The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-27

or in the Washington City postoffice.
Later in the day Postmaster Genera
Smith gave out this statement to the new.
associations:
The Postmaster General said today tha
the matters in question were brought tt
his attention about a year ago through th'
report of an inspector. who made an eX-
animation of the Washington office Upof
this report the matters were subjected tf
careful scrutiny. and it was found that
while there were some errors of form and
question as against what appropriation
some of the items should be charged. there
was no wrong.
"The matters were also submitted to the
Comptroller of the Treasury and passed
under his personal scrutiny. and were al
lowed. He says that the questions involved
relating to a few items were questions oil
form. and that there was no evidence oi
any dishonesty or wrong"
Soon after Postmaster General Smith
arrived at his Office yesterday morning he
was visited by Senator Platt of Connects
cut. the most vigilant champion in the
Senate of the Administrations colonial
policy. and Representative Loud Of Cali
fornia Chairman of the House Committee
on Postofices and Postroads. These gen.
tlemen were in conference with him for
more than an hour. Immediately after
they left his office Mr.. Smith sent for
Perry H. Heath, First Assistant Postmas-
ter General, and Postmaster Merritt of the
Washington City postoffice. These Off
cials remained with him about half hour.
and when they emerged from his Office re-
fused to discuss the result or the subject
of their conference with their chief.
Representative Loud Talks.
Chairman Loud talked very freely with
representative of The Times about his
conference with Postmaster General
Smith Il called to see the Postmaster
General on another matter" said he, but,
of course, We informally discussed the
charges of irregularities growing out OF
the early establishment of the postal ser
vice in Porto Rico. / am prepared to be-
lieve that some abuses crept into the ser
vice at first. but l am satisfied that they
have all been corrected since the service
in Porto Rico was established on an inde
pendent basis i do not believe, however.
that these abuses at any stage of the es-
tablishment of the service in Porto Rico
amounted to anything more serious than
too eager. but natural, desire to put
friends into easy berths. That is form
of abuse that creeps into all departments
of the public service. Public officials are
nothing more than human beings, and are.
therefore, liable to permit their friends
to impose upon them. Still, l am not
ready to believe that grave abuses have
marked the administration of the WASH
ington City postofice or the PostofIice De-
partment. At the same time, if anybody
has specific charges to make / think they
ought to be carefully and searchingly in
vestigated.
THE Postmaster General told me in my
i'm hat ba
was informed that number of women
were being carried on the payrolls of the
Washington postoffice as cleaners who did
no work. He Investigated the matter and
found that the charge partially was true.
As | remember the name, he told me he
had discovered that newspaper woman
named James-Mrs. James-had been re-
ceiving a salary for some time as a scrub
woman at sub-statior, and that she was
physically incapacitated for the work. He
had dropped her name from the rolls. 1t
seems that this ia6y's experience typifies the
small abuses, if any, that have crept into
the service. Some friend of hers in the
Postoffice Department or in the city post
Office had her name placed on the payroll
to tide her over hard period in her for
tunes. | think that you will find that il
there are any other abuses which have not
been corrected they are similar 10 that Of
this newspaper woman
When asked il the Congressional probe
would be applied to the alleged scandals,
Mr. Loud said he was not yet prepared to
answer that question.
Mr.. Heath Silent.
First Assistant Postmaster General
Heath, whose legal residence is Muncle,
Ind, whence halls Oliver H. Smith. de-
clined to see reporters on the plea that he
was too busy. He referred his newspaper
callers 10 George Beavers. who is carried
on the rolls as Chief of the Division of Sal
aries and Allowances, but who, in the ao-
sence OF Private Secretary George Allen,
who is cut in Indiana on political mis-
sion, is acting in that capacity for Mr.
Heath. Postmaster Merritt had told The
Times reporter that Mr.. Beavers, as Chief
of the Division of Salaries and Allowances.
ought to be able to throw all the light desir-
ed on the alleged irregularities. Mr.. Beavers
proved to be an unruly member Not
word-not word he snapped to The
Times reporter when questioned. Its L,
to the Postmaster General to talk if he
wants TO. You'll get nothing out of me-
No. Stree, you'll get nothing out of me-
And forthwith Beavers turned on his heel
end walked away.
Postmaster Merritt courts the fullest and
freest investigation. He was transferred
from the Office of Third Assistant Post
master General TO that of Postmaster of
Washington on the first of last July. after
he unusually fierce struggle for the post
of this city. He was appointed
through the influence of Senator Platt OF
New York, and used to be postmaster of
1ockport, in that State
Il have held this position for less than a
ear" said Postmaster Merritt to a repre-
entative of The Times. "and you viii OBJ
erye that the charges OF irregu arities
MEDIATE my appointment. About the first
hing l did when / took charge CT the Of
ce was to discharge a man named Tul-
och from the position of cashier, and put
n his place a man whom knew / made
20 charges against Tulioch. / didn't have
o do this in order TO get rid of I'm. He
'as not protected by the civil service rules,
nd / only exercised>my privilege in dis
hargirg him. i suspect that he is re-
ponsible for the newspaper charges of ir-
egulsrities in the city postofice and In the
department. The poStofice has not been
since / have had charge of it,
but that is not my fault. / wish the in
pectors would come here now, and care
nlly examine every account in TIE Office
there is anything wrong here / want TO
now 1t. When took charge here on July ],
599. man named Jones-John L. Jole5.
blink. newspaper reporter-was beng ,
arTied On the ro.ls as a physician at ,
alary of $l.100 Z year. Jones resigned
n July 81 and has not been on the payroll
nce" s.j,A z
Ibid you force Jones TO resign" asked I
he reporter.
Mr.. Merritt hesitated for a moment be-
,re replying. Well he finally said.
Jones resigned a month after ! took Z
largc Of the office. and that is al care
} say about it. / don't want 10 b. repre- {
snted as claiming to have caused Jcnss 4
resign" I