The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-24
IN THE INTEREST OF REFORM
Barney Conroy, a Convicted Highway
man, Appointed to the Postal Service.
Having Served Two Terms in the Penitentiary
for Felony, He Is Rewarded with Sol
dier's Position Under the Government.

The reform administration, as an agency for
the reward of rascals, is making record which
merits, and will doubtless receive, the hearty
Endorsement of that element of the Democratic
party's constituency so largely represented in the
great reform institutions of the countryside
penitentaries. The substantial evidences which
the administration has given OF its desire to re-
ward these unappreciated pupils Of reform prin-
eiples should encourage them to express, by reso-
1ution or otherwise their approval without any
further hesitation. Within the last twenty four
hours one OF the most outrageous acts in further
anee of party reward has been developed in con-
nection with the railway mail service at this
point Coming out of the army n 1865, with
nm honorable discharge after three years of
gallant service In the Onehundred and eighth
Ohio, bearing the esteem of comrades and the
good will of all who knew him, Fred Steinhauer
secured an humble position in the government
service By faithfulness, industry, honesty and
intelligence he made good record, and upon it
was advanced until he gained the place of trans
fer mail agent at the Union Depot Of and on
fer fifteen years he has been in this very respon-
sible position, fulfilling its arduous duties with
out the least complaint from his supSriors or the
public. His position brought the fair remunera-
ton of $1,000 per year. 1t placed in his
care the vast amount OF mail
that is received and transferred
at the Union Depot daily. OF course no esti-
mate of it's value can be made, but the nature
of the place suggests the need Of public ser
want whose character is without a stain, whose
- kol1s
gence is at least sufficient to distinguish between
she standing of man of probity and that of a
(. deprayed desperate. Mr.. Steinhauer answered
all these requisites, and if it became absolutely
necessary to remove him for party purposes,
should have been honored by having as his sue
cessor one whose life had not the most degrading
aspect of low robbery and the vilest moral deg
radiation about it,
1t was to be expected that a place like this
would not 60 begging under q reform Demo
cratic administration. Nor has it. The emf
Hent and astute Mr. Bynum has no doubt had
his congressional importance increased by the
demands, petitions. pieadings and prayers of a
hundred or more seekers for the position Of
transfer mail agent at the Union Depot It is
probable there were many worthy men among
the number of pleaders. but it becomes con-
gresham to do his best in the interest of renom-
nation, and if it is possible to throw an
official plum to leader of that peculiar class of
q congressman's constituency known as the
criminal workers at the polls, it will be done.
Bynums influence with the powers at Washing
ton has lately evidenced q remarkable direction
In prostituting the mail service for the benefit of
MI o. MD kho ~ ~ ut mi IN
hundred upright citizens. but ono with SOL
dier's noble record. Mr.. Steinhauer had right
to look for decent treatment in removal, and,
perhaps, while he has looked for It since the in
coming to power Of the great and
only Democracy, expected to have
timely notice that his place was
wanted Secretly Congressman Bynum has been
working to have him removed, but there was no
intimaton of his success until Mr.. Steinhauer re-
eeived yesterday the following order:
WASHINGTON d. c.. Jan. 10, 1885.
Frederick steinhauer, Transfer Mail Agent. Indian
apolis Ind:
An order has been issued by the Postmaster-gen-
sra that your pay shall be discontinued from the date
superintendent Railway Mail Service.
This meant the summary dismissal of man
whose record as q citizen and officer is ire
proachable. A dismissal carried with it the
appointment Of successor, an advantage not
to be nisused in his own interest by Congress
man Bynun and the Democracy he represents
Mr.. Steinhauer received notification, shortly
after the receipt Of the order, to turn his Office
over to Barney Couroy. When this appointment
reached the public, later In the day. reputable
people of both parties were astonished. There
was a continuous expression of disgust attended
BY the query, "Are officers not excepting
these involving the care of hundred of thousands
of dollars in valuable mail matter to be turned
over to debauchers. rioters, robbers. would be
assassins and exconvicts2" Barney Couroy is a
shining light in this class Of Democracy. Since
he was old enough to know anything, Conroy
has been under the eyes of the police. They
have had an affection for him. When criminals
were scarce and light offenders few, the police
man looking for somebody to arrest could al
ways count on Conroy helping do his duty.
There has not been q day for the last fifteen
years. the years Steinhauer, the soldier and hon.
est man, has been conscientiously and intelli
gently doing his duty, that Barney Conroy has
not been liable to arrest. It is not worth
while to retail the instances he has been in the
atmosphere Of those prisons became almost as
free to him as the outside air. He never left the
cells OF either place free man when the police
and jailers did not calculate on his early return.
dSSQcldt6 tnl6voS
and an associate of prostitutes, man with a
criminal record stamped on his features, talk
and demeanor as indeiiby as it is upon the dock
cts of the courts is Barney Conroy, appointed
through the influence of Congressman Bynum
10 take the responsible position of transfer mail
agent at tho Union Depot He has been worker
among bis class in the interests of reform De-
nsocraey for years. So potent has been his in
f,ience in this way that his reputable party
leaders have taken him out of Jail to manage
otawo "a vaaf hsypco md do nt1
crooked work at the polls. For several
months sConroy has been ostensibly 10 the
smploy OF Frank Creelman, Bynum's candi-
date for the postmastership in this city.
Thus Creelman and Bynum have placed their
portege of a remarkable criminal record in the
postal service. He is to serve a probationary
six months. or that is the purpose, if the publica
ton of his crimes does not interfere. At the
end Of this time it is the hope Of his patrons,
CONGRESSMAN Bynum and politician Creelman,
IL haxa i'm xaG LIZ. In 10 -.