The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-28
FRENCH RISES TO EXPLAIN.
He Begins the Introduction of the
Testimony for His Defense.
lie Concludes 1t Best to Employ an Attorney
to Represent His InterestS-A Number Of
Belated AttidavitS

The French investigation for the defense be-
gan yesterday morning, c. j. French being for
the first time during the investigation, repre-
sented by an attorney, John S. Duncan the well
known criminal lawyer, appearing in that ca
pacity Six affidavits which had come in during
the adjournment of the commission were adj
mitted as testimony. Two of these, one from
Ferd. Hausman, of Cincinnati, and the other
from John l.. Bomar, of Mt Sterling, KY, had
been received by the commission, and the re-
naming four by Mr.. Spahr, attorney on behalf
of compliments. These affidavits are in sub.
stance us follows:
Ferd. Hausman says he has been a clerk in
the railway mail service for eighteen years,
leaving that service in July, 1882, On the
charge of favoritism, AYERS that c. Jay French
has promoted clerks occupying third clerkships
to second clerkships, and when they had held
second clerkships only two four weeks has
advanced them to head clerkships over men who
fNt occupied the position of second clerk for
years, and who were more competent and capa-
BILE than those to whom he gave the promotion.
Refers this statement for confirmation to
Messrs. Spencer and Anderson, of the Pan
handle. That Mr. French put the Kentucky
o. road, to the route agent from
Columbus to Cincinnati, consisting of
from twenty-five to thirty sacks of
mail, and required him to work it according to
scheme when the agent had twenty three sta
tions to receive and deliver mail from Columbus
to Cincinnati, which was four hours run. Fines
had been imposed after failure to register when
there were mitigating circumstances to which
Mr.. French would pay no attention. During the
weighing time in the spring of 1877, discovered
at that time from fifteen to twenty tie sacks dali
ly of empty pouches and supplies going forward
and backward as mail matter and the Panhandle
was favored in this way without legal authority.
During the flood in 1888 at Cincinnati, Mr.. French
allowed the eastern mail to accumulate at that
point at the Union Stockyards and Cincinnati
postofice and remain there undelivered from
four to eight days, when it should not have come
to this point at all but have gone directly from
Columbus and Crestline west. The local agents
at those points will verify this statement,
j. O. Marks, Urbana, ILL.,, in his affidavit, dated
Feb. 20, 1854, testiies to general dissatisfac-
ton among postal clerks in regard to French;
that he is considered tyrant and given to favor
itism; has no mercy on the men, and overworks
them cruelty: will not take reasonable and salts
factory explanation for unavoidable failure to
register; arranges the runs to the greatest disad
vantage of the men and regardless of their con
venience Had complained of French and been
discharged. Informed by letter from General
Superintendent Thompson that he was dis"
charged because he was "a Pathfinder and dis
organizer"
John A. Colescott of Brookville, Ind, supple
mental to former statement, makes affidavit.
Afiant sees by report of former evidence that
C.. J. French says that the matter complained of
by witness (Colescott) investigated by officers
of the government and he (Colescott) was re-
moved on that investigation Witness says such
are not the facts; that French knows no govern
ment agents were sent out to investigate any
charges made in my (witness's) affidavit but they
came on trumped- up charge made againstme by
an agent-a willing tool of c. Jay French. The
charge was false, and was never given an oppor
tunity to defend myself
John L. Bomar--Am forty three years old re
side at Mount Sterling Ky. Entered railway
mail service in 1873, between Mount Sterling and
Lexington, Ky. Remained in said service until
1882 Was assigned on that route between
Mount Sterling and Lexington KY, on a salary
aof $500 year. Said line was afterward extended
MO Louisville, a distance of 127 miles c. Jay
French ordered afiant on said lastnamed line.
and atfiant kept up the run for three
months on the same salary. Asked French
to have his salary raised to $500, the
same as the man receiving who ran opposite
to him. French would not do so, giving as reason
that the change only temporary. Affiant
kept this temporary run up for two years.
Wrote the Postmaster general, who had his pay
increased to 5000. After he had kept up this
run for about two years, French ordered him
back the Mt. Sterling route at salary of
$500 Thus, French was quick to reduce his
salary, but would never increaseit when changed
to a route where he was entitled to increase.
a tapT uO To fpV bS fha
road was finished to Huntington, w. Va, and
the route was extended to that place from Lex
ington, distance of 139 miles French ordered
witness to take the run, which he did. keeping
it up for one month and five days The post
master at Lexington offered to pay afiant 500 a
year. which was declined, as the man who ran
by his side on the road was getting $780, and
atfiant was doing the same work expecting to
get the same pay). Notified French, and called
his attention to the Postmaster generals report,
page 81, section 3, 1881. French answered that
an order had been issued by the Post
aster-general accepting his (afhants)
resignation. Aftant testiheS he never
resigned, but could name a number of
the best route agents who were driven from the
service by the same treatment Atfiant would be
in the service yet had he not been treated like
slave by French. and that his laffiant's) record
will show for itself
VIM. S. Young. of Franklin, johnson county,
in an affidavit says that during the year 1876
he was assigned for duty on the fast line com
monty called the cannon pail tram, between On
cinnati and Indianapolis. Train left Cincinnati
at 3:10 A NJ and was followed by postal cars
leaving Cincinnati about A. NJ. During run on
cannon ball received orders to weigh mails re
ceived at Cincinnati, the destination of which
was Northern Illinois, Iowa. Arkansas and part
of Indiana. for which we had connection
through other than the day line postal run.
These mails, after being weighed. were thrown
to Lawrenceburg and Greensburg Indianapolis
to be taken up by the day The weight of
mails as taken by me, were reported on blanks
furnished by me for that purpose The limited
time we had on the cannon ball, altogether with
the legitimate mail for which it had connections,
made the handling of this mail for which we
had no connections, great hardship of which
repeatedly notified Mr. French.
r. l. Patterson, postmaster of Muncie,
furnished affidavit alleging. in substance, that
he had served in the Union army. in the Nine