The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-05-27
Attempt to Defraud.

AsllNGToN, May 19.-fostmaster
General "ilson to-day authorized the
publication Of the following statement
in regard to an alleged attempt to over
charge the government fer the convey
ance of the mails in certain southern
States
Every four years the mail transported
over the various railways iu the United
States is weighed for a period of 30
days, for onc-foursh of tbe country
each year. Upon the average weight
obtained during the 80 days, the CON-
mission Of the railroad is adjusted aud
remains ip force for four years. The
last weighing was conducted in the
morts Of March, 1896. Ooe railroad
company, the Seaboard Air Line,
whose maio lioe exseods froa Ports
mouth, Va. to Atlanta, Ga, attempt
ed to take advantage Of this opportunity
to swell! ;lo weighing OF mail car
ried over their system during the weigh.
ing of the mails by very large ship
mcnss Of public documents franked by
United States senator apd members
Of congress were sent 70 the various
station agents Of this company, in
Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro-.
liza and Georgia. The sacks weighed
from 100 to l25 pounds each. Two,
three, four OF even FIVE sacks were sent
to one agent. Some agents we're furp-
ished oy railroad officials With lists of
addresses 10 North Carolina and Vir-
ginia. The division superintendent
and road masters gave oral Instructions
to the agents uader then: as 70 pasting
labels or writing addresses on The books
which we're not previously addressed,
but the tags Of the sacks we're addressed
"All for =" (namely for railroad
agent at that point) Tee books we're
then remailed aud again transported
over the routes Of this company to be
again weighed. \ few agents, cot
understanding their instructions, gave
out the books for public distribution
before the frank labels were received.
Fifteen sacks we're delivered at Ports
mouth, Va addressed in balk to the
general superintendent. That night the
books were readdressed ip the railroad
building BY his secretary and division
superintendent: and remailed the follow
ing morning to various persons along
the route. 4 newspaper at EIlenborot
N. G., learning of the transaction,
published shor, article headed "a
Mistake, sta;iUg 10 substance that
United States senator 1 mailing docu-
meuts to his constituents had BY mis-
take addressed thea, to station agents
along the Seaboard Air Loe railway.
a division superintendent, Earning Of
the article, proceeded. to the ,own and
induced the editor to cas the item out
of every copy Of his paper, on the
ground that it would hurt the road.
The "padding' Of The mails BY this
compaug was investigated BY the pest.
office department aud to pre7eas this
practice, she department. ordered the
Weighing to Be continued for 80 DAYS
during April Tie railroad company
the0 resorted 70 e oew scbene, by cor
tracing With publishers OF newspapers
for large number of papers to be sen
ever their iae daily, to addresses fur
nished by the company. AZ Portsmouth,
Va, the general superintendent ar
ranged With Portsmou,! paper to send
6 800 copies daily for 10 days, and
after that 2, 400 copies daily, il bundles
of25 to each address to parties 10 South
Carolina and Georgia % the Seaboard
Air Line. At Raleigh aa officials Of the
railroad to arranged have 5000 copies
the FRS; week aad 6,000 copies
week afterwards CT weekly paper,
sent in buudes Of IS over the Saabcard
AR Liue railroad to stations in Georgia,
South Carolina aud few in North
Caroina.
AZ Atlanta, the private secretary Of
the division superintendent arranged
with an Atlanta paper for 1000, cnpies
daily to be sent over The Seaboard Air
Line to Norfolk and Portsmouth 1000
copies addressed to regular Subscribers,
the other thousand as sample copies.
Arrangements we're also made with ao-
other Atlanta paper 20 scni $500 cop
les of the Sunday issue, Weighing half
a pound each, to addresses Is Nosfol4
and Portsmouth. Norfolk and Ports
mouth city directories we're fcroisbed to
the newspapers from which 20 print Ia
bells for mailing the papers 20 parties in
those cities Several Of these parties
thus addressed mad moved from those
cities or died Ifaa The weighing been
accepted by the department. the Sea-
5oa7d Air Line would have received fer
tie next four years ,ncch larger COM
peusa;ion than it vas entitled to.
Some Of the newspaper publishers
were indignant when they fouud that