The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-08-20
AN EXPLANATION.

THE FREE PRESS promised last week that |
ii would notice the charge of"embezzle-
ment' made by the rejected postmaster
against Mr.. Hunt, and it will do so, sim
ply craving the pardon of its readers
for being forced to bring to their notice
matter in which they have no interest,
and in which there is not a sembance
of truth or justification to sustain the POI
sition of the accuser.
On the 18th day of May 1888, Mr..
Hunt succeeded Mr.. o. Brown as post
master of Mankato. Upon assuming his
official duties the basement of the post
Office was occupied as Il barber shop by
+. Bludsoe. Previous to its occupancy
for this purpose il was used rs the mail
ing department of the postotlice. For
this purpose il was very inconvenient
and necessitated IA great deal Of extra
work. 1t gave more room, however,
upon the main floor, and one or two of
the clerks occupied the rear end of the
office for sleeping apartment. Mr..
Brown finally determined To transact
the entire office business on the first
floor, which nccessitated the clerks get
| ting other quarters for lodging. He
therefore rented the basement for the
purpose stated and applied the rental
thcrefrom toward clerk hire-,ls he and
his successor paid from two To five hun
dred dollars per year more for necessary
assistance than the government allowed.
| When Mr.. Hunt assumed control of the
Office Mr.. Brown informed him To what
use or purpose he had applied the rev.
enue for rent of basement. Having no
suspicion that Mr.. Brown was an Gem.
beZzler" or thief" and recognizing
quite plainly the fact that the allowance
t8f tie Payment Of the roster of clerks
employed, continued to do us Mr.. Brown
had done, At two different and distinct
times and Ia two different postotiice in
spectors, MIR. Hunt took pains To inform
the officials Ia what purpose he applied
the money received from this rent, and
! in both instances the gentlemen in
formed him that there could he no oh
lection To the proceeding. While under
j Hunts management the postotlice wa,
subjected To but two inspections, ano
in both instances he was informed tha
, the accounts were correct and that the
manner of conducting the office ranked
with the very best in the Northwest.
When Mr.. Hunt turned the office
over To his successor he informed Mr.
Wise of how the money for rent ofbase
ment had been applied 10y Mr.. Brown
and himself. Wise, it appears, notitie,
the department that his predecessor
had leased the basement of the office
and applied the receipts tn his persona
profit, and very likely, as is very char
actcrstic of him, took occasion To tr,
and besmirch his character. An inspec
tor i'll the person of ). =. Child was sen
r 10 investigate the matter. Mr.. Brown
a. well as Mr.. Hunt was questioned, tn.
receipts given 10y the latter turned ovel
+ To the Inspector and he departed. In
the course of time, Mr.. Hunt received
his final statement of account, and il
that statement the sum of $202.75 rem
of basement WAS charged. A baianct
, of Sl52W was due the government and
this amount Mr.. Hunt RENTED To the
sub-treasurer at Chicago, got his receip
for the same, and forwarded il To Wash
ington. Mr.. Brown declared at the time
that he would never remit cent of the
money he received, but whether he did
does he care.
The public can now form its own con
; clusions as to whether or not Mr.. Hunt
IL confessed embezZler of publ,
inspectors To notify the department il
there WAS anything wrong in this mat.
! ter, after they We're in possession of the
facts, goes without saying; that they did
not, is proof sufficient To nail the lie f.
Wise's mean and disgraceful charge.
Had there been any possible means Of
proving case of ''embeZZiement
against Mr.. Brown or Mr.. Hunt, is tin,
rejected postmaster 80 far lost to reason
and knowledge of Democratic seekers
after campaign material as 10 presum,
for Il moment that they would have been
allowed To escape untricd and unpun
ished? He ought 10 know better, even
acknowledging his ignorance as pro
found IL some of his statements warrant
in assuming.
Chatting under the singing rebuke adj
ministerial rs just retribution for his
pcrfidy, Wise deigns To call down upon
others that which has been so lavishly
bestowed upon himself of late, the con.
tempt of respectable men, but he Ina,
failed ANONYMOUSLY, and ignominiously
will he sink into oblivion.