The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-08
COL. FRENCH ON THE STAND.
He Explains to the Commission the
Statements Made by His Accusers.
A Good Witness in His Own Behalf-He Has
Had No FavOrites, and Tempered
Justice with Mercy

The French investigation, yesterday, opened
with Josiah Hedges of Mansfield, o., postal
clerk, who testified that Mr.. French, in his opin-
ion, did not discriminate against soldiers, did
not display favoritism, and was an honest, com
petent and efficient official Mr. Duncan in
formed the commission, later on in the day, that
there were others present who had volunteered
to give similar testimony, but as it not
needed, he would not ask them to take the
stand.
w. W. Herick, referred to in the affidavit Of
Charles E. Thorpe as being the head clerk at
Pittsburg who had written to Mr. French, ap-
peared and took the stand. He said he now
lived in Cincinnati, and was a postoffice in
spector Was in Pittsburg during the weighing
of 1880. Had charge of weighing at that point
at that time There was no truth in Mr.. Thorpe's
statement. Mails were no heavier at that time
than they ordinarily were. Only the average
amount of material was carried during that
weighing season. did not write to Mr. French,
calling his attention to any unusual amount of
mail matter during the weighing on the Pitts
burg, Fort Wayne & Chicago. 1t was never the
subject of correspondence between Mr.. French
and myself at any time.
j. 7. Cunningham recalled to testify regarding
Mr. Thorpes accusation-Was present during
weighing in 1880. Had every opportunity posi-
BILE to see it done. There was no unusual guam
tity of mail matter or supplies carried while
weighing was in progress. Know this to be SO
because had charge of the weighing on the
lines east of Pittsburg
@. Jay French took the stand in his own be-
half-Am forty -three years old. Am superin-
tendent Fifth division railway postal service.
Live in Cincinnati. My division comprises the
States of Ohio Indiana, Kentucky and Tennes
see. Have been superintendent of Fifth division
since its formation, Oct g. 1874 Before that
had charge of the Third division, embracing the
Southern States. That was from July l, 1869,
until | came to Cincinnati under this present as
signment
Witness continued entering a separate and
distinct denial to each charge of favOritsm,
tyrannical treatment of clerks, discrimination
against Union soldiers, etc. He explained the
system OF checking errors and explained that he
required no more than was demanded by the
regulations, and that the system was the same
in all the divisions There is no custom
or order requiring clerks to check 100
errors against other clerks In promoting
clerks l take into consideration their general
fitness, capacity, etc. The superintendent of
divisions have nothing whatever to do with fix
ing Clle UlIne TOT weighing mall. Inc general
superintendent and the Second Assistant Post
master general fix that A superintendent of di-
vision has nothing to do with fixing the rate of
compensation We take the weights or have
them taken. consolidate them and send them to
the department at Washington. The cOmpensa-
ton of railway company is not
based on the weight carried on any
one train, but on all trains. A
superintendent of division cannot divert mails
from one trunk line to another without getting
an order from the department The reason that
clerks worked in one grade and were paid in an
other was on account of an insufficiency of APP
preparation. The effect of the Postmaster gen
erals order lOrder No. Al that men should be
paid in the grades in which they worked had the
effect of reducing the salary of four or five clerks
and gave eighty or ninety men promotion. There
were at that time so many new lines it all
the department could do to give us the men at
any salary. The fact of the small num-
! Der of reductions we had under that
order shows the condition of things at
! that time. | am required each year, before the
fiscal year begins, to make an estimate of the
number of men shall need in the department
1 have never yet had that estimate filed The
present fiscal year | asked for sixty additional
clerks and got fortytwo. We are now running
as closely We can to keep within the appro-
priation.
Mr.. French said of the upright case that it is
required on some lines, it gives sufficient ca
pacity for carrying large mails. The upright
case gives more storage room than any other.
| He explained that the diversion of the Southern
mails during the flood and the epidemic gave nc
increased expense to the government The first
cannon ball train was put on the Cincinnati line
| Feb l. 1877, and ran until March 81, 1877, when
| it was taken off. 1t was put on again April II,
1880. and stopped Jan. 90, 19s1-forty two weeks
There was weighing going on at the time the
first one was put on. 1t began March and
| lasted thirty days In determining compensa-
| ton it is not based on the mail carried on any
one train, but on every train. When the can
non ball train was dropped the same mail would
| be carried on the other trains The same ton
| mage would be carried There additional
expense to the government so far as paying the
| weight was concerned. No mails were diverted
to that train to go to the State of Michigan.
| Question-There has been considerable talk
| about the Bee-line night mail being changed
from the Decline at indianapolis and transferred
| to the Vandalia.
| Witness--The postal cars were put on between
| New York and St Louis, beginning Dec. l, 1875.
| At that time there was pool of all business be-
tween here and St Louis. The /. & St. L. and
| Vandalia were under control of one general man
| agement. AT that time there was only one pas
senger train day over the J. q st. l.. 1t is
possible the accommodation train ran out short
| distance but there was night train on that
road at ALL That was the reason of the trans
fering of the mails from the Decline to the Van
| dalia. Afterwards the pool was broken when the
! l. q St L. took up the second management
| that is, put on the night train. Weneverhad any
postal on the night train. The department
has adhered to its arrangement with the Wanda
| liza, and the same state of facts exists now as
did at that time, except as to
| the time of running the trains. Since
| this arrangement went into effect there has been
some change OF mails coming from the East by
the Decline. At that time the New York and
Chicago H. P. O., arriving at Cleveland at 1870
P. NJ, used to send the Missouri, Kansas and
Texas via the Decline, arriving at indianapolis
at IL p. NJ. There is no mail given to that line
at Cleveland now for west of the Mississippi, ex-
cept possibly Cleveland may send
Mr.. Duncan-No eastern mall
Witness, continuing-That is taken to Toledo
and sent over the Wabash.
Mr. Duncan-In the event of failure of the
Bee-line at this point to make connection with
the Vandalia. what is done with the mail?
Witness-It is laid over until the Vandalia
leaves here the next day at noon. The object in
sending it over the Vandalia s that it can be
distrihnted hnfore reaching 81 Iro11s