New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-03
REMOVAL NOT ENOUGH.
CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE
BRIDGETON POSTMASTER RECON-
MENDED.
LANING WAS oUsTED ONCE BEFORE. But REAP
POINTED BY rIEsrDENr CLEVELAND
HE MADE POLITICAL AS
SEISMIC MIS-.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rNIBUNE.l


fly TELEGRAPH TO THE TnIBUNEl
Washington. D c. July Samuel A. Lanins'
recently postmaster OF BrIdgeton \. j.. VINO mas
Just been removed and superseded by Charles IL
Person probably realizes by this time thal P''''
ical pull" however strong. Is not stronger '''
law OF the United States. when the latter Is ei
forced Laning was appointed postmaster d.
Brdgeton under the first Cleveland ADMINISTRATOR
and was removed by President Harrison because Oh
gross partisan abuse Of his official authority ne
was reapponted under tbs Administration ana han
not been many months In office before charges were
again preferred against him.
The matter was afterwari called 20 the attention
OF the Civil ServRe Commission, and inVes'.sa.'o"
was made las, year but the Commission iaieu 10
gel at the facts of the few months ago 'ne
case was again called to the attention or the COM
mission which sent representative 10 pr'use'o"
with instructions TO try to get at the truth OF 'he
matter whether there had been political assessihen's
In the pos,ofice and whether II was true d. cideu
tina: the postmaster had allowed ore OF the compel
itors In the examination 10 see his papers ana a'er
them.
The Commissions representative after a carefui
examination, and after taking the sworn testimony
o. employees in the office, found that IT was true thdI
assessments had been made In the pos'onice THAT
the employees had been assessed In two pollticai cam
pagns TO a considerable extent, and that the post
master, as charged. had allowed one OF the compel
,tors 10 make corrections which altered his standing
on the eligible register.
The Postmaster who Is an inhuentai man III
local Democratic politics seemed 70 think that ne
could do pretty much he pleased: and when ne
found that the investigation would probably go
agatns, him, he made charges against the COM
ris-or's examiner The Commission then re-
qtestei the Postmaster General to send an IN
spector there, who would not only look INTO tnt
or gnal charges. but also make an lnVest BdtOn
Of the conduct OF the examiner General frlsertoii
o! Phiia ie,paa. vas ssnt: aIu ne ysprIner He
found that OF the charges made by the POST
master a. 70 the conduct OF the examiner were
sustained and On that report the POST as'e' ,'er
erd decided. on the recommendation ol the |Vih-
Mission remove the Postmaster
A. the political assessments we're IN VOCATION y.
the civil Ssrvce act. the Comm ssion ana not lcei
Fostmester and sent the case 70 the At,orney-
General. with the request that ne institute pro
ccei.s.gs for the violation OF tho law which the
All -rney-t ienerai has done.
II appears that the Ccmms sion has heretofore
encountered difficulty I'm its Efforts 70 have prose
cutons brought and sustained n cases or VOCATION
o, the penal sections Of the wi service Jaw rvl
example an invest cation made by the Commission
- MOines. Iowa year and a half ago. Is
closed that the master had made ponti,aI AZ,
sessnents and the case sent to the United
pos tmaster was such good man that he q d not
know h. hal done any wrong in collecting the as
sessnents, and Il was recommended that nothing
be done The Commission suggested TO the Attor
the District Attorney that the Department send a
special attorney 70 see that some thing vas done
The District-Attorney then into court and
recommended that fine OF so be imposed. which
done.
The Commission has gained sdom by experience.
which will probably lead to vigorous prosecution
Of eN-Posimastcr lan.ng