The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-06-02
The CUBAN
FRAUDS ARE
OYERDRAWN.
Gen. Wood Believes all Except the
Postal Department Have Been
Conducted Honestly.
THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF CUBA
Has Been ImprOved-ofendeEs viii
be Punished-some officials Draw
Upon Their Private Income.

Upon T1elr SElV0LS 4nSV4AS'
NEW YORK, June LA dispatch to
the World from Havana, says:
General Leonard Wood, military gov
ernor OF Cuba, authorized the World
correspondent to cable to the World
the following statement from him relu-
tive to the frauds In the Cuban postal
sesvlce and the general condition Of the
island:
Il firmly believe that the irregularl-
ties in the Cuban postal service. which
amount to plain theft only, are all that
will be discovered.
.The postal service has not hesn ur,-
der my Jurisdiction. I learned OF the
frauds, Instituted an inquiry ana took
steps to secure the punishment Of the
men implicated.
Thorough Investigation Tnaugurated'
"I have since lnaugurated thorough
investigation into ull the departments
and am confident that the condition of
AFFAIRS OF the postal service does not
exist in any other branches. or course,
there have been many rurnors inspired
by the postal scandal, of fraudulent
transactions In. the other departments
the customs service, the engineers de.
partmsnt and the department OF parks
have every reason to believe that
these departments have been conducted
In a most business like and honest man
ner, If there is one department am
sure of 1t is the customs bureau. You
cun readily understand that men who
have been in the habit OF swindlins tho
government under tho Spanish regime
do not take kindly to the Introduction
OF the business methods inaugurated by
the United stutes. l think that on the
whole tho entire public service OF Cuba
has been improved"
Government After the Thieves.
"should you discover the existence OF
irregularities in any other department,
general, what would be your actioh2"
II would institute thorough investga.
tlon and punish the Offenders" replied
the general firmly.
HAS any in,imat!oH been conveyed
TINT the administration at washington,
would for political reasons, rather that
no other scandals be disclosed and that
the full extent OF the irregularities in
the postal service be kept as secret as
possible?" was the next question.
II have not received such an intina-
tlon," was the reply.
at is my place to find out whether
the government is properly administer
ed. II find 1t is not shall Insist on
the immediate punishment Of any Of
fender, no matter who he may be or
what influence, political or otherwise,
may be exercised to protect him. am
responsible for the honest conduct OF
the government and any person found
guilty will be punished"
No Unwarruntsd Extravagances.
what have you to say regarding the
reports OF unwarranted extravaganza
on the part OF officials sent by the
United States government"
"There is nothing in the condition of
affairs to justify such a statement. /
know u number OF officials who have
been compelled to spend more money
to maintain the dignity OF their rank
and country than the United States has
allowed them. They have drawn upon
their private incomes to do so. and the
government has not been called upon
to foot their bills"
"How many men have been found
guilty OF fraud and either been quietly
dropped from the service or placed un-
der arrest?"
Every few, and with one EXCEPTIONAL
were In civil branches Of the service.
Out of 10000 soldiers sent to the island
but one man has been directly charged
with embezzlement. He was volun-
teer officer and the amount OF his steal
lngs was $50. He was tried, found
guilty and sentenced to three years.
Aside from Neely, Reeves, Rich und the
other men implicated in the postal
scandal, there are number Of men
awaiting trial for perpetratIng frauds
In the customs service. II guilty they
will surely be punished"
Condition Of Island Satisfactory.
How about the general condition of
the island?"
ut is most satisfactory, The reve-
nues are in excess OF the expenditures.
There Is less discomfort than you imas-
Inc and while the advancement OF the
people Is slow It is undoubtedly more
satisfactory than tho old condition. A
most significant indication is furnished
by the fact that the preparations for
the election Of municipal officials, on
June 10. have been conducted In u most
orderly mannpr. have not received a
single request for troops.
"Thc registration Of voters foots up
10000. one-half Of the voting strength.
In order to preserve the best feeling
decided TO Rivr the minority party rep
rescnta,lon on every board OF aldermen
and the other elective bodies. do not
anticipate trouble Of any character as
u result Of the elections"