The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-27
C||BANS On THE STEAL
Makes a Big Difference Whose
Ok, They Say.
SCANI MERCY TO CUBANS
When They Were Caught
Rathbone's Alleged Folly.

New York, May 25.-The Evening Posts
Havana correspondent says: Since The
first suspicion was aroused the main topic
of conversation here is the Nicely post
office scandal. In the face of this event
politics and the Coming first election Of
this city have paled In Importance Or
al sides it is felt that nesiect, and gross
neglect together with over -eouf1ence ard
wanton extravaganza, nids5 by the MS
management Of an incompetent man, arr
the causes for this great plot upon the
administration
The impression created in this city 10y
the discovery Of this swfndle is dIi1icu-
10 describe. The Americans, and especially
tie army. have felt the full strength Of
the blow, the latter, however. hut indi-
fectly. Five months ago, when the scan
bal in the custom house occurred, the
Americans were loud in their anger
against the Cubans. and the latter have
sver since been made to feel the stigma
placed upon their shoulders by the ac-
tion OF their fellow countrymen. That
10 Cuban was honest has been a foregone
ever since. and not one. no matter how
humble the position he filed. has been
permitted to go about his work unwatch-
ed Thousands and thousands of dollars
ihaye been paid out with a generous hand
to secret service men for this purpose.
CUbans drawing $1,000 a year were watch
ed by men who drew three times that
amount, to say nothing Of the per diem
which was allowed them in addition TO
their salaries. Thus, all the energy and
time Of the secret service department.
under the management Of Henry Cairns.
was devoted 10 catching cheap smugglers
and poorly paid. half starved olerAs,
while several clever men defrauded the
country Of enormous sums for months
undetected.
When the daring with which this was
done - shown ,one marvels that the
scheme ever proved a success. Nothing
but the downright ignorance and com
glete tncompetency of the director gene
tal Of posts. Mr.. Rathbone, could have
aided the schemers To say that the lat
ger IS guilty Of wrong doing is quite
unwarranted at present, but public opin-
son is hourly saying more and more ur-
pleasant things about the man who o
I'D the travelling expenses OF a sub0r-
dinate. as Rathbone did for Nicely. for
$1,000 for forty days vacation trip with
such items as $50 a day for hotels. Some
people firmly believe that Rathbone was
not ignorant Of the doings of these men.
The very manner in which surcharged
stamps were sold at the windows of the
pcstOffice, long after the government had
nv. r1fl-f
they think, toward discriminating the di-
Eector.
But. as said above, neglect was one of |
The chief factors in this shameful affair.
Rathbone came 20 this city TO adj appear-
ances, very humble and simple man,
He moved out into the Cerre to live at
"a fashionable boarding house, and for
some time made no effort TO shine as a
social light. Then he suddenly cut loose
and surprised the town with magnifi-
cent bail, at which all the swell set of
Havana assisted. This affair was fol- |
lowed by another one, and the general" |
as he was called. moved to a magnificent |
'quinta" on the Calzada del Cerre. A |
carriage and team Of horses then made
their appearance, and all the town mar
yelled that this could be done on 5000 |
a year. Then came the statement that |
he was allowed another 5000 for enter |
tanning purposes. |
While all this was going on the post |
office was a good deal Of the time with |
out its head. as Rathbone was either in |
the Cerre entertaining at luncheon, or in |
the bay in one Of the custom house |
launches, borrowed from Colonel Bliss. |
or IN the states buying new furniture |
for his palatal home Small wonder is !
st that profitable schemes were laid and |
matched in his department Nicely,
Thompson. Rich and Reeves are the |
names Of the men who have figured up |
no the present time in the case and who.
with the exception of the first mentioned,
are at present in the Cabanas fortress. A
dozen or more smaller fsh are also in
trouble.
All of the former with the exception
pf Thompson. were high livers and men
about town Thompson was. according TO
current gossip, dragged into the affair
through his easy going manners. The
order 70 send the men TO the Cabanas |
was largely due 70 public opinion. Up to !
yesterday morning the accused men had |
been treated with gloved hands, and, bar
ring the constant presence Of a secret
service man, had been allowed to do as
they wished Five months ago, when the
scandal in the custom house occurred,
the mon implicated, all Of the best fam
lies in the city, We're punched together,
Ike so many convicts, surrounded by 4
Gordon Of police. with drawn clubs. and
marched through the principal streets TO
the city jail. Al that moment these men
were as innocent. in the eyes Of tie law.
as their accusers. much more SO taan
the men Of the present scandal. yet 70
was shown 70 them. When
the Rstoffice affair was first discovere1
the press Of the city. FOR some unknown
reason, RETAINED from making any criu-
cisms. but as the days went by and cul-
prit after cUlprit was suspended from HIS
work and placed under surveillance in
stead Of being lodged IN Jail, unanimous
olttcry went up from the papers So
great did this cutlery beooa2e that General |
Wood was at last forced TO what to all !
appearance he regretted. and the men
were finally removed in carriages % the
Cabanas prison. :
Late on the same afternoon a rumor
spread throughout the city that orders
had been received TO deal slowly with the .
entire affair and 10 hold back IS much
as possible. Such a rlmor. however, can
hardly be believed. The American gov
erument IS. according to its own procia-
rnati0n, retaining It's holA on ths island
only Tor the purpose OF civilization. and
such actions viii surely never tend 20 | ,
help u in its work. The thorough prob (
ing Of this affair and the comple,e clean ,
e - -