Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-11
NEELY EXTRADITION
The Requisition Now on the Way
From Havana.
COL. BURrON'S REPORT RECEIVED
Postage Stamps Ordered Destroy
ed May Have Been Resold.
NO POSITIVE KNOWLEDGE

The requiSition for the eXtradition of
Charles F. w. Neely, who Is under arrest
charged with misappropriating funds be-
longing to the postal department of Cuba
is now its way here from Havana. This
statement made after the unusually
long cabinet meeting today. So soon as the
requistion reaches Washington it will be
turned over to the Department of Justice
for presentation to Governor Roosevelt.
Secretary Root took with him to the cabi-
net meeting the report of Col. Burton on the
irregularities in the fiscal affairs Of the
Cuban postal system. The details of the re-
port are withheld by the administration.
1t is stated, however, that up to this time
nothing authoritative has been received by
the government which tends to implicate
any one except Mr.. Neely. Col Rathb ne,
the director of the posts, has not been
lieVed, it is stated. nor is there any evil
dence at hand that would warrant such
action. Col. Rathbone. so far the gov
ernment is aware is guilty of nothing more
serious than failure to detect the frauds
perpctrated by others.
No Positive knowledge.
Up to the present time the post office
officials are without positive knowledge that
Treasurer Neely of the Cuban post office
service is guilty of cmbezzlement.
charged This statement. taken in con-
nection with the fact that the Postmaster
General is in constant cable communica-
ton with Director of Posts Rathbone. keeps
up the element of doubt which has sur
rounded the case from the first The al
legged confession of an emplOye implicated
III the supposed steal has not been verified,
and the postal authorities are as much in
the dark as ever. There was rumor about
the department this morning that Director
Rathbone had been suspended; another that
he had been dismissed. Neither one re-
ceived the confirmation of the Postmaster
General. who denied, in fact. that such
things had happened. While the matter has
been somewhat annnoyinS to the post oii!ce
officials ii is believed they are ehtlrelN sat
isfied with the departments position, WilIcn
is regarded by those intimately connected
with it as unassaiable.
Stamps Reported Destroyed.
1t has tee, charged that the alleged
embezzlement took the form of postage
stamps, which were sold instead of being
destroyed, as ordered. These stamps ag-
gregated in value something like Sio0,ooo
and it was pointed out as comparatively
easy for one on the inside to steal large
quantities of these stamps and resell them.
This charge looked as il there might be
something in it. and the Postmaster Cen
eral accordingly took immediate steps to
learn the facts connected herewith. lie
sent at once to his subordinates for all
Information upon the destruction of the
stamps and received their reports yester-
day. The most important of these gave in
detail the work of destruction, from the re-
ceipt of the new Cuban stamps and the
order of the director of posts for the de-
Struction of the surcharged United States
stamps the appointment of the commission
to do the work of destruction and its re-
port. There are four men engaged in this
work. and the post office officials believe
every stamp was legally destroyed. They
say, however, there is possibility of col
lusion on the part of the entire commits
sion, but think this deduction remote.
A Conference This Morning.
There was an important conference in the
office of the Postmaster General this morn
ing between his assistants. Superintendent
George W. Beavers of the salary and al
lowance division and Superintendent Met
calf of the money order division were also
present. II is understood the Postmaster
General questioned each one of his subor-
dinates concerning the Cuban postal service
as far as it related to their departments.
Evidently they We're given notice of the
conference. for all Were prepared with re-
ports and from the good humor of the
Postmaster General he satisfied with
the position of the Post Office Department.
The conference lasted some time, and when
it had concluded the Postmaster General
went at from the building to the
White House to attend cabinet meeting. He
stopped long enough to say there We're no
new developments in the Cuban matter,
rector Rathbone's suspension or dismissal.