The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-19
KELLY SET IN HIS WAYS.
PosTNrAsTER, BUT DIDN'T CARE 4
CENT FOE WILSON OR GARY.

wouid Give neth Folks Their Mail Quickly
and Keep the once IN Appie-Pie Order. hut
nidn,t Feel Called on 60 Answer Onlciai Let.
tiers frsua Surprised Inspector
BATH, Mo-, July 19.-Postmaster Kelly OF this
town IL ono of the most peculiar characters thaa
the Cleveland administration discovered and
put into ofloe. Ever since his appointment ho
has refused to have any correspondence VITA
the Post onice officials at Washington. Ieitcc
after letter has been addressed to him. but Ia
has refused to answer the communications Mr..
Kelly has made an excellent Postmaster, every.
body says. He has extended the delivery pre-.
cincts Of his Post ONCE. He is courteous 10 al
patrons Of the ONCE, and Bath people sa/ taas
they were never better served at the Post uf!,s
than under the present Postmaster.
Under Mr.. Kelly's predecessors It was mecca.
sary TO wait q half or thrce-quarters OF an hour
after tho arrival of the mail before one could
get his letter, but since Mr.. Kelly has been in
ONCE the mail is ready for delivery In ten min.
utes after its arrival. Nobody ut Bath is com.
planning Of Mr.. Kelly. but the First Assist
ant Postmaster-G General. Frank Jones. under
the Cleveland Administration,
Kclly's removal for his persistent refusal to an
swer Official correspondence Of the depart.
ment. This was at tho close OF the
last Administration and the case OF Kelly. to-
gether with tho complaint and recommendations
OF htr. Jones, was sctb v u COMMUNICATION Ut
Postmaster-General Gary. In the course q
time Mr.. Joncs's successor. Perry Heath, cana
across Mr.. Kelly's case. He referred it to Chief
Post ONCE Inspector Wheeler for Investigation.
Ono day last week o Post Office inspector canc to
Bath and began an investigation OF Mr.. kolly's
administration of tho Post Office. He found tho
Postmnste in his shirt sleeves working hard az
the bench sorting tho mail that had just arrived.
Everything about the building was orderly aud
srur sort of an of3cisi. but was Surprised 70 .
meet such q mild-mannered gentleman as Mr.
1--WE como here, Mr.. Kelly" said the in.
spector grayely. Ito investigate some serious
charges made nad, against you" r.r,,o, Eo,,r
I'm o Democrat, and a red-hot one. too, but I
guess can stand It 4 you can"
You are charged by the Civil Service Com.
missioners with persistently refusing to rnakea
by you and whether or not there have been any
changes IN your Office. Why didn't you mako
'SWsssiHi ! Just neglected it; that's all"
That THAI the only reAs0nr
why haven't you complied with the ruls
which oblises you to make a return OF the roster
ot.ESSo o p lSTse el% FIsssop mere 70 the department
several times, has he mott
Didn't YOU know that the official roster of
the department could not be issued complete
~ SouA
Mo-; never gave II q thought"
Did you know that the department woIl1
be justified in removing you for your neglect 10
answer this official correspondence r
Now. see here said the Postmaster. awak-
ening from his lethargic condition, "if you
want my job, why don't you take 1t like a man.
I'm a Democrat II there's a Republican in this
so T.
The Post Office official made no reply. but
began to examine the books OF the office. I've
been In the ~servico a long WHILE" remarked tho
inspector after the examination was completed,
but I've never seen a better kept set of books
than yours" Then they sat down and talked
matters over. and before they parted Mr.. Kelly
had filled out the necessary blanks and am
swered the other correspondence OF the depart
mept Before the inspector left town PostInas-
ter Kelly promised to mend his ways and in tho
future promptly answer communication from
the postal authorities.
Mr.. Kelly was one of the leading gold Demo
Gratis Of this town, and fought Bryan and Scwa.l
tooth and nail. Bath is Arthur Sewall's home.
but this did not deter Postmaster Kelly from
fighting the anarchistic principles OF the Chicago
platform. His salary as Postmaster is S2,io0 .
Near-