The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-07-26
.sIIatlary g $500. wIth no,lt!ca,Ion 4 .has

cease. July 8, Rathbone asked for an
Official residence. This was also allow
ed. Although the per diem was cut of, ,
-Rathbone continued to draw It. When
called upon by Colonel Burton for his
authority for this allowance, iRathbone
submitted the letter. suppressing that
part OF It prohibiting the per diem. In
closing the discussion us to the per,
diem the report says:
Rathbone Also Guilty.
ut appears therefore that Director
General Rathbone drew from August 1,
1899, to April 80, 1900, the sum of sl;365
as a per diem which was unauthorized
and that the drawing OF the same was
fraudulent, and therefore recommend
that he be required to reimburse the
postal revenues Of Cuba In that
amount"
The bills rendered for furniture for
the official residence, the report says.
contain many items such as charges
for trunk gloves, dog collar. overcoat.
hats for coachman, boots for footman,
shirts, collars and cuffs for coachmen,
etc
The report calls attention to a war
rant for $500 drawn by Rathbone, June
30. 1899, for which no accounting was
made and another $500 warrant drawn
in May of the same year.
1t says:
From the reports 1t appears that
Rathbone had drawn two warrants to
himself in the sum or $500 each. receiv-
Ing the money thereon. and made no
accounting whatever for the same. to
the department of posts. There stands
against him. therefore. the charge OF
unlawfully appropr!ating $1,000 Of the
Cuban postal funds for his own use"
Attention Called to Large Expenses.
4 The report also calls attention to
many large expenses by Rathbone fo-
which no vouchers were filed. although
they could have been easily obtained.
For some months miscellaneous ex-
penses aggregated as much as $3.50. Such
items as repairs. So, freight $3.50" ap-
pears.
Reeves explained that he passed such
accounts because they had been allowed
by the director general. The report
does not credit this statement. saying:
"The evidence is too strong OF collu-
sion between Neely. Rathbone and
Reeves"
The total amount of these miscellaue-
Gus expenditures was $500. A part OF
this was probably legitimate, but /:
large part was doubtless fraudulent ,ex-
penditure, for which Rathbone. Neeiy
and Reeves are equally responsible"
Knew His Act Was a Crime.
With reference to the guilt OF E. ?.
Thompson. the postmaster at, Havana.
the report explains that in September.
1899, he Issued four money orders In his
own behalf for s1Oo each and deposited
fore them in lieu of cash a due illlforff
$500. When the inspection was made.
he took out this due bill, deposited cash
from the remittancas and after the IN
spection had been finished. he withdrew
the si0O and replaced his due bill.
"Thompson knew that his act was
crime" says the report. "and he plainly
showed that he was aware he had sell
ously violated the law"
The report says Necly occupied the
most confidential relations with Rath-
bone and was regarded as the most In
fuentlal with him Of all the postal en-
ployes. ssg |
Rathbone Lived Beyond His Salary.
The report finds that Rnthbone's ex-
penditures In the payment Of debts and
living EXPENSES were much in excess of
his salary. aa
Whether Director Rathhone was
guilty with Neely in the embezzlemen,s
endeavored to be covered up by the de-
struction of surcharged stamps. is ct
this time question more OF opinion
than proof. but there can be no doub:
thar In the matter Of the per diem, per-
sonal expenditures and the warrants
wmch were cashed and the money IN
accounted for, he unlawsully and fraud-
uIentIy appropriated To his own use
money from the Cuban postal revenues
Neely, Reeves. Thompson, 1Ieyca and
Mescaron are now under arrest ard
Rich Is held as n government witness.
HVIyI EcDiNAIU