The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-05-25
THE CUBAN SCANDAL.
The administration at Washington

The administrator at washington
is involved in another ugly scandal.
As the result of Investigations by
Colonel Burton. inspector general, into
the postal affairs at Havana, Mr..
Medley of the State of Indiana,
United States financial agent OF the
Cuban postofliee, is under arrest on
the charge of embezzlement for APP
propriating Cuban reyenuer fos his
own use.
Mr.. Rathbone, director general OF
this postoffice bureau, has been sup
erseded 10y Fourth Assistant Post
master General Bristol.
Messrs. Reeves and Reynolds, the
auditors of this bureau, are in charge
of detectives.
Postmaster Thompson and two
other subordinates have been sus-
| pended, and one Is held under arrest
pending investigation, and six others
are held under close supervision.
The extent OF the thcfts are yet IN
known, tho amount swelling with e8ch
succeeding development. The figures
| first stated were $50, 000. Subsequent
| IL the robbery was conceded 80 bG
SIS, 900. Now it is said shat thg
| amount can only be determined by
| expert investigation.
Some idea of the magnitude of tia
steals may be had from tbs fact thai
in July OF last year under Medley til"
Cuban revenues reported suddenly
dropped off ST., GOO per month, and
that since Neeley LETT the treasury re-
ssipts have increased at the rate Of
from So, 900 to $40, 900 per month. Ar
extortation Of 10000 month for ten
months would aggregate 100000.
| 1t is further said that the depart
ment's order for the destruction OF
some $500, 900 of old stamps was turn
ed over to Medley for execution, and
that he used the old stamps and dis
posed of the new and pocketed the
money.
This takes no account of such items
as the S., 200 expended by Rathbone
in furnishing the house occupied by
him, which included an outlay for
such things as ''silk underwear" and
"silk hosiery" the voucher for which
the inspector general got passed by
his accommodating auditor.
A late dispatch from Havana says
1.-THE extent of the postal frauds is
far greater than what was originally
expected. Besides taking in the
postal department., the frauds seem tc
include the local office at Havana and
various other Offices throughout the
island, and also to have extended tc
outside points, which have been used
for the sale OF some OF the old issue o.
stamps that were ordered destroyed
1.-THE result of the investigation al
the local postofllce is the suspen
sion Of Postmaster Thompson, who
was installed in April OF last year
Moya and Mascara, stamp sellers jr
the main office, have also been arrest
ed, and further arrests are expected
soon. As many as six Others have
been placed under the closest super
vision.
| every additional revelation in
creases tho amusement OF the Ameri
cans here. The Cubans seem to bs
immensely pleased. They declare
that the Americans can no longer
boast in Cuba of their superior hon
esty when in government employ.
"As yet it is impossible to say how
many persons viii he implicated
| Specials from Washington represent
the alarm Of the President over TIE
effect of this scandal on the Preaiden.
tial election as increasing. Requests
have been made to partisan news
papers to ignore the scandal as much
as possible, and remarkable efforts
have been made to miEimiZa the ;!n.
portance OF the disclosures, bat tAC
postmaster general in self def nse !,
compelled TO push tho Investigations
| The resolutions introduced i'll both
houses of congress demanding invest.
CATION of all the official operations 81
the United States in Cuba add e
the worry CT the Republicans.
| Evidences Of the terror amoua
friends OF the administration caused
by the developments of the last week
are upon every hand.
A distinguished Republican mem
Der of the House of Representatives
who is also q member of the commit
tee on Insular Affairs, said recently
| "We have been disgraced before the
world. We entered Cuba with prom
ises to the world that we could ad
minister the affairs of that island with
integrity and In q spirit of fair play
The result is too shocking to contem
plate without anger. The unfortu.
nate part of the matter is that we
have yet to hear Of the most out
rageous betrayals of public and per
sonal faith. l am informed by re-
liable persons that the conditions in
Cuba are simply shocking. The gov
eminent of that island has been little
short of an organized loot"
The tightening of reins at Havana
and Washington to choke off further
disclosures has provoked the follow
ing editorial protest:
On May 10 the NeW York World
said:
1.-THE sudden adoption OF policy OF
silence and secrecy in regard to the
Cuban postal embezzlement will be
accepted by the public as q comics.
sion that the worst is not known and
that somebody is to be protected"
The Eoenang Post said: 1.-THE pol
icy of hush will be simply fatal.
What We must have is the fullest ex-
posure and the swiftest punishment -
We may not expect, however, any
more exposure than can be avoided,
nor may we look for any punishment
at all. Whatever display of prosecu-
ton is manifested will be found to be
only q pretense.
Under Whist law can these thieves
be convicted? Not under the laws OF
! the United States, for the revenues
! 81 1nn H.innr- 70 Tr.ho Not ,-nIe;.