The herald., 1895-07-31
CHARGES AGAINST FLINT.
For Drunkenness and Dis
elimination
BROUGHT BY 4 POSTAL CLERK
Who Is Said to Be Jealous of
Flint
WANTS TO TAKE HIS JOB
An Investigation Is 10 Follow In the
Future
And the Matter Is to Be Probed to the
colver Claims That Flint Consplred With the
Southern Pacific Company to Defraud
the Government
Who Is Said to Be Jealous of
Flint
WANTS TO TAKE HIS JOB
An Investigation Is 10 Follow In the
Future
And the Matter Is to Be Probed to the
Bottom
colver Claims That Flint Consplred With the
Southern Pacific Company to Defraud
the Government

A startling and somewhat sensational
story appeared yesterday to the effect that
the Southern Pacific company had been
fraudulently boosting the rate of compen-
sation received by them for transporting
the United States mails.
The publication purports to have been
received by telegraph froS. San Franciso.
and is printed on the strength Of an asser-
tion mace by a railway mail clerk nam ed
Colver.
The entire accusation is directed against
Samuel Flint, superintendent Eighth di-
vision railway mail service, and is pre-
ceded by charges Of drunkenness and dis
elimination also preferred by Clerk Col
yer.
A portion Of the dispatch reads as fol-
lows:
The method pursued by the postoffice
department to determine the com per sation
due railroad companies and stage lines is
to weigh the mails every four years for
thirty days. The average of thirty days is
the basis vf calculation, and it determines
the rate for the ensuing four years. The
mails were weighed in July last year. and
the result was a material advance in the
earnings of the Southern Pacific over
what they had been from the preceding
four years. There was marked increase
on every line and branch operated by the
Southern Pacific. but as no intimation Of
any crookedness was made at that time,
the fact created no comment:
The circumstances of how the Southern
Pacific company is said to have stuffed
the mails during these thirty days are
only now coming to light. 1t is said that
from the beginning OF the weighing sea-
son last summer mail cars on the South
'ern Pacific were half filled with sacks OF
franked public documents until the close
OF the thirty days. There ars mail clerks
willing to make affidavits that sacks OF
mail were transported back and forth
over the Southern Pacific system several
times during the thirty days auu they
were reweighed at the end OF nearly every
division.
Not only were large quantities of gov
eminent pamphlets thus used to augment
the weight of the mails during those
thirty days. but division superintendents
kept the hail cars well loaded by sending
big sacks OF books and pamphlets to each
other and having them returned for the
rapid repetition Of the profitable practice.
Colver, the railway agent. who is now
causing superintendent samuel Flint so
much unpleasantness, called the attention
of the postotfice inspector to the palpabl
crookcdness at the time. and reported
that in one day on his run to Los Ange-
les, he had 100 pounds Of questionable
mail in his car. There was an attempt
at an invetigation but the matter was
hushed up.
The F. Il. Colver mentioned in the
abvse clipping. it is said. has an eye to
the position occupied by Superintendent
Flint, and is using every means in his
power to oust that gentleman.
W. p. Bowen. who has charge of the
railway mail department in this city.
was seen by Herald reporter yesterday
afternoon, and said: These charges
were brought up last April or May, and
fell through in some inexplicable man
ner. l presume the department din not
and so concluded to drop it, The evil
dence uf this man Colver, however, must
be taken with a grain of salt. He was
removed from the position he now occu-
pies on charges. II was in the spring of
1872, l think. The particulars of the
some of the local clerks OF an inspection
that was to have taken place In few
weeks. Later he was reinstated and has
held his position since. l a. not see that
the charges made can in any way be sub
stantiated. At all events, ii they should
be 1t would prove nothing against the su-
perintendent, for it would be an absolute
impossibility for him to personally in
spect each department OF the railway
mail service each day. And more than
that, have known him for the past ten
years and have during that time been
more or lees intimate with him, and
never saw him under the influence of
liquor. In these charges I can see but
one thing and that is that sume one evi-
IDENTIFY desires his position in the govern
ment employ.
Postotfice Inspector Flint was also seen,
and stated that he knew nothing of the
''stuffing" charges, save by hearsay. He
said: II wish it distinctly under stood
that am no. the Flint mentioned in this
dispatch, and have nothing to do with
the railway mail service. + am an in
spector, and confined to the postoffice SER
vice. With regard to the charges Of
drunkenness and discrimination brought
against the superintendent, l have mad
instructions from Washington to investi-
gate them. Inspectors Munro and Irwin
have been detailed on the case, ana will
report in tnc near future. 1t is probable
that all these charges will be heard by
the department officials at Wash ington as
soon as the matter can be reached"
Colver is now on his route between
San Francisco and this city. He lives ct
123 North Figueroa street, when stopping
rsre. He9 will probably be here some
time in the latter part OF tho week.