The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-08-09
CORRUPTION.
THE NEW ORLEANS PosToFFlcE.
A Special Committee Report-Retten in
Every Departmental mcompe-
tent Assistant Postmaster
A Mail Robber, Etc.

WAsHINGroN, Aug. In accordance
with an act of Congress authorizing the
appointment of eighty post quartermas-
ter's sergeants to perform the duties OF
store keepers and clerks in the place of
citizens SO employed, a general order
has been issued by the war department |
providing that the said sergoants shall
be selected by examination from the
most competent men in the army who
have served at least -four years,and whose |
character and education shall tit them |
to take charge of public property. In |
so far as practicable, selections will |
be made regimentally ut the
rate of two from each regiment
provided there are fit applicants from
said regiments who deserve position.
Until otherwise provided candidates for
appointments viii be selected from
those men in active service doing duty
with their regimentand those of longest
service and highest in rank who are en-
tirey competent and equally qualified
will have preference. Applicants must
pass a physical examination by an army
surgeon, at the post where stationed,
who also must certify that the appli-
cants are free from disease and i'm every
way physically competent to perform
outdoor or clerical duties pertaining TO
position sought.
The Special Commission which has
been investigating the condition and
management Of the New Orleans post
office, submitted II report to the Post
master General to-day. The Commits
sioners say ig their report
of the office ample, but the force chi
ployed inefficient through lack of proper
training. Organization or discipline,
they say, does not exist in the Office, nor
does any system of promotion, based on
individual merits, and they add that
they found everything arranged appa-
rently more for the personal conVen-
fence of the clerks than
for the necessities of the bust
possesses but limited knowledge OF the
actual work Of the office, and makes lit
tie or no effort to inform himself Of the
necessitios of the service, rarely visit
ing the working floor and seldom con
sulting with his subordinates. Also,
that while too much ought not TO be ex-
pected of the Assistant Postmaster in
view of his comparatively recent ap-
pOintment, yet they feel constrained to
say that his selection for the place was
ulwise because OF his inferior iudg-
ment, lack of discretion and
inability TO maintain disci-
pline. They further say they
found the mailing division without or
ganization or discipline, mail matter,
especially newspapers, being badly
handled and delayed. That no account
has been kept of mail sacks, which lat
ter, in many cases, were being unlaw-
fully used by persons other than en-
ployes. They, the commissioners
having found 40 Of them in junk shop,
and others used as cotton packages or
made into halnmocks. They express
the opinion that the want of energy on
the part Of the chief of this division is In
part owing TO the failure of his superiors
TO support him. They say, also
that the Office of collection
clerk, with salary of $500
George w. Merchant, son NJ the post
master, who has rendered very little
service, his work having been done b,
the cashier, and they add that this ofIlc,
Is entirely unnecessary aud should b,
abolished. They report having fount
one OF the employees carried on the roll
as porter and detailed as detective
who rendered no service himself, bu
who had hired an old cOlOred man nj I,
being the service which called for tn
employment of u porter, and the
recommend that this office as well a
that of chief porter be abolished.
They also recommend that the tittle q
an official now known as Secretary an
Auditor be changed 10 official Secretary
and the salary of the Office be reduce
from 81 800 to 81 200 per annum. The
recommend increases in salaries of cei
tain clerks aggregating $l,lOO per nm
mum and reduction aggregating S2,i0l
They also report having made inquire
relative to deprodations ON mail
ut this Office and the fai
ure Of the postmaster to rcpol
them, and say with respect to thi
branch OF their Investigations, Il wa
found that just before their visit dftce
letters addressed TO NJ. 4. Dauphiu Ia
been distracted from the mails i'm III
Office. That circumstances pointed a
most concusively to the son of the pos
master MS the person who stole then
That when the facts were reported
the postmaster he obtained possession
and burned certain fragments of mis-
ing letters, thereby destroying impor
ant evidence against the guilty perso
but he Afterwards promised to Cxclu,
his son permanently from the office.
"'Tlsasct of features, acomplcNion,