Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-12-09
RATLepeE TALKs LoupER.
Disclosures Of the Dark Methods Of the
Post Office Ring

Post Office Ring
James F Ratledge, the substitute car
rter, the reason of whose leaving the
post Office was published in the EVENING
JOURNAL yesterday, this morning made
some queer disclosures of the way III
whish appointments are made in the post
Office. He said:
Postmaster Stewart never did dis
charge me. but he did GUST me out of NV
position at the instigation of Marshal
mabaify. | substituted various rontas
Tor one year aud only received 81 90 ner
day For one whole year received only
SlS9, and Of course | expected to be BRO.
NOTED
had heard various rumors coneern-
ing what was going to be done with mo
several people telling me that | wouId
never get higher in the post Office than 4
substitute.
when | heard all these rumors
wished to fad out for myself. and went
to see Postmaster Stewart. | asked him
II was going to be appointed as a
regular carrier. Stewart said: sYou
shall have it Che position) and all hell
can't keep you out Of IT. | Thought
nothing more about the rumors.
The trouble was | voted for William
Simmons at the nomination and used all
my influence for him. stewart. Ma
haffy Higgins aud Bach wished me to
vote for Pierce Gould.
II was in the internal revenue office
one day when Mahalfy asked me why |
had gone on to Simmons. | replied that
| mad always been a Simmons man
Mahaify said was going back on my bes t
friends. l asked him who they were and
ne replied That they we're those who put
me IN the post Office. told him | had
no friends and went out brit not before
ne Ioid nue. That | would never get aay
higher in the Office.
II went up to the Republican Head
quarters that night and told Fred Bach
What Mahaffy had said. Bach said that
MahaffY's action was very ungentlemanlv
but he thought l ought to vote for
Gould.
They thought was ''sucker" and
could play me for any candidate. Int
said that paid my taxes and would vote
for any one pleased. He said | oupht
not TO talk about this matter outside
and Bach asked mo If / had
told any one about my treatment In the
post office / said had He told me
that ought not TO have done so. but |
replied that had as much sight to talk
as had ne or Mahaffy.
u stuck to my statement regarding
how | would vote at the nomination
and Stewart sent Samuel Vanderbilt to
me and told him TO tell me that | had
better be careful or | would have to leave
the post office | replied that did not
care. Vandegrift came to me twice after
that and told me not to be too hasty.
II did not pay any attention to these
men, as | had Stewards word of honor
that | would be appointed and / did not
think him liable TO break It.
He had told me that | would receive
| the first appointment. But Joe Walburv
was appointed first did not say any.
thing as thought he was going to put
us on the districts where we lived.
George Sasse, however, was ap-
pointed ahead of me. and
Frank Croney was about to be
appointed when / went to the postmaster
and reminded him that he had promised
to appoint lne. He said When am |
going to appoint you? Why can't ap-
point you at oil Ratledge. There are a
great many reasons for it, One is
that you are disagreeable with
the men, and another is that you tattle
news ont of the Office, both politically
and officially. | asked him 20 whom had
told news? Hereplied that told Harry
McLear. / had once spoken to Harry
McLear. but never said any
thing of political or official nature and
| went to ask him if he told Stewart that
had told such things. He said .
Stewart is liar, as l never said that
you told me anything Some
one probably saw you speak
office and told him about 1t. They are
down on me and any one seen talking to
me 10 at once put down.
1T might be interesting to tell how
| came TO be appointed / had been told
that would be appointed and one day
Higgins told me to go up to his Office
Here he gave me recommendation to
Taylor, who appointed me on Higgins
letter
when Stewart told me that was not
gentlemanly, asked him why, IL | had
not reference from men in good standing?
He said yes, but had to 60
"a friend of niue went to Stewart,
who told him that l was not grateful to
the powers that be and had to remain a
substitute This remark shows that
Stewart does not do things according TO
his own opinion, but according to the
dictates of the post Office ring.
I'm the post office, while was car
rier, they gave me the hardest and
dirtiest work. On the day of the nomi-
nation they planned TO keep me
in the post office all day so
that | would have no chance TO work for
Simmons. I got off, however, and carried
the Twelfth ward for him, as threatened.
| am allied with no faction or clique, and
though / am as coed Repu olican as
| ever was, yet am man of principle
and do not countenance the action Of the
ring, or vote for its candidates, although
Stewart once told me, He was sorry o
lose me as was 4 good worker :"
Associated Charities.
tina erst ,,,on4bl,v confaranca of ~.