The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-26
REPORT ON CUBAN FRAUDS


CONTINUED from First Page)
Philip Troutfetter, formerly Of the state
Of Colorado, who is said to be wanted
by the Pinkerton Detective agency fol
a crime committed In that state. G. M
Rich, who was brought to Havana from
Munce by Nicely as his assistant chief
claims to have told General Rathbone
In April of this year that Nicely was
crooked. Rathbone denies having had
any such conversation with Rich Rich
claims to be innocent, but he at least
had knowledge of Neely's embezzle-
ments long before he claims TO have
told Rathbone. Reeves, the assistant
auditor, in statement, confessed to
Inspectors Smith and Fosnes that Nee
ly paid him $1,000 for concealing the
fraud in the destruction of the stamps.
Both Rich and Reeves protest against
any criminal designs upon their part,
How much credit should be given to
their statements it is difficult to deter
mine.
FRAUDULENT PER DIEM,
On December 81 1898, e. G. Rathbone
was appointed directors general of posts.
His salary was fixed at $4,000 per an
mum. At his earnest request the post
master-general on January 30, 1899, al
lowed him IS per diem for expenses in
addition to his salary. Later on he
claimed his salary and per diem were
not sufficient. and on lure 10 the post
anaster-renaral in reenonse. wrote him
that his salary should be increased to
&c. 300 nor annum and that with the
compensation nxed ar S6 200, the per
diem of AZ would cease" On July g. in
inawsr Ia this letter Rathbone. In a
complaining wav stated that this in
creased his salary h,,t s675 and indicat-
ed very earnest desire that house
be furnished him as an official resi-
denca Tn replv 70 this letter the post
master-general on 1ulv r wired him,
"Wiu make fuIl allowance for house
besides salary - and m the Sth wrote:
"This means that If is 0,1r purpose that
provision shall be made for suitable
residence for Won over ond above the
fixed CONDENSATION of S65OO.'
On December 10 the postmaster gen
eraI issued the order fiying the salary
at s6 200 making IT effective August /.
The salary OF the director general,
therefore was from August 1. 1899, So
5oo ner annum without per diem. In
addition TO the salary he was provided
with a house. The records of the de-
partment of posts show that he contin-
ned 70 draw AZ ner diem in addition to
tba 90 5oo &c salary and when called
rnon nv Colonel Burton for his author
itv for this allowance submitted the
letter suppressing that part of it pro-
hibiting the per diem. In closing the
discussion as To per diem the report
saws:
1t appears. therefore, that Director
General Rathbone drew from August 1, 4
1899 to April 30 1900, the sum of 1855
as a per diem, which was unauthorized,
and that the drawing of the same was
fraudulent; and l therefore recommend
that he be required to reimburse the
postal revenues of Cuba in that
amount
IMPROPER PERSONAL EXPENSES.
In the bills rendered for the purchase
of furniture for the official residence
there appear many items that were paid
for from the postal revenues that can
not be considered as house furniture.
Among these items are charges for
trunk, gloves, dog collar, overcoat, hats
boots for footman, shirts, collars ard |
Guns Tor coachlnah, etc. uhuer what
authority OIL Jaw THESE expenses lol
clothlns were Hlaue am un"pie 10
state. Dlrector-Generai Rathpohe eialth- |
ed that IL was the custom OIL an couh-
tries lhat hlsh oiilcials shouiu pe lur-
hlsfea WIN such attendants, ana PHat
they shouid be ciothed az the expense
OF the pupllc revenues. When the char-
acter Oh THESE purchases pecaihe Known
10 the postmaster-seheral ne wrote
letter 10 Dlrector-General hathpohe' III
Which ne SAID:
I have to-day for the first time seen
certain of your bills as director general
of posts, which were brought here by
Colonel Burton. Some of these bills are
not only without authority or justifca-
ton, but are scandalous and never
should have been passed or paid. The
auditor, who Is responsible to differ
ent department, was inexcusable in al
lowing them, and your action in pre-
senting them for allowance was grossly
feprehenslbie. without waiting Tor
review and reconsideration OF these biils
by rlghtful audit, you should at once
reimburse to the island treasury the
sums thus improperly paid.