Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-05
SUING A POSTMASTER
Because His Character Was Blackened
to Push a Scheme.
SIMON BULFORD WANTS DAMAGES.
Charges an Inspector With Making an Un-
truthful Report.
OTHER WORK OF THE COUNTY COURTS

Simon Bulford, Jr., a former letter
carrier in the Allegheny postofise, yester-
day entered suit, through his attorney
George Shiras, I'LL, against Postmaster
John Gilleland and Postofice Inspector w.
w. Dickson. for $4,000 damages. The
damages claimed are for injury to Bulford's
character caused by an alleged conspiracy
between Dickson and Gilleland to procure
his discharge Bulford states that by the
careful and conscientious performance of
his duties he had enjoyed the confidence,
respect and good will of his official superiors
and the respect of all who knew him.
/ The defendants, intending to injure him
and deprive him of his good name and have
him removed from office, did on April 10,
1891, unlawfully, wickedly and maliciously
conspire and agree together to defame him
TO effect his discharge from office in dis
grace. They conspired that they would
open, or cause to be opened, a private
letter and have it placed in letter box on
Bulford's route, in expectation of causing
suspicion to rest on him, and thus afford
ground for his removal from Office, and the
filling of the vacancy by a personal and
political friend of theirs Bulford, on dis
covering the letter, and proper inquiry, be-
lieving crime had been committed, i'm
mediatelv reported his discovery to the
proper persons in the postofice in hopes of
detecting the guilty parties.
AN INVESTIGATION DEMANDED.
The second dav afterward Bulford was
notified of his discharge by Postmaster Gil
leland. He demanded the cause, and was
informed that it was because of his connec-
tion with the illegally opened letter. He
asked for an investigation to clear his char
acter, deeming his character far above re-
tention in office. He said he would will
ing resign if acquitted of the false accusa-
tion. Gilleland, however. having accom-
plished his purpose and fearing that an in
vestigation might result in imposing the
guilt upon himself or his agent, declined to
order the investigation. On the contrary,
he suppressed all efforts to detect the
authors thereof and abetted in destroying
the valuable clews in connection with it.
In consequence of Gilleland's conduct pc
tition signed by over 100 reputable citizens
on Bulford's route was drawn up and sent
to the Postmaster General at Washington,
u. c., praying for an investigation of the
removal.
The Postmaster General directed full
investigation and sent w. W. Dickson,
postoffice inspector of Western Pennsyl-
vania. to make the investigation and report.
Dickson agreed, it is alleged, with Gille-
land to disregard the order, in that he
would hold no investigation, but instead
concurred with Gilleland in his illegal and
fraudulent removal of Bulford from Office.
In addition he agreed to receive and prefer
other equally false charges against Bulford
in order to irreparably injure and destroy
his character and assist in protecting and
shielding Gilleiand.
FURTHER CONSPIRACY CHARGED.
In pursuance of the conspiracy. Dickson
on June - made additional false charges
against Bulford, namely, that Bulford was
incorrigible, immoral and profane and
guilty of other grave faults uniting him
for an Office of trust Knowing them to be
false he declared them to have been proven
without notice to Bulford or his counsel or
taking any evidence.
Dickson forwarded to the Chief Postofhce |
Inspector his official report, stating that he |
had made a full and complete investigation, |
and cOncUrred with Gilleland in his re- |
movaL Furthe- than that he found Bull |
ford 10 be person of reprehensible charac- |
ter and untitled to hold an office of trust. |
Gilleland agreed to, countenanced and urged |
these charges TO be made. Bulford. at the |
time, was unaware that the investigation |
was being made. He only obtained notice |
through the public press upon the filing of |
the report. He requested a copy of the re-
port from the Postoffice Department, but |
was informed by tine Assistant Postmaster |
General THAI nothing further would be done,
as the department always relied on the ac-
curacy of the official reports when ap-
proved by the Chief Postofice Inspector. |
A demand for proof of the charges was
made on Dickson, but he said it was none
of Bulford's business, and if he dare ques-
tion Dickson's report he would ruin Bull |
ford's name forever bv preferring more |
charges In consequence Bulford asks S1O,- |
900 damages.