National Republican., 1883-10-16
PAUL VAN DERvooRT.
He states H,s Case In General Carr

He States His Case In n General Card.
To THE PUBLIC On the third Of September
last on my return to Omaha from putting
new railway postal service on the Oregon
Short Line road, an employe of the railway
postal service, named j. d. Stacey, presented
himself at my Office with a telegraphic order,
directing him to take charge of the office.
This order, as have since been informed, was
intended to be n notification Of my removal
from the Office of chief clerk of the railway
postal service at Omaha, Neb., and thore-
upon turned, over TO Clerk Stacey the Office.
Other official notification l had mono, and
was unaware that any charges had been made
against me. On learning, however, through
the public prints, that | was accused of being
absent from my post of duty with
out leave and negecting my business,
/ addressed letter TO the post
master general, demanding hearing.
and, receiving no reply, proceeded in person
to Washington and personally renewed the
request. A hearing was granted on Oct B.
when | filed written reply to the charges
furnished by the postoflice department to the
newspapers. At this hearing the only other
person present, beside the postmaster general
and myself, was General superintendent of
Railway Service William b. Thompson, and
during the hearing he presented a written
period of my term as commander in chief of
the Grand Army, but tho entire period of my
service as chief clerk-about nine years. Tho
charges contained in this bill were taken up
seriatum by the undersigned in the presence
of the postmaster general, and refuted point
by point, and at the conclusion of this
hearing Postmaster General Gresham di-
rected copy of these written charges to
be furnished mo, to which, on tho fifth of
October, filed asworn statement denying the
truth of every allegation, aud furnishing the
necessary evidence to substantiate my state
ment. Upon receiving this sworn rejoinder of
mine the postmaster general promised to give
mo a decision in few days. For nearly a
week. however he was confined to his house
| by illness, and upon his recovery removed
my request for decision. He then informed
me that he was satisfied that was honest
and truthful, and afterward rendered me the
| position of register of government land
office in Dakota This offer declined, since
l was not desrous Of obtaining another gov
ernment office, but simply of vindicating my
character, which had been grossly and wan
tonly assaied On Saturday last, Oct. 13, he
again notified me that had been appointed
special customs agent at Port Townsend,
Washington territory, and that he (the post
master general) would at the same time re-
woke the order removing me from the office
of chief clerk.
On the following day, Oct. IA, called per-
sonally on Postmaster General Gresham and
informed him that inasmuch as l had dis
proved absolutely every charge brought
against me l was entitled to be fully rein
stated in the office from which had been re-
moved. and that as / was not desirous of gov
ernment office could not and would not ac-
cept this appointment, and that all / asked
was that he would publicly announce my in
nocence of the charges, and reinstate me in
the office from which had been removed. In
reply to this declaration of mine, he requested
me to call at the postotfice department the
following morning Oct Is. did SO, and re-
quested him to give me o final decision at
once, whereupon he said that he would be
willing to reinstate me providing that would
hand in my resignation at the same time. To
this l replied that could accept no such offer
and he then requested me to consult my
friends in regard to it. / did so at once, and
they advised me to adhere to my original
determination to accept nothing short of q
reinstatement in the office from which had
been unjustly removed. l thereupon, the
same day, notified Postmaster General
Gresham of my decision, and requested him
to inform me definitely as to whether he
would reinstate me or not and he thereupon
definitely refused to renstate me.
In proof of the statements contained il
this card, stand ready to produce the evi
dence of witnesses of unquestioned crediblity
and high official standing.
PAUL VAN DERvooRT,
Late Chief Clerk, Railway Postal Service.
Omaha Neb.