The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-26
The Helena Official at the National
Capitol in an Equivocal
Position.
Charged With Attempting to Pay
Off Political Obligations
With Patronage.
Flat Denial of Mr.. Hathnway--Hia Side oi
the Story-The Case of DIsbnrs-
ing Clerk O'Itrien.

WASHINGTON. June 2D.--Ihe st. Louis Re
public correspondent telegraphs that paper
a story to the effect that short time be-
| fore the adjournment of Reeds billion
dollar congress-, Postmaster Wheat, of the
house, WAS dismissed in disgrace for pecu-
lation. james w. Hathaway WAS elected in
his place. Hathaway is from Montana and
is friend of Russell Harrison and Land
Commissioner Carter. Through their Joint
influence the republican caucus made him
postmaster of the house. If all reports are
true there will probably be another investi-
CATION of the house postoffice when con-
gress meets again in December.
wheat was bad eRg," said an employe
of the postoffice to-day, 'and if he had not
been removed there's no telling but that he
would have owned the capitol by this time
When Hathaway was elected postmaster to
succeed Wheat the change was hailed with
delight by the employees. He would treat
the men fair and square, but after congress
adjourned and the members had shaken the
dust of Washington off their feet, Hathaway
looked around to find places with which to
pay off several personal obligations. Dis
bursting Clerk O'Brien, of the house. es-
poused Hathaway's candidacy and worked
hard for his election. 1t was understood
that if Halfway was elected, he would pro-
vide place for O'Brlen's brother and he
did.
After all tho members had left the CITY
and the work of the postoffice had dropped
down to comparatively nothing, Halfway
called mp Angel, Haven, Swan, Barnum and
Russell, all of whom are credited TO the
state of Wisconsin, and said he had to az
point Mr.. OBrien and in order to make a
vacancy, he had decided to remove Russell.
Angel, Haven, Swan and Barnum we're then
informed that they must each give Russell
twenty-five dollars g. month for two months.
If they declined, then they could take the
consequences. They complied with the re-
quest and at the end of each month Hatha-
way gave them receipts to the effect that he
had received $25 for Russell. In the mean
time OBrien's name was carried on the
appearance to do any work until
very recently. When asked why
he had not shown up before, he is said to
have replied that he did not intend to do
anv work. "And," concluded the employee
"O'Brien is drawing 500 per month, for
| which he renders the government no SER
vice."
| Postmaster Hathaway of the house, when
questioned by your correspondent as to the
| truth of the report that he had threatened
MesSrs. swan, Barnum, Haven and others
with dismissal unless they each gave Rus
sell S25 per month for two months said:
| sThere is no truth in any such story. The
facts are these: After l had been elected
postmaster of the house number of the
members came to me and said that Wiscon-
sin had too many men in the house post
office and that l ought to make some
changes. Representative Quackenbush, of
New York, urged the appointment of Mr..
| O'Brien. told MIR. Quackenbush would
like to oblige him and that I would
see what l could do for O'Brien.
Toward the latter part of March I
informed the Wisconsin men that was
going to appoint O'Brien and that as there
were five men charged to the state of Wis
consin would have to let one of them 90
and that they could fix the matter among
themselves. 1t was then suggested that the
man to go should receive $500 in lieu of the
| vacation which had learned the men are
| entitled to during the summer. Mr.. Russell
volunteered to 90. He asked me to receive
the money for him, which did and have
his receipt for it. The offering of the $25
per month from the Wisconsin men was
purely voluntary on their part. and as for
appointing OBrien i'll consideration of
what his brother did for me, nevek knew
that Mr.. OBrien had done anything for me
until after the appointment had been made,
when l learned that Disbursing Clerk
O'l'rien had espoused my candidacy for the
postmastership and had worked hard for
my election, and l was glad that had ap-
pointed his BROTHER