Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-29
PosTMAsTER WHEAT AND son
- OF the Investigation by tn,
ilss Committee on Accounts.

! TESTIMONY AZ TO WALTER wHKAf's rwo Posi-.
| TIoys. HIS FISAScIAL. orEsATfoSs, ETc-Ex-
POSTMASTER DALTON AND MANY OTHER WIT
| SEssEs TESTIFY.
| The investigation OF the charges against
| Postmaster Wheat OF the House of Representa-
tives was continued by the committee on &C.
counts today with MIR. Spooner, the chairman,
/ presiding.
Before any witnesses were examined Repre-
sentative Casweli, representing Mr.. Wheat,
called the attention of the committee to the
act making appropriations for the House post
Office and commended that its phraseology gave
to tine postmaster tho absolute right to the
$1,000 appropriated for carrying the mails.
The phraseology had been changed a few
| years ago, he said, so that the postmaster was
allowed to use the whole amount or so much
| as might be necessary.
Fx-PosIMAsTER DALroy's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Dalton, the postmaster in the Forty
/ eighth, Forty ninth and Fiftieth Congresses
was presen. and desired to make a statement.
! He said that when he entered upon his Office q
! contract was in existence for carrying these
mails. but the person doing the work going,
into other business he entered into a contract
| with Mr.. Henry Culbertson for doing the work
at $4,000 per year. He never directly or ind-
rectiy received any part OF this money
as n perquisite of the Office. When
mon ey. SO witness lent him the money to buy
/ the outfit, but took no notes for it. it being
understood that the stock was available Sc
| curity for it. Probably loaned him. in all,
| 81 800, about 1880 Of which had been repaid.
| Culbcrtson had decided TO him lately several
lots, which about settled up the loan.
In answer to Representative Caswell, witness
| said he had lived with Cnlbertson about n
month of the six years during which the con-
tract existed. Had paid for some of the stock
furnished by him to Culbertson but kept 10
! accounts with Kim. In answer to NJ. Hayes,
witness denied having made q statement to
Wheat that Culbertson conid afford to give
Wheat any money for the keeping OF the con-
tract.
A DENIAL.
In answer to Postmaster Wheat witness
denied having said to him Cwheat) that Gull
bertson could give him $3.50 per month and it
would be all right
To Mr.. Grimes witness said he had seen Mr..
Wheats son before today: that he mover during
the Six years had got cent out of the contract
with Culbertson, and that he never told Wheat
about any of The perquisites OF the office.
wa. E. BRADLEY's TESTIMONY As TO YOUNG WHEAT.
William f. Bradley was the next witness
Was acquainted with Postmaster Wheat; had
never performed any work as clerk in the
House post Office. but had been
sworn in as a messenger. Young
Mr.. Wheat had come to his house and aske d
being sworn in the place of man who
was expected i'll a few days. This
mans name was Denney. He was
simply to have his name on the roll Wheat do
ing the work. Wheat told him he would not
even have to come to the Office and would re-
ceive IS for the trouble in being sworn in
This was carly in March. At the End of March
be drew something Over s67, all Of which e1-
cept 80 lie
TURNED OVER TO WALTER WHEAT
Young Wheat also got Representative Cas-
well to indorse his application for place in
the Government Printing Office. At the end of
April he was still on the rolls in place of an
other man named Hall.
This time he drew S96.G7. In accordance
with the wish of young Wheat he kept this
money for a week. He then settled with young
Wheat There was some discussion rs to
what sum he should keep. Whea: wanted to
pay him SIS. while he though he should
have one-half. At this time Postmaster Wheat
was present and suggested to Walter that he
get Mr.. Caswell to withdraw his Endorsement
of witnesses application. The matter was
finally settled by his retaining go of the
money. Finally he was discharged by the post
master on q short note.
ovEEBEARIHG AND ARROGANT.
". d. Cattel. employed in the House fold
ing ROOM testified that he had been employed
IN the House post Office. He had never seen
the previous witnoss, Bradley, doing any work
in the post Office.
Cu,bertson, the contractor, had told him he
paid Wheat money. He had had personal
alterations with Wheat several times. Wheat
lad asked him il he had been giving the
stories concerning him to members of
Congress and to newspapers. He had STAYED
in off mt I1tlv vv1 ho
charged The postmaster was always overbear-
ing and arrogant with his employees.
HOW CATTELL CAME 10 DE DISCHARGED.
The witness was asked how he came to be
discharged and replied that the postmaster had
been continually prying into his private
affairs, and one day i'll his presence
asked a colored man where he (the witness)
stopped while on his route. He resented this
and Wheat told him he intended to discharge
him at the end of the month. lie made some
hot retort and finally struck Wheat.
Jesse Mcdaniel WAS ne xt called, but his testi-
mony was not material.
YOUNG wHEAT's TWO POSITIONS.
Samuel Hosmer, the assistant pos tmaster.
the next witness, testified that the fact Of
young Wheat filling two positions made the
work of the rest Of the force slightly harder
lie knew nothing about young Wheat getting
two mems pay. Personally no had had no
trouble with Mr.. Wheat and had no reason to
suppose that young Wheat did not do the work
of the two positions.
In reply to question Of Mr. Wheat witness
said that it was true that the postmaster helped
Oh his sons'work at times.
j. NJ. Brown. an employee of the post office.
testified that the postmaster had always reated
him in gentlemanIy way. a.
II. 5. Rogers, Frank Vail. n. Swan. Jos E.
Ralph, Daniel L. Webster, G. W. Burchard.
all gave unimportant testimony.
DEFECTIVE HARNESS
j. E. Haven, another employer. .esti fled that
he had had n conversation with Contractor
Culbertson concerning defective harness. in
which Culbertson said the postmaster had
not allowed him enough money to buy harness
and that he had paid Wheat over $780, and
that at the time OF the publication
OF certain charges in the papers
Young Wheat had come to his fCubertson's)
house and had begged him on his knees to
take back the 500 and turn it over to u third
party, James Fisher.
Frank L. Hall of the Capitol police, but
formerly an employee i'll the House post Office
and p. T. Wcydermeyor OF the post office gave
II as their opinion that Mr. Whest was q strict
disciplnarian.
At this point the committee took recess
until o'clock.
SUPERB ORIENTAL CARPETS AND RUGS AT
AUcTIoN.-An extraordinary collection OF Turk
ish carpets and rugs is now On exhibition at
the auction rooms of Thomas DbwlinC, 18th
street and Pennsylvania avenue. II is claimed
be the finest sent 10 this iii