The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-20
Shortcomings az tho post.omec.

1 toboNtL fORBks CASE, AGAIN, WHAT NE.
| HENDERSON AND Mr.. CREME sAY--THE CAR
RfKEs DEPARTMENT IN TRcrBLH AGAIH--AR-
| REST AND COMMITMENT OF LEROY NJ. LEE.
For reasons known only TO the initiated.
II was supposed at the Pos,-Office Depart.
ment IN Washington that there existed sc.
rio Us irregularities In the post-oflice In this
city. Accordingly. on Friday last Special
Agents w. #. Henderson and 7. L. She'll
cross were directed to come down here and
make an investigation into the official af.
fairs Of Postmaster w. w. Forbes. IL took
them but n litiie while to ascertain The fsct
that he was short In his accounts 10 the
amount OF 24,S54.37. His salary, It appears.
IL Oyerdrawn s2,629 20, vouchers existing
IN the office TO tbst amount, and the balance
is shortage at the stamp. window, or rather
from moneys received there. No crimi-
nalfy, however, is attached 10 Mr. Dobson
In consequence ty the agents. as Colonel
Henderson says that, from The investigation,
he II satisfied that Colonel Forbes has from
time TO time called upon the stamp clerk for
money, and had neglected 10 give him
vouchers for the same.
A draft WAS sent to Mr. Henderson
to-day for The amount OF deficit, and
Colonel Forbes was given until next
supposed that the suretes on his official
bond. only one or two OF whom reside here,
will meet and make good the deficit. II
this is done the Government will be satis-
| fed. The special agents conducting the
Investigation say that Assistant Postmaster
| Holidays accounts were found 10 be strict.
| ly correct, and they have no reason to doubt
I his veracity or the correctness Of bis ac-
counts. Moreover, Mr.. Holiday is one Of
the bondsmen, and is, therefore, beyond all
others in the po>t-ofiice, the one who Is
freest from any connection with any irregu-
larity.
Colonel Forbes IL still at the post-oflice,
but Colonel Holiday, the assistant postmas-
ter, virtually has charge OF affairs. The
specia! agents left for Washington at p.
N. yesterday, and will return on Thursday.
Nj. Crane, the accountant at the post
office, requests us 10 contradict 4 published
statement alleging that he mas vouchers in
his possession showing that Colonel Forbes
had Overdrawn his salary TO the amount OF
g, 800 90. Mr.. CRANES ledger account,
ported from the records OF the assistant
postmaster TO 1st July, shows balance
against Colonel Forbes OF S1,S94. Colonel
| I1olladay has vouchers in his possession
showing that over and above this amount
Colonel Forbes has drawn in the past two
years 1888. and is personally liable for dis
allowed claims against the Department
amounting to Sl2I. Total Gncluding an
old balance OF S15), S2.G04. The general
postal account with the Post-Otfice Depart
mtnt, which is made up at the end OF every
quarter, shows for the quarter ending 30th
June balance due to tile Department OF
S3,S9G.0j. This account Will be audited in
few days. and the balance Us ascerained
by the auditor will be reported TO the post
master. Whatever that balance may be will
be the true amount due by the postmaster
10 the Department.
Hon. Green B. Raum, United States Com
missioner OF Internal Revenue. yesterday
telegraphed to Colonel o. ii. Russell, au-
thoriZing bin To receipt to Postmaster
Forbes for all the United States revenue
staups in the Richmond post-oflce. These
stamps baye heretofore been sold at the
post-oiilce: in future they can only be OBJ
tained from the office OF the Collector OF
United States Internal Revenue.
Directly after the arrest and conviction
OF Baugh irree ulaiities in the delivery on
one OF the carriers routes wes developed,
and be has been under watch ever since
but urgent business in other parts OF
their extended territory has prevented
the agents from pushing matters In
that direction. On yesterday, however
the special agents above mentioned made
complaint before United States Commits.
sIonPr Atkins that Leroy VI. Lee [coiored)
Letter.C Carrier No. 3, OF the Richmond post
office, was guilty OF retaining register ed
letters and embezzling money therefrom.
Lee was at once arrested, and All eXamina'
tion was had by the Commissioner.
Messrs Henderson and Shellcross te,ti-
fed that when they asked Lee in the morning
where his registered book was. he said il
was lost. lie henderson, found the book
in Lees wardrobe, in rear Of his desk in
the post Office, and in it found several re-
gistered letters (Which were then eXhibited),
all but one being found opened and rifed
OF their contents; that one had the ap-
pearance OF having been opened and then
| resealed.
Mrs. Julia A. Hughes testified that the re-
eislered letter addressed TO her had never
been delivered to her, and that she had
never seen 1t until it was shown to ber at
the post-Oflice by Mcssrs. Henderson and
Shellcross, the special agents, and that the
letter was rifled OF its contents.
Martha DAVIS, whose registered letters
had not been delivered. and who had not
seen them until yesterday morning, testified
to about the same thing. (Her letters had
also been ritlcd.l
Celia Green testified that her letter bad
been delivered, but it was open and the
money gone.
The Commissioner sent Lee on to The fall
term OF the United States Court, which
meets in October next. The accused was
committed.
Lee was represented by Hon. A. NJ,
Kelley.