The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-29
THE FRENCH INVESTIGATION
Several of His SubOrdinates Testify
in Their superintendent Behalf
They Refute the Statements Of the Prose.
cutting Witnesses, and Apply the
Whitewash Literally.

The first witness called before the French in
vestigating commission yesterday forenoon was
David P. Davis, of Cincinnati. He testified
that he went into the railway mail service as
third clerk and was now in the Office of Mr.
French, detailed as examining clerk. He was
given charge of a within fourteen months
after entering the service and thought that his
promotion was due to the fact that he passed
better examinations than other clerks; passed
the best examination in the division. Took out
the first run on the Cannon ball train April II,
1880 Continued on that train till Jan II, 1881.
The Cannon ball was taken off Jan. 20, 1881.
No mail was diverted from its usual course to
be taken on that train. The general weighing
had ceased before the Cannon-ball was put on.
That train was put on to carry the Cincinnati
papers. These papers were weighed on the train
for postage, as they did not go through the
Cincinnati Office During the food
of 1888 was detailed for duty at the stockyards,
a short distance outside of Cincinnati, to
see that mails were promptly dispatched as
trains could not enter the city. There was never
any delay in mails there at any time. Trains
left regularly, and no mail ever accumulated
there. Only lasted about four days. Mr.. Haus-
d
probationary appointment, and as his examina-
tons were very poor did not secure regular APP
pointment, his record not emitting him to one
At his last examination Mr.. Hausman leaned
forward and said to me that he would give $50
for 80 per cent. on his examination. The mails
from the East laid over here made as good time
by being sent over the Vandalia at noon as they
would over the l. & ST. L. leaving in the morn
ing, as the Vandalia has larger force of clerks,
and the Vandalia reaches ST. Louis in time for
the evening connection. The result of my
knowledge and experience of Mr. French is that
he is just and impartial in his treatment
of the and agreeable to them. Have
never known of any ill-treatment of clerks by
Mr.. French or any unjust discrimination.
During the weighing of mails things went in as
they usually do There was no unusual increase
and no sacks or pouches sent that should not
have been. I acted as third clerk from August,
| 1871 to December, 1877 when l was made a
second clerk. Was second clerk from December,
1871 to October 1878, when was made a clerk
in charge. Do not belong to Mr.. French's
church; belong to his Sunday school, Was not
/ acquainted with Mr.. French until after appoint
ment as third clerk Was recommended for ap-
pointment by Senator Stanley Matthews
w. ]. Ballard. of Cincinnati-Am head clerk
on Cincinnati and Nashville railroad postoffice.
Was reared in Kentucky and was in the Union
army. Have been in the railway mail service
fourteen years. The only occasions when the
mails on that route were diverted during
the yellow fever epidemic and the food, when it
was unavoidable, as the mails could not reach
their destination by direct route. Have known
Mr. French between nine and ten years.
Meet him often and consider him
a fair impartial and honest official.
Never considered the mails other than fairly and
honestly weighed. No unusual amount of mail
time of weighing Mr. French does not accord
ing to my observation, discriminate against
Union soldiers. Do not know whether they
We're weighing mail on the Vandalia at the time
these mails were diverted from their usual
course by the flood the epidemic
Questionable Vandalia still collects money
for carrying that mail, which only came here
temporarily | wish to know whether it was the
fair thing to weigh that mail and have it charged
to the government for the next ensuing two
yearsl [Obiected to not being legitimate cross
examination to Mr.. Duncan's examination in
chief. Objection sustained
QuestOn-lf you were weighing mail your
route, and there was some mail thrown to your
car which you knew was coming only for a day
or two because of something the matter on the
other route, would you consider it proper to
weigh it! Objected to. Objection sustained.
A. Keller superintendent of mails at depot,
Columbus, O.-Been in the mail service three
years next April. Got appointed through request
of Governor Foster, Judge Nash and others
Work day work twelve hours a day, seven days
in the week, and have lost but few days in
three years. Superintend the making of trans
fers at the depot. Know nothing outside of the
depot, but from personal observation there con
slider Mr. French competent, honest and eff
Gent officer.
Harry II. Hanover-Am in the postal service,
clerk in charge on the Pittsburg & Cincinnati;
live in Cincinnati. Know Ferd Hausman. Have
had two weighings since l have been on road.
We do carry empty pouches. 1t is necessary to
carry them, and they carried for our conven-
fence. No unusual amount of empty sacks car
ried during weighing time; no more than we get
now Always have some They have to get
back to New York, or New York would soon run
out of ties. The weighing of mails at the times
l have seen were honestly and fairly done.
Would have reported them if had thought 9th
erwise. Come in contact with over 200 postal
clerks forty on my own road. From
my knowledge of Mr. French's manner of
treating men think him fair and impartial. Do
not know of any clerks that he has overworked.
Never saw man that was worth one cent in a
| postal car who would run Mr.. French down. 1t
is one of the requirements of the department
| that all errors in transmitting mail shall be
| be noted Have not checked hundred errors
in thirty days in four years. Could not find
one hundred to check. Never received u letter
from Mr. French that was neglecting my duty
for failing to check one hundred No require
ment to check hundred. Have heard of Mr..
French accommodating men by transferring
them so that they could be near home. Never
saw an accumulation of mail at Cincinnati
during the flood of 1883. No mail allowed to
accumulate there Have been fined once. 1t
was 81 %. and over two years ago. Spoke to
Mr.. French about it. He told me make a state
ment and he would forward it to the department.
The amount was too small, and let it go. Have
no knowledge of Mr.. Frenchs refusing to listen
| to complaints. Know only of my own case and
he listened to that
Mr.. Ballard, recalled-Never saw an order in
this division requiring a postal clerk to check