Smyrna times., 1886-04-14
The Postmaster Question,

The question that has amused on the
one side and vexed on the other the
souls of some Of our pOliticians-the
pOstmasterships of MiddletOwn and
Milford, has been finally settled by the
appointment of w. Wood to the for
mer and DIR. Robert Y. Watson,
brother of Beniah Watson, Esq, to the
latter.
The Milford News and Advertiser
states that the immediate cause of
Reuben A. Stewards resignation as
postmaster of that town was the re-
tentiOn by him of letter sent by the
Post Office Department to Mark Fl.
Davis of Milford one of Stewards
suretes. This fact was discovered on
Saturday, April 3, and that evening he
was asked to resign. William G. Her
ing, an X-pOstmaster. was put in
charge for a few days until DIR. Watson
had been duly appointed to the place.
Herring Is the present assistant post
master, much to the disgust of the Mil
ford Democrats. Ex-postmaster Stew
art is supposed to be in arrears TO a
considerable amount. He has made
no report to the department since last
a small sum. The NeUs says that he
had been az excellent officer until last
August. He refuses to make a state
ment of his affairs or to aid in unrav-
elling the snare into which he had
placed the Office.
The Wilmington Star in speaking of
DR.. Watson has the following:
"The new postmaster is an NJ. d.,
bnt he has not been much of practi-
toner. Like his brother Beniah, he
has too great fOndness for politics to
succeed in his profession. He was a
member Of the lower State Legislature
in 1888, and had always held up the
little end of the Democratic contingent
which inhabits the suburbs of Milford.
''Mr. Stewart, the outgoing postmas-
ter, made fool of himself in his last
days. He had been capital pOstmas-
ter for several years. lie served the
office day and night He is naturally
Il hardworIing and well-meaning man.
Nothing was too much trouble fol
'Reub' Stewart, and he accommodated
everybody, Republican and Democrat
white and cOlored, friend and foe. H.
is generous and hopeful to a fault. Hi,
good nature is unbOunded. But coup
led with all these amiable qualitie.
appears to be a lack of prudence liz
borrowed" always for a few days in
his mind, various sums ofmOney which
had been entrusted to him to be sent of
in registered letters. As he had JUS
built himself comfortable but nodes
little house he was lately rather short,
and this circumstance prevented hin
on two or three different occasion.
from replacing the money so rashlI
borrowed in time to keep his surrep
tiOus act from the interested persons
But even after he had been discovered
by one or two of his patrons whose
confidence he had thus abused, he wa
allowed to go on, so strong was and il
his hold on the affections of the cOmmu
nifty; and his opponents, represented
by the friends of Mr.. Watson, wer,
lOath to move against him. This i.
obvious from the disreputable channe
through which the exposure was final,
made; and it would be a big contract
to prove now that Mr. Watson haC
anything to do with that exposure
Mr.. Stewart is the second Republican
who has been turned out of Office il
Delaware under cloud. Only tht
second out of forty odd. A pretty goo,
record. The writer knows Of tw,
Democrats already, who have been ap
pointed to federal Offices in this state
with records far more scandalOus THAI
those of Messr. Dunning and Stewart.