The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-26
Bona Eide. the Report Says, for
Cownn Paid No Money.
ALLEGED SUBSIDY" OF ss,2s2
SAID TO HAVE BEEN PAID NEELY
By AN INDIANAPOLIS FIRM.
Postmaster Thompson's Ofense-Mis-
bones Removal Recommended.

WASHINGTON, July 25.-The Postmas-
ter General has made public the report of
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bris-
tow. who is investigating the Cuban postal
fraudse Mr.. Bristow finds that Neely's en-
bezzlements aggregated at least s131. .713,
and says he was justified in recommending
the removal of Director General Rathbone.
Whether or not the latter was guilty with
Neely in the embezzlements he says there
can be no doubt that in the matter of un-
authorized per diem allowances, personal
expenses and warrants cashed and unac-
counted for. he unlawfully appropriated to
his own use money of the Cuban
revenues For this. Mr.. Bristow says he
believes Mr.. Rathbone should be required
to answer.
Mr. Bristow explains than the bureau of
finance inauguarated by Director General
Rathbone, of which Neely was appointed
chief. was started July Z. 1899. This bureau
was charged with the custody of all stamps
accounts changed July l. 1899. to division
of the auditors office. was in charge of
DIR. W. III. Reeves. who was appointed by
the secretary of war. The report says
that no accounts of the unbonded post
master were required, remittances being
entered as cash sales, and the only irfor-
nation the auditors Office had of these
transactions came from Neely himself.
There was no check, whatever, on his
transactions. From the accounts examined
the report says the minimum of Neely's
entertainments may be summarized as fol-
lows:
Shortage as shown by his own rec
Excess of credit by destruction of
surcharged stamps definitely as
certainec ........................ l0l,ll3
Total .Sl3l, 113
This will be increased by the discovery
OF additional sales of surcharged stamps,
but ii will not exceed $4,000 in the aggre-
gate.
''OFFICIAL DEPRAvITY.''
The report says that Rathbone appointed
Neely. who had custody of the stamps;
Reeves. the only man who could have
check on Neely's tranactions, and ID. War
field, chief of the bureau OF registration, a
committee to destroy the surcharged
stamps. of which Nicely had received $5e2-
90. and that Nicely and Reeves entered into
a conspiracy TO report a larger quantity
of stamps destroyed than were actually
destroyed. But. the report says. Neely's
fraudulent transactions were not confined
to these embezzlements, and while the
amounts were small compared with the
latter, ''They show the same official de-
pravity and utter disregard of the interests
of the public service
The connection between Neely and the
Nicely Printing Company, OF Muncie. Ind.
of which he was proprietor before he went
TO Cuba. is then explained The alleged
sale of the plant OF this company to Cowan.
Neeiy's business associate. the report says.
was not a bona fide transaction. as II is not
believed Cowan ever paid Neeiy any money
for his pretended interest. Neeiy ordered
from this company supplies for the de-
partment of posts In Cuba.
The books of the printing company show
II received for printing. 1857, while the
bills paid and the money order records at
Muncie show s2,1Sl more than the amount
indicated by the books was paid Some of
asked why he approved these amounts
said he did not know until after Neely's
arrest that any printing was done at Mum
Gle. IL this statement is true. says the re-
port, he convicts himself Of the most utter
and indefensible negligence OF OFFICIAL
duties
ALLEGED COMMISSION"
The department. OF posts" the report
says. purchased from the Keyless Lock
Company. OF Indianapolis, SHASTA worth of
furniture This company paid Nicely s. 2a2
In two checks-one Of s2s72 and the other
tor $500. For what purpose this money
vas paid him does not appear. The only
reasonable conclusion r. that IL was paid
ms Commission. subsidy or bribe for
the privileges OF supplying the furniture"
In July. 1899. the money available for
salaries was delayed and at Neely's sug-
Eestion Rathbone authorized warrant on
the unexpended balance for the fiscal year
ending June y for S-25I. This sum was
TO be reimbursed after the July fund
became available, but when Nicely OBJ
tainsd the warrant On the July fund in