The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-10
ONE PHASE OF GRANTISM.
fOsT OFFICE ADMINIsrRATION UN-
DER CREsWELL AND JEWELL.
Report Of the Committee on Post Onlces slow
Cborpennins Cresweii Helped Along the
Thievery, and how Jewell Winked at 1t
Just what The sun has snid for years.

Just what The sun has snid for years.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 0.-The Committee
on Post Ofnces and Post Roads, under the gene
Pal resolution adopted by the House OF hepre-
pentatives January II. 1879, has prosecuted
vigorous aud searching investigation Into the
abuses OF the Post once Department which
were, during the past two years, pointed out
and deliberately illustrated In the columns
Of The SUN. The examination has been
long and tedious one, and the committee
has been embarrassed at every step by the
distractions placed 10 the way OF thorough
investigation by tho Republican members
Of the committee and by the chief Officers OF the
department. But in the face OF oil these n'm-
tulties the committee has auccecded IN deVei-
pping state OF facts IN regard to the ADMINS
tration OF the Post once Department under the
late Postmaster General Crsswell' which con
urms I'm tho amplest manner all the charges of
fraud heretofore made by THE SUN. Aud, more
over II Is most conscusivcly demonstrated that
hi, successor. Mr. jewell whether from olitical
ponsldc CREATIONS or IN obedience to the commands
Of a hIsher authority. utterly failed to redeem
his high-sounding declarations about reforming
the countless abuses which, he admitted, he DIS
severed almost as soon as he entered upon the
nisohargo OF his duties. The report OF the com
mlttee details at length. and in an exceedingly
able aud dispass,onate manner, the results Of It's
isbors. It shows that under Creswells admin
istration there was a combinltio " two RIMS:
nfst, Ring Of contractors and straw bidd ers !;
and second, a Ring OF oficiils, embracing clerks
IL the contract on g. Tne evidence of II inds
developed the fact that many clerks IN the de-
partment were In The pay Of some OF these con-
Tractors.
ment. the committee report that either by direct
violation OF law or by adm nistering II under
vicious and questionable construction, the fol-
lowing corrdpt and evil practices obtained;
First Service was improydenily ana inc moderately
granted where no puoe demand existed or puohc CON
Second Kxorbiilnt prices we're allowed for services
when needed an the WORK when done.
Third Services wnen not rendered according 70 the
comtsct ctner IN spirit or measure were nevertheless
Fourth When fraud was detected on the part OF con.
tractors adequate action mas been taken by ofncals
TO either punish OF correct the fraud.
ni..ncs was Discovered, Inc department no sum
elem, Sss' 10 pqa,sh , 10 st b
Government lost snnuall', IN violation Of law aud
e a Pae. once tOS and ue pSO
ment.
1t appears in the evidence that these abuses
were rractiseo in the states OF Arkansas. Louis
In the Territories, including the Mississippi river
and Its tributaries. Tue routes openly held bv
forty, but they controlled others by powers OF
attorney. The land routes we're let In 1870 aud
1871 by PostmasteT-GeneIal Creswel aud 1t APP
pears from the evidence that they were adver-
tised Tor ID less number Of times Der week than
the old service. making a show OF economy
which nn.lly worKed inio the hands OF the Ring
by increasing the service 40 admirably that the
committee hnds II b lrd TO escape the conviction
that II was part OF a Irencditated programme.
The report alleges a positive violation OF the
law on Creswcil's part In relation TO the extern
Bivs frauos OF Peterson, and SAYS
Mr. Creswell puis In his testimony ofnci statements
snd per.9aa ,yidenee, - ,uYplemenla ther,to ~hicn
oiicIAl -cuoa but tnis defence mikes sucn cDnccs
siSn, csa. u To e." % i.s pn,pos ana to pn. ne
al ciiig either ais iue rtv or competency a. pubic
mony sugge't eitier col u-ion between the depart.
men' ava sroly dOsr-. or el.. criminal seuce
gro., i9eoIgs,Ae Ia d ts Ap'reh-nsol aud dl'
Peterson was wei knOsn IN The department. The
OF s. ond Assstan' Postni.t rGcneral snih. having
follower HI iurtnnes ruuns the war 10 regmrDtl ami
tractor on nnh'- advent IN the Pos ON e Depart.
depArtme. N.fnt bshf int ne h,d controlling IN.
& as sa nesee ae open,e Pf soSsrae
broker OF m'ddc m.h. sni va. wei own TO naye
out the-e coatrac.s Andye with fun know,edse q
nor Mr. smith ever deemed necessary to nve,tlsats
The matter q "a. Peterson contr.et. .ne manner in
nbridse his contracts out a. appears In the evidenee
sesa Atom tae dSpSr1neni ia the sb.eage Of any
certificate t-t the service had been rendered So this
ins the Whole admnisrstoa OF 'PSs;m iseTGeneral
jewell had been called to tse magnitude sSd eHorai.y
Of TIT Peterson frauas.
The committee specify a large number Of
needless routes, sustained at an expense Of
hundreds Of thousands OF dollars by Creswell.
On one particular route IL W $ shown that every
letter carried cost tue Govern nent from 500 10
t5OO
authorized and allowed to be paid, In violation
of the regulation Of the department, moneys
claimed Tor services before the certIhc ate that
said service has been performed was received by
the department, aud sometimes on evidently
FRAUDULENT certificates, pnrporting TO have come
IL Washington as tne ink was hardly DRY, and
sometimes on telesraphic des .ai ches Further
than THIS, there Is conclusive evidence, III the
Instance Of the SAWYER, Peterson, ana kittle
coDtract-. that In some DISTANCES the certh-
catos wer- apsDntel, false III that they certified
TO serve, never rendered, and yet, upon these
certncates, the claims were allowed and paid.
remark BILE feature Of this part Of the case Is
fnat Cieswell, knowing these Ring thieves as
well as he dlu. neither Instituted AN inyestiea-
tion INTO ,their fraudulent practices nor made
any attempt 10 e rect or unish them.
The committee IS Of the opinion that Jewell
NJ first III .nll steL a disposition To UrsAk up the
straw Tia syst sn and 10 econOmize Ia the ad-
mini-trdtiUn Ot the department. This re Il was
not long applIent. for he permitted toe Peterson
knew Them to DE fraudulent. and Kittle was not
only. al ,er being detected IN fraud, permitted
40 30 unpublished, tut was paid s@l.O0J more
than h " emitted TO, with tue fun knOwledg3
OF the Postmas er-Geuer-l, ana for "a reason that
neither stands good III law, nor Ia common
sense, nor IN ono ndelily. Jewell also dis
covered The NJ inside the department. In tho
contract office, but made no use u 1t. except TO
release al the guilty clerks, with Kittle, from
punishment, Tor the purpose, OstensiOlv, Of the
prosecution Of Hlnds, man VINO, the District
AttUrne, Informed hun, could not be convicted,
and who sesins 10 have become partner OF
hittle subsequent 70 kittle's corrup ion and
bribery Of cierAs. Tue report goes GU 10 say:
There Ia No evidence to sho that Mr. Jew had cor.
ruUt knOHedge oI thchr tyl prscti currently with
their eriseAce that be received In form
CA cement tucreroni tut ms failure l. correct the
abuses promptls IN the Instance VI Peterson aud to
punisn both nn- anu otherwise tne instance OF
kittc, aud the inconslde ate nj les release from
prosecution OF The guii.y officials tle department.
subject min justly censure aud critlcm lacking
a. Official competency anu vigilance, uispos d, for
political or other reasons 10 preyeut
INTO tue Of MS uecehsOrs administrations
eush a. would ave oeen lnedeni " thu prosecution Of
the gully cerks
We rel eat that action OF Mr.. Jewell with refer.
ence TO Pet"rton, ktle. tnd the clerks after fun
knowledge uf telf quit . uuaccoultabT, exec pit
after cOucrdng his personal tnegry-inat the inVes
tXstion lncdcnt 70 tnese prosecutions would have laid
open 20 The public view couuptons IN oitcr That par.
an concentrations made II A. iea't desirable 10 con
ceal.
Ia conclusion, the committee say that the yio-
Iations OF law, the extr vaghnce OF expenditures,
aud the general nrgligence IN toe supervision II
the anatis Of tue department. ana the failure
ell her to expO-e or no ecute tue violations OF
law Guung the administration OF POStm ister-
General OrssWell, should subject nim " tue
Censute 81 tIe House.
Iho req 81 X -i-ued by Congressman Clark,
Naduel, LItuel, Ainswodh, SemOns, anu
NcM.hJn.
The Depih oil Mining shafts.