Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-05-16
POSTMASTER THOMPSON INDIGNANT.
Not Believed Guilty Of FrauG-cuban Postal
Service Very Efficient.

Havana. May 15.-Gov. Gen. Wood,
referring to the postal service Of cuba.
today, said: Speaking generally. the
postal service of the island of cuba is
in a high state Of efficiency The
money order branch is especially use
full, but all the branches have made
socl records. The service as a whole
should not be blamed for the faults Of
4 handful Of rascals."
L. 7. Thompson, the Havana post
master. who has been suspended pend
ing inquiry into the methods of the
local office, came to the city, this
morning, accompanied by special
agent in whose charge Mr. Thompson
has been placed. III is very indignant
at the course taken with respect to
him ANA says he has friends Who will
stand by him. He also declares that
he has a clean axe with which to fight.
1t is not asserted that Mr.. Thomp-
son has been guilty of fraud, but mere
" that tn" accounts Of his Office show
shortage If several IhOu- n1s, which
calls for an explanation. This is not
yet forthcoming. He had long talk,
this morning, with Gen. Wood. the ma
ture Of which has not been made pub
lie beyond the fact that Mr.. Thompson
offered to assist in bringing all the
guilty parties to justice.
The rumOr circulated. yesterday. that
the postmaster at Raracoa had been
ordered u be arrested proves on inves-
tigati1n To have been false. He is
looked upon az merely tool Of Nicely.
Mt
business aient Of Nicely at Raracoa
whore h. is in charge # Neely's cof-
fee and cpcuanut plantation. Ii ap-
pears that hr used $500 in connection
with the business from the postal
funds ana then drew upon Nicely for
the amount. As Nccly's funds here
are now in the hands Of the governor.
the draft has not been honorcd. 1t is
understood that there is no intention
to arrest this man, but he will have to
refund tn" money and may possibly
lost his post a special agent will ar
rive AT Baracna. tomorrow, with or
dcrs to institute a thorough cXamina
ton. He will also place a lien upon
all of Ncclys property there.
Tn" Lucha. tn Cubano and the
Post are the only papers that say
much r,garling the postal frauds. The
= 1t bIamrs NJ. Rathb1nc for care
lessness. The Lucha takes his part
The cuhano bitterly assails him for
his cXtravagant regime"
Albany y. Y. May 15.-Ciov. RoOse-
Welt. Thursday next. will hear argu-
ments on the application of the United
to Cuba Of Charles T. w Nicely. who
it IL alleged, il connected with the
cuban post flee frauds.
Havana. May 15.-Senoi Nunez. the
civil governor Of the province Of Ha-
vana. has issued n circular Ia all the
mayors Of the province, urging them
10 see TINT elections are carried out
with strict Justice. He says the law
does mt rhid any functibnarE from
lffcrir~ himself far recollection. hut the
furrtionary must not make use Of his
authority in trying to secure ro-eleC-
Ion. This especially appli. il mayors
who have supreme control # questions
Of puhli. order. who must. therefore.
not attempt tn impose their own can
q l1cy against the public will, as by
sn doing puhlic order might ha dis
turbeH. The people. the civil govern
or also says. must not be given reason
To say the Cubans are now living I'M
der mere mockery Of liberty, due on
one hand t. the government and on
The other t. rcvnlutionists, but the
law must Dc equal for all
Washington. Muy 15.-The Cuban
postal frauds were discussed at t,day's
cabinet meeting. No late news has
been received which throws any addi-
tional licht on the situation and it IS
no expected that anything conclusive
will b. known until the experts now
On their way tn Havana have concluI
ca their Investigation and made their
report The suspension Of Postmaster
Thompson was q great surprise to the
President and the members Of the cab
met and none of them believe that he
is guilty of the least wrong doing. 1t
is assumed that Gen. Wood had come
to the conclusion that until the mat
ter IF these frauds had been thorough
ly Investigated. it would be best to
temporarily suspend all of the officials
who We're in positions where they
might have had knowledge. guilty or
otherwise. of what was going on
Members of the cabinet are not incIin-
ed to believe that there was any wide
spread conspiracy to defraud. but new
erthelesS il is the purpose Of the gov
eminent to sift the matter to the bot
tom