The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-04-05
WASHINGTON NEWS.

Kansas City.
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Civn Serice q Fraud-The waite En-.
neral-Texas Investigation.
CIVIL SERVICE FRAUDS.
WASHINGTON, March 2S.-Wm. Dud-
ley Faux, of Richmond, Ind, presi-
dent of the Indiana Civil Service Re-
form association, addressed the Hale
committee of the senate this morning
on the condition of civil service in his
state, his testimony being the result of
an investigation made and affidavits
taken by the association. He described
sweeping removals made by Postmaster
Jones of Indianapolis and
avowals by that official that none but
democrats would be appointed regard
less of service examination. He de-
tailed the damages in postal service
which resulted. Three weeks elapsed
between the mailing and delivery of
drop letters, carriers were appointed
who could not read addresses on let
tiers, letter boxes were unviSited until
they were filed to overlooking, the
mail car was sent from Indianapolis to
La Fayette with no messenger aboard,
and all the mail was brought back to
luuldudpOllSs i A0 doo1oIduO pOoI-
master, witness was informed, had +,
previous to his appointment by Jones,
been connected with gambling house.
Witness described the investigation by
himself which resulted in the dis
coVery that out of tire 136 cases of suS-
pension, all, or nearly all, presidential
postmasters, only a few were informed
of charges OF reason for removal. WI
ness called upon the president and
found he knew of these removals. The
president said it was impossible to let
They were doing the best
they could. The president ex-
pressed a hope that the association
would go slow as he had great difficulty
in bringing some of his party up to his
ideas in civil service reform and that
Indiana was pretty bad state.
Postmaster Jones, he said, on taking
charge of the Office April Is, 1885, re-
moved the assistant postmaster, cash
Ter, stamp clerk, messenger and super
intendent of the registry department
and carriers, and filed their places
with democrats. These officers were
''unclassified." In the sack repair de-
partment every man and woman were
within few weeks dismissed, includ-
ing four women who were working at
repairing sacks, and who had others
dependent upon them for support, and
against whom no charges or complaints
were made. The janitOrs, watchmen,
engineer and elevator boy followed;
Mr.. Jones said that the removals were
made because they were republicans,
| and the men appointed in their places
were active political workers. In the
classified service, people were re-
moved for the purpose of making room
for democrats. A man who had passed
civil service examination asked il
there was any chance of his appoint
ment; to which Mr.. Jones
replied by asking who ht
voted for at the last election. An.
other asked if any republicans would
be appointed, and Mr.. Jones answered
no.
Mr.. Jones told Mr.. Swift and Mr.
Holland, of the association, that they
would not appoint republicans, even il
they passed the examination. Nc
matter how they stood that they
were republicans. Mr.. Jones told
an employee that there were
no charges against him, he haG
done his work well, but his place was
required for a democrat; that the party
pressure was causing removals, anC
that they were removing some meI
whom he thought more of than thu
men who took their place. Assistan
Postmaster Dodd said to one of the EN-
for the boys to resign than t.
against them. 1t almost breaks MI
Jones heart to have to trump VI
charges against the boys" James Z
! Bowling, of the ailWay mail service
was prominent politician and had
been appointed for that reason.
had been shown that Bowling, abou
the time of his appointment, told thre'
persons that he had bribed certain
members of the council paid them al
amount of money for voting TO
a street railway enterprise il
indianapolis. These facts were EN-
bodied in affidavits and sent to Post
! master General Villas with a reques
! for DoWling's removal. Mr.. Villa
[ answered that he had inquired into tn
matter. and that although Mr.. Dow
|. ling had made these statements, hC
) Villas, was satifised that they weT
merely boasts, and that Bowling di
/; | not bride the members of the council
] that Bowling was an efficient of
Ger and he Villas had decided to retail
!. him. The reports of the associatio
I had been sent to the president and tn
: postmaster-general. Witness said thS
q he found that the president knew {
the facts concerning the removal {
1 presidential postmasters. and apDeare
y to approve what had been done. Il
d 1.-THE president) said that it was NJ
q possible to make an investigation or
II let the parties know what the charg'
g would be to turn each ca
It into a judicial investigation, whiC
they could not do. i asked him the
3 why he required that any charg
IT should be made. He said that tn,
Is were trying to do the best they coul
II and he said he regretted that we h;
n made the investigation. I told hi
d that most of the charges were made
II persons who were utterly irrespoD!
N not pretend to know the fact
lie and that sometimes the charg
g. were false, and that it was not possiI
IS to procure correct information at
Ia until both sides had a chance to
he heard. He said that the departing
ne had to get the information the bt
sn way it could. L left with him lii
at which embodied the results of the
70 vestigation.
n Witness stated that there had I
In to his knowledge been any change
Sc the condition of affairs since he Il
n these matters before the president.
of He expressed hope that the CO
ne mittee would visit Indiana, and Il
us it would allow the association to KIN
sufficiently in advance to be prepal
with the witnesses and the facts. I
he things he had stated with regard to
lin uost0fice could be brought out in
nd form of legal evidence.
on The chairman-'tWhat is your vi
he of the operation of the civil service
ne form in 1ndianag'
are s'Well, we have not had any C
he service reform in Indiana
IN, The subcommittee win probably
est to Philadelphia next week.
IL TEXAS OITTRAGEs INVESTIGATION
rye The investigation into the ale
On, outrages in Washington county, Tel
j Vas resumed today Rnbarf j Al