Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-10-03
Merely q Perquisite.

mlttee on accounts to-day began an inves-
tigation into the charges preferred against
Postmaster Wheat of the house on the
resolution introduced by Enloe. The
charges are in effect that Wheat required
the contractor who carried the mails from
the house to the postoffice to pay him $3.50
a month from the contract price; also that
the postmaster has on his roll of employees,
at 500 per month, a Mr.. Bradley, who
and that Mr.. Bradley pays sos of it to
Wheat's son. The committee first took up
the charge relating to the letting of the
mail contract and called Wheat to the
stand to make a statement concerning it.
The contract was entered into, he said, in
December last with Culbertson at the rate
of $4,000 per year, of which sun gilbert
son was to pay him $3.50 per month. Some
time after the letting of the contract he
learned that it was being talked of by a
discharged employc as not being the prop
er thing. The charge subsequently ap-
peared in a newspaper. He then talked
the matter over with other persons and
came to the conclusion that it was a viola
ton of the law. HO wanted to give the
money he had received from Culbertson
back to him, but was advised that it did
not belong to him, but to the government.
He then went to the treasury department,
deposited the money and received a re-
ceipt for it. He had received no more
since from CulbertSOn under the agree.
ment. Replying to Enloe, the postmaster
said that he had consulted the clerk of the
house, Representative Caswell the speaker
| and others Nhnnf tho upoffor nn wOc oc1yol
if his son Walter had not gone to Con-
tractor Culbertson, telling him that there
was likely to be an Investigation and ask
ing him to put $3.50 in the hands of a third
party. He declared that he knew of no such
conversation. Subsequently the contract
was taken away from Culbertson and CIV
en- to Daish at $4,000 a year. In answer to
q question as to how he had come to fix the
first contract at $4,000 per year, the wit
ness said that when he first came to Wash
lngton the office was new to him and he
simply had the contract of the previous
year copied, as he supposed it was all
right. He afterwards found that the ap-
preparation allowed for this purpose was
$4,000 a year. Wheat said further that a
number OF persons had spoken to him
about a %perquisite of $3.50 pei month when
the contract was entered into, but their
names he could not recall. Harry CulDert-
son, the contractor who carried the mails,
was then sworn and identified the con-.
tract. lie had carried the mails for Dali
ton, the former postmaster, for six years
previous to December last. He had re-
ceived as compensation $4,000 per year.
The witness declared that he had not
made similar previous payments of $3.50
per month to the postmaster. He explained
how it was that the present transaction
come to his room. Wheat asked him at
first for 5000 per month in return for the
contract. Witness said he could not give
him that but made a counter proposition to
give him $3.50. This, he said, would re-
quire him to do the work at a starvation
price: Dillon was called in as a witness to
the affair. He did not pay any part of
his contract money to ally person
during the six years Of Postmaster Dal-
toms administration. In reply to a MEN,
Der OF the committee, the witness said that
he was Dalton's father-in-law. In reply
to further questions he said that after ne
had paid the money five months he asked
month to buy harness and feed. The wit
ness said he had paid the money to Wheat's
son, Walter. One day when it was appar-
ent that an investigation was probable,
Wheat'S son had come to HIM and wanted
to have the money ($750) handed over
temporarily to a third party, but this was
not done. He had received notice subse-
quently of a desire to close the contract,
but there was a months pay still due him.
Adjourned.
AFTER II N. P.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27.-In the senate
this morning the bill to repeal a part of
the act Of 1882, dividing the state of Iowa
into two judiciary districts, was reported
and passed. Senator Morgan introduced a
bill, which was referred to the committee
Oh public lands, to forfeit the lands grant
ed to the Northern Pacific railroad for a
portion Of its line between Bismarck, N,
D., and Walla Walla. He also asked that
the lobbyists who haye been here in behalf
OF the Northern Pacific be suspended from
getting their fees, and lie thought the best
way to do that was for the senate and
house to take up the subject of forfeiture
of that land grant.
M'KINLEY EXPLAINS.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27.-In the house to-
day Mckinley explained the provisions of
the conference report. In regard to the
subject of binding Irvine, he expressed his
opinion that the duty was too low, but he
INDUCED in the hope that some future con
gress would discover the fact and apply {
remedy. Commenting upon the reciproc
ity provision, he said: "We consented tx
have the reciprocity provision put into oul
bill by the senate-a provision which il
perfectly well understood by both sides
Of the house. 1t is a declaration that
whereas the United States has already
made coffee and hides free, and now pro
poses to make sugar free, in the interest Of
reciprocal trade arrangements with othel
countries and with the expectation thai
we shall secure valuable concessions from
those countries, therefore, in the event
that those countries do not respond to this
generosity on the part of the American
congress. the president of the United
States may, by proclamation, declare thai
they have furnished US no reasonable OF
just reciprocal advantages in return
for our concessions n therefore the
duties fixed by this bill shall be
imposed upon these articles. We have &C.
cepted the amendment (known as the Aid.
rich amendment) and we indulge the hope
that, in accordance with the expectation
and belief of so many distinguished men
all over the country, this will enable us to
open up great fields for the J. ducts of our
farms. We have accepted this amendment
in the hope that such a result will be fully
raalizp6 ElnwaT Gun miprc lind opd