The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-10-09
The Blackville Outrage.

For long time PRIOR 10 the ISL O1
January complaint had been made that
there were irregularities in the manage
ment of the Blackville S. c., post-of.
fee. A special agent of the Post-office
Department was directed to investigate
these complaints. He did so, and made
a report under date of July 4th, 1879.
According to this report both Miss
I Maher, the postmistress, and her dep
uty, who was also her nephew, were
persons as unsuitable as could have
been found to place in charge of such
an Office. Letters mailed at the office
would sometimes lie there for weeks
before being sent, and letters received
if addressed to colored people or Re-
publicans, were often detained in a like
manner. During political campaign
| it was found impossible to send letter
through the office at all when it was
addressed to Republican either in or
| out of the State.
The Special Agent relates an instance
where a package of campaign docu-
ments was addressed to Republican
at Blackville. He called at the Office
after its receipt, but did not find it.
The next day he was waited upon by a
Democratic Committee, the spokesman
of which drew from his coat pocket a
number of the identical documents con-
taincd in the package, and from his
hip pocket a revolver. The Iightful
owner of the documents was ther
"quietly but peremptorily informed
that if he obtained said package from
the post-office his life would be the
forfeit" The agent continues: How
did the persons know of the existence
of the package and its whereabouts?"
He also relates an instance where q
similar package was received for per-
son who, on calling for his mail, was
informed that there was nothing for
him. A few hours later the mail car
rier, who had seen the superscription
on the package, asked him what 1t con-
tanned. He Immediately returned to
the post-office and found the package
open, its contents scattered over the
floor, and several citizens of the town
perusing and examining the same. The
agent continued: From my observa-
ton l can say that the post-office in
question is not managed in such way
as to insure security, as numbers OF un-
authorized persons not only enter the
office, but sit in the window where they
reach in and help themselves to such
mail as they deem proper to take"
According to the same report it ap-
pears that the postmistress was ad-
dictedt to ornamenting and decorating
the post-office with flags, ETC., on DEM
ocratic glorifcation and speech-making
days." and also to waving flags her
self from the post-office windows" on
such occasions. The agent thought
that this was "in violation of a true
system of civil service reform" In
conclusion, the agent recommended the
removal of the postmistress and the ap-
pointment of Frederick Nix, whom he
described as an efficient, competent
man, and one who Re was satisfied
would make trustworthy officer.
Mr.. Nix was duly appointed and en-
tered upon the duties of his office. The
change was of course distasteful to the
Blackville Democracy, because, to the
crime of being Republican, Mr.. Nix
adds that of being a colored man. Sem
ator NJ. G. Butler interested himself in
the matter, and on the 14th inst. wrote
letter to the Postmaster General, in
which he said:
!.I was greatly disappointed when 1
learned that you had removed Miss
Maher at Blackville, S. c., and ap-
pointed in her stead one of the most OBJ
jectionable men, Fred. Nix, that can be
found in that entire community, and
the people who most patronize that
Office are sorely disappointed and dis
turbed. The complaint against Nix
does not result, either with myself or
the people of Blackville, from his being
a Republican, but because he is a tur-
bulent, violent, rude, offensive and in
competent man, wholly without the
character and qualifications necessary
for an efficient, Intelligent discharge of
you may be induced to reconsider this
appointment, and either restore Miss