheated and robbed
but Whitaker obtained from them statement that each
and every one received their pay agreed upon and
this statement is now ON file with the department ~
70 seee ST Sy cor ESth Because as said
the Teat s 81 the man e r Tai ss Ses that the
time. advised the Postmaster 70 remove Woodh9use, &
be clearly established though ne himself had doubt
OF his guilt hut because he was opposing the plans ana
regulations of the office. and in that was inurng the
public service. But Whitaker preferred IN view OF tue
positive asscveratiOn Of the detectives that Woodhouse
cen ws after eonsdersbs delay M sharres Of
York appeared and said 70 the Postmaster am IN;
Whitaker replied that he had expressed no such OPINION
but that Camp and Allen were confident OF IT, sharTets
and during his absence woodhouse was disposed TO ds
obey orders In matters relating to the tansier OF
the stamp clerk; Whitaker then informed him tnet nc
must find other employment, but did not summarly es
miss him This was July last theh % the
payroll The Governor at once wrote 10 Washington to
copy Of the roll and followed up BY SicS 9s %ss
done Mr. coming ,h I9. tns s9 Prrsah
F. FhS
away. Here then was Wo0dhouse, VINO AZ tns xeiy lt
With e o hs
Of matter that properly 6eonsea 70 the Sa,actye out
on not to watch the saspectsd party bat to make It
"hot for Whitaker" a. was at the time expressed,
Concluded his He Was looking after Wood
house while Woodhouse had the conndence Oh , re
moved WoodhOuse Ang. a, and thus created storR VI
inGlgnauon AZ certain elrelss. sS rhova m donbt