The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-15
BRISTOW TO
TAKE CHARGE.
Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Ordered to Cuba
To Look After the Postal At
fairs of the Island.
SOME HUGE FRAUDS
Have Been Perpetrated in Every
Branch of the Service.
Cubans Enjoy the Situation
Immensely.

washington, May l0.-1H6 pOSl4l1dSlS4
general, after protracted interview
with the president, has announced that
Joseph L. Bristow, fourth assistant post
master general will proceed to Havana
next Wednesday to take charge of the /
postal affairs of the island of Cuba The |
postmaster general declined to say |
whether or not Director General of |
Posts Rathbone would be suspended 1t |
is said however, that the fact that Gen
eral Bristow will assume these duties |
does not necessarily indicate that Mr.. |
Rathbone will be relieved of all connec-
ton with the service. General Bristow
outranks the director of posts and the
latter might operate as a subordinate.
The letter directing the fourth assist
ant to proceed to Cuba is dated May II.
Mr.. Bristow will remain in Cuba during
the pending investigation, and probably
until the service is reorganlzed. He
would in any event have supervision of
the postoffice inspectors conducting the
examination of postal affairs in Cuba,
and his transfer to Havana will bring
him into closer touch with their opera
lions.
Further than the announcement
that Mr.. Bristow would go to Havana,
the postmaster general said there were
no new developments in the situation.
| He said that there had not been an
| intimation that there had been any
| wrong doing in the postal affairs of
| either the Philippine islands or Porto
| Rico.
General Bristow was appointed fourth
assistant at the beginning of the pres
| ent administration. He is native OF
| Kentucky, but for many years resided
| in Kansas, from which state he was
| appointed. He has been engaged in
| newspaper work and was private Secre-
tary to Governor Morrill, Chief Clerk
Merritt o. Chance will be acting fourth
assistant during the absence of General
NEELY WILL FIGHT.
New York, May 15.-After reading the
| extradition papers which came by mes
senger from Washington, John D. Lind
say, counsel for J. w. T. Nicely, inform
| ed District Attorney Burnett that he
would oppose the granting of extradi-
| ton papers.
ITO my surprise" said Mr.. Lindsay to
a reporter, the charges in Governor
| Woods requiSition papers go back to
the old Spanish laws; they accuse our
/ client of a violation of the penal code of
Cuba, article 401, section 8, which heads:
." ANY public employee who has charge
of public funds who takes or consents
that others will take any part thereof,
shall be punished with the penalty of
presidio mayor, if the sum taken ex-
ceeds 6,250 pesetaS, and does not exceed
i25, 900 pesetas. Under this charge, il
convicted, he may be imprisoned in
quarters provided in the place where the
crime was committed for term not ex-
ceeding twelve years or less than six
and day.
1.-The charges are not brought under
the United States laws, the maximum
penalty for the same Offense being
seven years, nor under the postal laws
of Cuba, which provide for a penalty
of not less than six months nor more
than ten years.
s'As the charges read, the authorities
want to try him in Cuba, without a jury
and before judge appointed by the mill
itary governor. Our client asks to be
tried in the United States court as a
citizen"
HONEYCOMBED WITH FRAUD.
Havana, May 15.-The extent of the
postal frauds is far greater than what
was originally expected. Besides tax
ing in the postal department, the frauds
seem to include the local office at Ha-
Vana and various other offices through
out the island, and also to have ex-
tended to outside points which have
been used for the sale of some of the
old issue of stamps that were ordered
| destroyed.
The result of the investigation at the
local postoffice is the suspension of
Postmaster Thompson, who was in
stalled in April of last year. He will
remain at his own house for the pres
ent Moya and Mascara, stamp sellers
= in the main office, have also been ar
: rested, and further arrests are expect
= ed. AS many as six others have beer
placed under the closest supervision
and will be arrested as soon as thei1
II services can be spared. AS a matter OF
\ fact, if they were all to be suddenly re-
a lieved of duty it would not be possible
s to carry on the postal department Of
4 Havana.
a Messrs. Reeves and Reynolds, the au-
q ditors of the postal department, arr
o still under arrest at their own rooms, il
+ charge of detectives.
# Special quarters WILL however, be pre-
q pared in some fortress, where all tn,
q prisoners connected with the frauds
will be taken as soon as arrested.
Yesterdays arrests and the suspen
sion Of Mr.. Thompson did not taxi
place until after dark and cOnSequentlI
these new features of the case were no
- generally known throughout the cit.
last evening; but there is a perceptibl
excitement at the postoffice, where n
one knows who may be the next to b
IL singled out.
It appears that the frauds ramife
: in almost every possible direction. Eve
n the rented boxes have been made
"A source of illegitimate gain.
,S Every additional revelation increase
- the amazement of the Americans hers
+ The Cubans seem to be immensel
N cans can no longer boast in Cuba c
k their superior honesty when in gov
IN eminent employ
is CHARGED TO ALGER
le New York, May ia Herald specis
I'd from Washington says: Following tn
- publication of Inspector General BrecE
inridge's recommendation that army il
spectors be permitted to inspect Cuba
At | civil accounts, there has come dispos
IN ton in certain quarters to transfer to tn
to | shoulders of General Alger all the n
re sponsibility possible He is blamed fir.
for the appointment of Director RathboI
> and of the postal auditor and secondl
= because he ignored General BreckiI
no rniffing the a1I5ito1 r. contin1le alone r
in Inspection of postal accounts.
at Friends of General Alger resent the a
tempt of the administration to shift IL
responsibility to his shoulders. The
IS: point out that he appointed Direett
d. Rathbone on the recommendation
or Postmaster Smith and the auditor on Il