The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-14
LAST EDITION
HEADS CUT OFF.
Assistant Postmaster Will
liams and Others Victims.
A Peculiar Method of Removing Off
ciaIs Charged With Grave Crimes.


According to official dispatches received
by Postmaster Charles II. George from
Washington yesterday Carrier Abbott OF
the Providence Office has been dismissed
from service, and Mr.. George is also or
dered to remove his assistant, Charles III.
Williams, from Office.
The reason for the removal is alleged
irregularity in conducting the affairs OF
the Office.
The charges as brought by Acting POST
master Frank Jones involves Mr.. Williams,
Mr.. Abbott and several of the Office clerks
and are TO the effect that the Govern
ment has been defrauded into
paying for work that has not
been done. For instance, in the case OF
removal or resignation OF carrier
or clerk the extra work would
be divided up among the rest
and then a months pay collected
for the man not there and divided up
among those in the conspiracy, after
voucher had been signed by some one who
was willing to assume that he had per-
formed the duties. 1t Is also alleged that
good and efficient employees have been
discharged for the purpose OF either
getting the extra pay or OF making room
for some one whom the conspirators could
depend upon. Another statement con-
tanned in the charges against Mr.. Williams
is that the annual allowance OF $780, 900 for
the expenses of the Providence Postoffice
has always been used up to tie last cent
by Mr.. Williams no matter how few or
how many men were employed.
Postmaster Georges Statement.
In speaking OF the office of superintsnd-
ent of carriers, which Is not supposed To
exist in any postoifice, Mr.. George said:
"When Congress passed law two
years ago reducing the days
work work. Of hao.ms carrier r,..os to eight
the entire city to be redistricted and /
chose MIR. Albeit to attend to IL because
considered him competent for the work.
This summer while still engaged with his
new duties Mr.. Abbott was allowed his
customary vacation Of 10 days and drew his
salary for that time and now it seems
that he was not entitled to that pay and
his irregularity consists in drawing pay
for labor which he did not perform, al
though as soon as the work OF redistrict-
ing was completed he resumed his ordin-
airy duties as carrier.
"The postoflice department at Wash
ington approprates certain amount of
large postoffices TO pay the holiday extra
help. The amount donated for our use
varies according TO each years necessity.
III remember rightly last Christmas it
was somewhere between Sl00 and 500.
IL has always been the custom, ss far
back as j can remember, for one man to
draw the special holiday fund and dis
tribute 1t among the subordinates. Mr..
Williams, you see. has charge OF the post
Office pay roll, and pays the men their
salaries. SO, naturally, he was the man
to receive and dispense the fund.
SIN accounting for the money, he did
not present a detailed account, something
which was not considered necessary
understand that IN previous years the
same practice has been in vogue and no
fault was ever found with il. But not ac-
counting for small sums OF money in de-
tail, the irregularity, IL it is an Irregular
ity, 1t is merely a technical one.
"The accounts OF this Office" Mr..
George continued, shave always been
correct. Our quarterly financial report
was sent TO Washington few weeks ago,
and it has been properly audited. The
entire irregularities in the Office amount
in cash to only about 900, aud 4 question
very decidedly whether the Government
is right in terming these minor matters
Irregularities in accounts. 1t is queS-
tion which we may yet dispute"
Mr.. George stated that as he had been
requested to appoint successor to Mr..
Williams by the proper authorities, this
would be done just as soon rs the proper
man to fill the position of assistant post
master could be secured. TO find such a
person several weeks time may be re-
quired. In the meanwhile Mr.. Williams
WIFI continue TO discharges tho uut1es Ut
the Office.
Mr.. George also declared The state
ments of the acting postmaster general
to be erroneous in several respects. For
instance, Mr.. Wi liams' wife had never
been employed in the postof'icc nor
drawn a cent from the Government, and
also that no conspiracy exists in the
Providence postoffcc.
The opinion OF Postmaster George is
that Postmaster General Bissell's subst-
tute is making some very grave charges
that he will not be able to in anyway sub
stantiate, and furthermore Mr.. George de-
clares that he shall demand a borough
investigation.
The attention of Assistant Superintend-
ent Williams was directed today to the
allegations of Acting Postmaster Jones,
contained in Washington dis
patch. In reply to the statement
that "several clerks in the Office had
been ordered to be removed for conspir-
acy to defraud the Government of public
money" he stated, and the statement
was confirmed by the postmaster,
that the orders for removal were
confined to himself and Mr.. Abbott. He
emphatically denied that there had been
any conspiracy" or collusion of any kind
since he had held the Office. In answer to ,
the statement that "the Providence Office
had been directed by Assistant POST
master Williams" he replied tnat he was
the executive officer of the postoffice, re-
sponsible to Postmaster George, who had
given his personal attention to the ad-
ministration OF affairs at all tinsss.