The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-17
WAS SOMEBODY ONCE.
Asked to Be Let of Because Lincoln
Thought He Was an Honest Man,
From the Net0 York Herald.

Much Of it has a iudcrous phase which
softens the hardships and relieves the strain
which TOO constant mingling with the frsil
and unpatriotic of Uncle Sans servants
are apt to bring upon a man. Such an ill.,
stance was the matter of the Gallup On. NJ. }
postoffice, a berth that paid the incumbent
| 81, 900 a year, "stealings OUT where the
| yoke was easy, the burden light and the so
OLAF position fairly good, the rest Of the cit-
liens Of Gallup being mainly miners and
| gamblers.
When volunteers" were called for at a
certain time a man named Swan boldly Of
fered to hold the Gallup postoffioe against
any and all enemies Of Uncle Sam, and as a
proof of his ability and sincerity brought
| out enough endorsements to secure his APP
pointment to the court of st. James.
Swan was a pioneer in New Mexico and
knew every one in the territory since that
| doubtful acquisition came into the union.
He was recommended by the governor and
| all the ex-governors, by all the railroad and
mining authorities, as well as by all the
ranchmen and army officers. And, more
over he had in his possession letters from
| Abraham Lincoln atteSting the writer's
| friendship and admiration for Swan and
his faith in the latters fidelity and ability.
Naturally Swan was appointed and made
an excellent postmaster, 30 far as taking In
money for stamps and money orders went,
but he failed to make reports OF the fiscal
operations Of his office. A long life In an
arid country and frequent recourse TO the
common relief for dry climate had made
Mr.. Swan less faithful and efficient than in
bis youth. So In due time on inspector
was sen TO make his acquaintance
Being near Gallup the necessary papers
were sent me and | went down to see il
anything was due the government. |
reached Gallup about o'clock In the morn
ing. 1t was cold, raw and In every way
gloomy. The depot was closed and the
town looked very uninviting. At sight I
pronounced 10 the least picturesque mining
settlement in the territory, If not in the
| world. The only visible light came from a
small frame building near the depot, to
which fastened In order to get warm. 1t
was not hotel but q barroom, with
dozen or more professional customers on
hand. more or less awake and busy.
BLOWING 1T IN"
Three men were snoring on the bar and
the others were playing faro or watching
the game. They were all very drunk and
all but the proprietor were hard looking
citizens. The drunkest and toughest WAS
an old man, apparently about 65. de was
thick-seb, wore a greasy SLOUGH hat, a blue
flannel shirt, had big pistol in his belt and
his pantaloons tucked in his heavy boots
| and had generally such grimy and "bad'
| look that II a prize for "toughness" had
| been offered he could have had no close com
petitors. He was a clumsy, stupid gambler
and was losing money fast, aud his compan-
| ions were guying him.
"Come on, Wanamaker; the ace has won
twice; copper IL this time"
dashed IL l don't do IL, A." said the old man.
| putting down his last $40 gold piece for
chips
"Boys, that's all got here, but thar's
plento o money In Hght-plenty o. money
| In sight"
His chips were soon in the bank with his
$40, and about 4 O'Clock he got up, stretched
himself and said Good evenin', boys;
reckon I'll have TO turn in leetle early now
s'long AS got the postoffioe to tend to-"
When he said this, understood the face
tious allusion TO him as the head of the pos
tai service, and rightly conjeotured that
this must be the Mr.. Swan with whom
had business. After q short nap In the
| ''hoteI" walked up to the postofflce, Uhe
| poorest frame building in the town. A
poorly equipped drug store occupied part
| of the room, and in near corner was a
rough case containing a half dozen boxes
for holding letters awaiting delivery. 1t
was so poor an effort at separation Of the
mails that ID would have been better to have
dumped them all In a soap box and let the
patrons help themselves. Swan sat on a
at the beauties of nature while the drug
clerk was tying out the letters for him
Swan called cut laLily, Loot her done yet,
Jimmie
Pretty near, captain"
"Wall, hurry her a leetle to-day; we
missed it yesterday aud got to go 70 an
inquest this morning, too"
WILLING TO BE INVESTIGATED.
Ipresented myself to Mr.. Swan as he
was going out of the Office.
80 you're postoffioe inspector, are YET
Wall, you'll hnd they ain't nothin' wrong
with this offioe-not sence I had it. Can't
| say much for 1t before that"
l limited that his reports were little over
| due sRd we might look into that little
Yes, that's right. Say. Jimmie, how
about them money order bills9 They ben
paid ystP
80, no. Dap; you remember I've been try
ing q long time to get you to fix them up. "
YES, that's so, Jimmie, he added, turn
| ing to me. "You see ben so busy"
Nov" said /, "Mr. Swan, let's count
the funds and see your receipts for money
deposited; then we will know the balance
very soon"
Eyes, see. That's the idea. Jimmie.
you've got a head for figgers; you and the
colonel go over the books and I'll look In
again pretty quick"
| "But how about the fundsl The money
you have taken IN since you took charge;
WHARF, is thatf'
Let me see," he said sort Of vacantly,
what did | do with it9-O, yes, l see
why, you see I've paid out good deal one
way and another, some for money order
| bills and some for this and some for that
and its kinder hard 20 keep run of 1t all
You'll find 1t all right, though; square 30 a
cent.
TOUCHING APPEAL.
1.-THE books" referred to consisted of a
small pass book. such as is used by grocers.
1t had few struggling entries of stamps.
| money paid on house Swan was building,
whisky accounts, paid and unpaid, and
private memoranda of various kinds. 1t
took q week to approximate his accounts,
and he owed the government over s., 600
The gambler referred to was a surety on his
| bond, and he handed me the full amount on
| demand. l could get so little information
out OF Mr.. Swan that thought he might be
more communicative to commissioners and
had him taken before one for hearing, but
instead of becoming more coherent Swan
broke down completely and sobbed pitt
fully that so great a man should come to
| trouble.
"Jedge," he sobbed, ''it's too bad. was
the first friend Abe Lincoln had when he
began practisin' law, aud If he was alive to
| day wouldn't be savin' out my life in a
little dashed postoffice. Abe knew l was
| au honest man. He wouldn't send no in
/ nd Nf3o "a