The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-05-31
Gnoss MISREPRESENTATION

GItOSS MlSltEPhESENIA
OF the Republican Postmaster at Charles.
ton In u Washington Paper-A Specific
Refutation.
The Washington Pos! recently pub.
lished the following article:
Mrs, John L, Keuna, vile of the dead
senator from West Virginia, was up.
pointed mistress OF the Charleston post.
Office some days ago. It was means
of living TO her. She went down to tho
capital OF that state, Investigated the
inner workings OF the office, and Game
back to Washington in despair. She
found horde OF incompetents in the
ofEice-negroes and whites. The proper
hours were not kept, the mail bags were
left open at late hours Of the night with
not even the Waterman about the build
ing; the delivery Of letters was imper-
feet; lettersmailod were left unstamped;
letters directed TO merchant citizen OF
the town were held twenty-four hours;
there was nothing OF the neatneas and
cleanliness about the Office so dear to
tho heart OF women. She came back to
the capital in despair. Realizing that
she was unable TO clean the miniature
Augean stable, she appealed to Presi.
dent Cleveland. He saw in her o woman
with tho fresh aud deeply grown lines
OF widowhood in her face, listened to
her complaints and said:
"Mrs. Kenna, get proof to sustain
your charges against those men and
every one OF them shall be removed"
She sent into West Virginia q man
who had been her husbands private
secretary for many years. He obtained
proof OF the almost criminal careless
ness that prevailed in the workings OF
the Charleston Office, and Mrs. Kcnna
submitted them. The result is that at
least one postofiice in the country has
felt the rasping rake of the new broom.
In tho Charleston postoffice to-day not
one employee remains who grew fat I'M
der the old regime. There Is no tobacco
saliva on the floor; no cigar stumps lie
around to be mashed fiat by the tread
of young women who como for letters !;
the dirt inaeparable from masculinity is
absent; the Office Is opened promptly
and closed promptly; afresh-faced and
starched girl looks through the
stamp window; the man who wishes
to send money order make, out his
application, hand it through the en-
trance with his money on top of il, and
receives, his bit OF blue paper and n
chastely severe glance in return. In
her private Office Mira. KennR sits in
peace OF mind. Many improvements
arc in contemplation. Rome was not
built in day. When they are com.
pleted the Charleston postoflice will
stand Us u model to the country. II Is
backed by the President OF the United
States. lie stands behind tho widow Of
his old friend. Tho reforms that sho
attempts will DO upheld by him. In
the conduct OF her household Mrs.
Konna was a business woman. She
seeks to carry tho same methods into
the conduct OF the Charleston postoaice
1t will be worth tho whilo OF some OF
the presidential postmasters to drop in
there two summers from now and SOC
how things are run.
In regard to the above statements,
which were reproduced in Wheeling
paper, Postmaster McWharten has the
following to say in the Charleston Ga.
sc.tc:
PosroFrlcE, CHARLESTON, W. Va.
May 20. 1903.
Editor Gazette,
Tho foregoing article, which ! respect
fully ask you to publish, appeared In the
Washington Post Of Sunday, 2lst inst,
and lis succeeding weekly issue. The
article not only doos great injustice,
abroad, to the administration Of this
Office, but infinitely greater injustice
hero to Mrs. Kennu, who Is represented
Us coming from Washington to this city
making an investigation OF tho dinner
workings OF tho Office" then going back
20 Washington In despair, reporting the
terrible condition OF matters and 40.
pcalCd to President Cleveland for aid,
Otc. Now, ] undertake TO say Tor Mrs.
Kenna that that part OF tho article Is
unQualihedly false II IL impossible
that she did any such thing for soy.
oral reasons. lst. Such representations
n made By any one are false, gFoHhdless
and untrue. %. Mrs Konna is lady
incapable OF making false representa-.
| tionB. sd. Mira. Kenna wns never inside
Of any part OF the pc stotIlce, not open
10 tho public, within tho last two years
prior to tho publication Of said article
ne far as is known by any one con.
heeted with the Office. 4th, II she had
mado a personal inspection Of tho office
ne represented, the idea Of going to
Washington in despair would not have
occurred to her.
There happened to DO no negroes con.
nocled with tho postolllCe, not ono.
Smoking IN tho Office by any pofson
connected with II is absolutely pro
hlbltod.
Tho whole article Ia tho product Of d
mentally diseased and morally dOpraV6t