Evening star., 1900-07-25
MIR. Bristow's Report Will Include the
Director in the Cuban Frauds.
SUGGESTS PROCEEDINGS Be BEGUN
PecuIations of the Post Office Ring
Aggregate $4,000.
PLAN OF REORGANIZATION

The report of Fourth Assistant Postmas-
ter General Bristow, who recently spent FIVE
weeks upon the Island of Cuba. under orr
ders of the Postmaster General. directing
the investigation Of the postal frauds. which
involved several of the United States postal
officials of the island, will not be made
public until tomorrow morning. a repre-
sentative of The Star. however. learned
today from a source that cannot be doubt
ed that the report charges that Director
General Rathbone was either a party to
the wholesale system of peculations. or
al least that he was engaged I'm wrongdo-
ing himself. The report specifically states
that General Rathbone. director general
of posts of Cuba. drew two warrants in the
spring of 1899 for 500 each and never made
any accounting for the same. 1t is also
represented that, Notwithstanding that this
matter was brought to the attention Of Gen.
eral Rathbone. he made no explanation OF
the charge, and the report suggests that
proceedings be at once instituted against
him. charging him with the peculation OF
$1,000.
The report goes fully into many extrava-
gances and excessive personal accounts OF
General Rathbone in connection with the
Office of director Of posts, and 1t is con-
cluded beyond the shadow of a doubt that
he had absolutely no regard for money In
the carrying on of his establishment in Ha-
vana.
The report discloses that the peculationS
of Neely, the financial agent OF the island;
Thompson the pos ostmaster. and Reeves, the
auditor, aggregate S130.o00 This is con-
siderably less than was at first supposed,
for It was belied that the peculatons would
Come up to nearly a half million dollars.
OF course the feature of the report IN
the charge OF the direct connection of Di-
rector General Rathbone with postal pecu-
lations, and it is believed that proceedings
will be at once instituted by the military
governor OF the island looking to his arrest
and speedy trial upon the charge made by
General Bristow.
The report covers fifty-f1ve pages Of type.
writing, and is one of the most complete
documents Of its kind ever compiled. II
goes into the subject thoroughly, dealing
in detail with each separate branch of the
service on the island, and following along
concise lines every method pursued by
Neely TO fitch the government. The whole
ground is gone over. Nothing is left to be
supposed or imagined, and II is believed
that when the report reaches the public 1t
will be satisfied at least that the Post Office
Department has been thorough in its in
yestigation of the disreputable conduct Of
Its employees in Cuba.
There are two parts of the report the
first dealing with the frauds, the other
with the reorganization. The latter re-
port covers the system inauguratd by Gen.
Bristow, In accordance with the plan out
lined by Gen. Smith. and shows in detail
how the finances Of the island in regard
TO the postal department are manipulated
what the system of checking is how the
books are kept, together with the names
and the salaries Of the employees on the
work, and showing in detail the amount
saved to the government by the reduction
in salaries
Gen Bristow in his report speaks Of
the time he spent on the fsland-flve weeks
IN all-and of the method he pursued in the
investigation, and of the excellent work
done by the United States postal inspectors
who were taken to the island for the pur-
pose of running down and exploiting and
exposing the entire scheme. Gen. Bris-
tow gives as his opinion, it is understood
that there was an organized system known
TO Neely. Thompson and Reeves for the
stealing of funds. but il is understood he
does not say in SO many words that Gen,
Rathbone was party to the ring although
he charges specifically that two warrants
of $500 each were drawn by Gen Rath-
bone and up to the present time have never
been accounted for