The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-30
NOT THERE FOR HEALTH,
Profitable Peculations by Mr. Whea
House Postmaster.

Profitable Peculations by NIr Wheat
4 House Postmaster
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29.-The postmaster
of the house of representatives is in trouble
His name is James L. Wheat and he hail,
from Wisconsin. He is particular friend
of Reed, and at the republican caucus TO,
the selection of house officers at the begin
ming of the session he was candidate fol
sergeant alarms and was backed by Reed
and Reeds immediate friends. He failed
to get the the nomination of sergeant
alarms, however, and then Reed in.
| sisted that he should be made
postmaster of the house. This
is a nice, comfortable job, with a
good fat salary attached to it. Wheat
however, is a thrifty person, and has moi
been residing in Washington for his health,
nor for the honor attached to Office, but to
make money. Under the law the postmas-
ter of the house has to let the contract for
carrying the mails of the house between the
general postoffice and the capitol and the
depots When wheat became postmaster
of the house he found that man named
Samuel Culcertson was the contractor for
the carrying of the mails, the contract hay-
ing been let to him by Mr.. Lycurgus Dal-
ton, of Indiana, who was the postmaster of
the house during the forty-ninth and fif-
tieth congresses.
Mr.. Wheat, soon after he became post
master. had conference with Contractor
Culberton, in which he said that he would
like to have some arrangements made where
by Mr.. Culbertson could continue as con-
tractor. Culbertson.expres a similar de-.
sire, also saying that he had his horses and
wagons. and that it would be unprofitable
for 80 Of
said that, if Culbertson would return him,
by way of rebate, but which was actually a
bribe, $50 a month of the pay he received
from the government for carting the mails
from the house of representatives, he could
continue. Culbertson readily agreed to the
proposition. He thought it would be more
profitable to him than to sell his horses and
wagons at loss, which he had purchased
expressly for mail-carrylng purposes. He
was receiving the full 5000 year for
carrying the mails and received monthly pay
ments amounting to four hundred and six
teen dollars and some odd cents each month.
OF this amount he turned over $50 month
to Wheat for five months. During the sixth
month one of his horses fell down and broke
leg and he was forced to buy new horse.
This narrowed his margin somewhat and he
requested Wheat to let the payment of the
$15O rebate or bribe for that month 60. Wheat
somewhat reluctantly consented.
In the meantime Cuibertson began to
talk about the deal and got it noised
abroad. It reached the ears of the speaker
and the clerk of the house. Wheat con-
suited q lawyer and discovered, as he him
self says, that he was engaged in wrong
doing. He went to the treasury depart
ment and covered the $3.50 he had received
from Culbertson into the conscience or
some other fund and got q receipt for it.
In the seventh month MCPHERSON, who was
somewhat scared about the transaction,
refused to give Culbertson'a check for the
money he was entitled to under the con-
tract. This led to further talk about
It, and finally it reached the ears Of
Nr. Enloe, of Tennessee. who made an in
vestieation ON his own hook and heepf-
fered resolution settling fortn re facts a.
be made by the house committee ON 40
counts. Caswell, Of Wisconsin. friend Of
Wheat, tried to make an apology for that |
gentleman and insisted that the postmaster |
Of the house though. that the el50 was
the legitimate perquisite Of his Office; that |
e soon q he discovered that il was not Q |
leuifimafa rnxuuidife he turnod Al fho /