The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-18
TIKI B STEAL
ed-Several Items in His Accounts
that Need Explanation.
(Special to Baltimore SUM-

Especial to Baltimore Sum-
Washington, May 13.-Among those
persons concerned in the Cuban scan
dial it seems to be definitely understood
thai Director of Posts Rathbone is to
be removed within a few days. h
action, it is said, will be based on a
laxity of business methods, serious TO
the degree of careleSSneSS, without TAX
ing into account various Oh
alleged misconduct which have reach
ed the ears of the administration.
Whether these are to be acted on sub
Sequently, who is to succeed Mr.. Rath-
bone and The reimbursement to be made
Cuba fsr funds stolen are questions
which have not been finally considered.
simultaneously with the arrival of
Colonel Burton have come several dis
patches from the military and civil of
ficials in Cuba which tend to throw a
great deal of light on the present stu
alton. All this Information was final
ly discussed at an informal cabinet
session held last night. The conclu-
sions reached were:
That the dissemination of further in
formation, except such bulletins as are
unqueStionably accurate, shall cease;
that the Investigations now in prog
ress shall be onduc as they We're
begun-separately; that these inves-
LEGATIONS shall be hurried to the fullest
degree possible.
1t is now known that stealing has
been in progress for over a year and
that the total shortage 50 far discover
ed is about $105, 900. OF this sum $36, 900
has been taken since January 1. There
is a singular fact in connection with
Colonel Burton'S eXamination-that
the total shortage he reports is just
equal to $50, 900. 1t is accepted as true,
also, that Nicely could not have acted
Gin C1u- in foot that ha must have had
the constant cooperation of officials
connected with the treasury depart
ment and the military government.
AS it presented itself ito the cabinet
the difficulty Of stealing in Cuba SEEM
ed greater than that in this country.
Here if a cabinet minister chose to
countersign false bills for supplies fur
nished and the auditor chose to ap-
prove such bills, the money would be
paid without question and only those
two persons know of the fraud. In
Cuba there is an additional safeguard.
If the director there Shold choose to
steal and the auditor join with him,
their accounts would still be supervis-
ed by the military authorities. The
disposition to throw all the RESPONSE
bility on the p~ostofice departments
is thus checked and the treasury and
war departments made equally reSpon-
sible.
II MI. fbdllDOHe dCCOIulIS " lld-
ton which Seem trustworthy and
which is said to be accepted by cabi-
net, will have to explain a number Of
things. After full consideration, and,
in view of the fact that Genera Brooke
and Colonel Ludlow had been given
houses, it was decided here in Wash
ington that Mr.. Rathbone should be
allowed a. house also. This was about
| the time the director Generals salary
was r~eadjuSted. aIn the arrangement
of his privileges no provision was made
for furnishing Mr.. Radhbone's dwell
ing. He accordingly took h matter
into his W hands, procured a gener-
| GUS supply of furniture and presented
| to the auditor an itemized bill for his
purchases. 1t happened this bill went
to a Cuban clerk, who, it is said, OBJ
served that the items for underwear
and hosiery included surpassed any
allowances of the Spanish regime and
refused to issue the needed vouchers.
Threupon, it is alleged, the account
was presented to an American clerk,
countersigned by the auditor and ap-
proved by the military authorities.
The whole amount involved was $1,000.
Several times the director general
came to this country and each trip OF
that nature cost the Cubans 5000.
This, it is said, was paid in a lump
sum with the full approval of h 9TH
er officials. In this ountr MI Ratn-
bone is said to have drawn mileage
for each member of his party. while
he Travelled on passes. FINAL his step
son, it is further alleged, was given a
position worth $500 a year n per-
mitted to hold oficewith some under
standing about the payment of a sal
airy for a substftutNwhile a student
at Harvard.
Admiral Dewey was given a gala