Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-27

Probable that Ne WIN Soon q Arrested Il
Cuban Postal Frauds Case.

Washington July 26.-Now that Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General Bristow's
OF ex-Director General of Posts Rathbone
at Havana may soon follow. II is esti-
mated at the post Office department thar
the delay in arresting Mr.. Rathbone has
been due to a desire to await the state
ment of the results of Mr. Bristow's in
vestigation and also to wish TO give
Mr.. Rathbone every opportunity to ex-
plain items which the report says are
unaccounted for. Postmaster General
Smith and Fourth Assistant Bristow de-
cline to discuss the matter. The most
master generals letter of transmittal OF
the report to Secretary Root calls nartic
the case against Mr.. Rathbone on which
the latter's expected arrest will proba bly
be mainly based. In this letter Mr.. Smith
says:
1T further shows that f. G. Rathbone.
late director general of posts. drew two
warrants of $500 each, on which he him
self obtained the money, and that no ac-
count or explanation has been rendered
that he appropriated a per diem of s. per
day for several months after it had been
expressly prohibited by the postmaster
and unjustifiable expenditures of a per-
sonal character, making them a charge
upon the postal revenue
Secretary Root spent almost the entire
morning In consideration of the report OF
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow on the Cuban postal frauds It
is understood that an order has been is
sued by General Wood for the arrest Of
Rathbone. Secretary Root discussed with
Colonel Edwards, chief of the insular di-
vision, and Judge Magoon, attorney for
this division. the financial and legal ques-
tions involved. After the conference it
was said that General Wood would be
given full charge of the matter
Washington, July 26.-"The secretary
of war does not issue orders to the
court" replied Secretary Root to the di
rect question as to whether or not he had
given orders for the arrest of +. q. Rath-
bone, late director of posts in Cuba. He
also added that Gen. Wood did not issue
orders to the courts of Cuba. He then
explained that the Bristow report had
been forwarded to Gen. Wood by mail,
but as this could not reach him soon
enough the main features of the report
had been already placed in his possession
and We're also in possession of the prope:'
authorities in Cuba.
He said the proceeding on the part OF
Gen. Wood would be the same as direc-
lions by the attorney general TO a dis
trict attorney to proceed with the prose-
cution OF persons charged with offences
against the government. The Bristow
report would be made the basis of the
prosecution against the persons who were
charged with offences against the postal
laws.
1t was later learned that Gen. Wood
and Acting Director General Fosnes of
the Cuban postal service, had already
taken the initial steps toward bringing
the case of eX-Drector General Rathbone
to the attention of the judicial authori
ties of Cuba.
Secretary Roots attention was called to
alleged charges against Major Black of
the engineer department at Havana. Ii
had been published that these charges
were made by Gen. Wood. Secretary
Root said there was no foundation for
the statement, but on the contrary. Gen.
Wood bad spoken highly of the engineer
department in Havana. The expenditures
by the engineer department as well as all
others in Cuba were being inVestiSa ted.
but nothing that would call for any criti-
cism had been found