The Portland daily press., 1898-02-24

had succeeded in covering up his shortage
so successfully that no evidences of wrong
had ever been discovered before his death,
either here or in Washington. Besides
the money which he receives the cashier
of the post office is the custodian Of all
the stamps and stamped envelopes and
other tokens of value in the office. To
guard against defalcations and other
wrong doing the government has insti-
tuted the force of post office inspectors
and these officials make examinations Of
all post offices. They have no stated time
for doing this work, it being the policy of
the government to have the examinations
made at irregular intervals for the pur-
pose of adding to the difficulty of covering
up wrong doing. The last examination of
the Portland post office previous to the
visit of the two inspectors this week was
made in January, 1897, about thirteen
months ago. At that time, nothing
wrong was discovered with Mr.. Chenery IS
accounts and nothing Of the sort was
suspected until Mr.. SWEET discovered that
the books did not balance at the time of
Mr.. Chenery's death.
In reply to a question as to how the
shortage could be carried on, without de-
lection, Mr. Snow said that there were
several ways in which it could be done.
''We have found evidences of alterations
and erasures in the books" said Mr..
Snow. "and these and other circumstances
indicate that the efforts to cover up a
shortage began last March. A cashier
may cover shortage by reporting that
he has sold only $4,000 worth of stamps
when in reality he has sold $4,000 worth.
Then when he makes his quarterly state
ment to the department in Washington he
is allowed fifteen days in which to get in
his vouchers and finish up the work of
the quarter. Now if he is short in his
accounts it is possible for him to cover it
up by means of the receipts of the fifteen
days allowed him and which of course
are really part of the business of the
next quarter. 1t is not surprising that in
an office Of the size of the Portland office
shortage for six thousand dollars
should be covered up. Had Mr.. Chenery
lived the condition of his accounts might
not have been discovered until the next
examination by the inspectors and that
might not have come for year or more,
for the inspectors with the amount Of
work they have to do cannot get around
to all the Offices in much shorter time, al.
though of course when there is reason to
suspect something wrong immediate
action is taken. The postmaster does not
usually personally examine the cashier
department. The cashier Is under bonds
to the postmaster and it is his business to
manage his department, his accounts be-
ing sent to Washington, where they are
audited, the endorsement of the depart
ment being regarded as showing that they
are correct. The cashier is the custodian
of the money of the Office and the post
master may not know the combination of
the safe.
"This case comes as great surprise to
me-" continued Mr.. Snow, ''but then
nearly all these cases are equally surpris-
ing. recently had one in which a young
man who had only a short time before
been appointed to what might have been
life position, was found to be a de-
faulter."
Mr.. Chenery was under bonds for &c.,
600, the Union Safe Deposit and Trust
company of this city being the surety.
This bond does not run to the govern
ment as the postmaster is held responsible
for all the moneys of his office and is n
der heavy bonds himself. After the in
speorors had finished their labors yester-
day the matter was laid before the Trust
company and demand made for the pay
ment of the money by MIR. SWEET, to
whom the bond was payable. This de-
mand the company immediately honored
and handed Mr.. SWEET theil check for the
amount of the defalcation.
In his long service as cashier here Mr..
Chenery once before had shortage in his
accounts. This was during the term of
Judge Goddard as postmaster and the
shortage amounted to several thousand
dollars. The trouble was attributed to
errors in book keeping and Mr.. Chenery
made good the amount. Mr.. Chenery was
man who had SO far as known no exc
pensive habits. His salary was $500
His family consisted of his wife and one
son. 1t is understood that he left no
property Of any considerable amount but
that there was an insurance on his life,
payable to Mrs. Chenery.
Mr.. Chenery was the Oldest employe of
the Portland post office. He was first DIP
poined to position in the post office as
clerk under Edward P. Dole in 1861, the
first Republican postmaster Of Portland.
After the war Of the Rebellion the United
States government called in all the old
issue of postage stamps, and redeemed
them with new ones, and the process of
investing the old ones that came into the
office was entrusted to Mr.. Chenery.
Postmaster SWEET was also clerk in the
post office about that time.
In 1866 Judge Woodbury. Davis. who
was then postmaster appointed Mr..
Chenery cashier, position which he I'M
interruptedly held UP to the time of his