The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-08
EXPENSE ACCOUNT
OF E.C. RATHB0NE
Items Unique, and Include a Costly
Carriage and Champagne Glasses.
Mass of Figures.
AT BERRY's,
Main and nth Streets.
(Dy Associated Press.)

WASHINGTON. Dec. 7.-Senator Plat,
of Connecticut, chairman of the Senate
Committee on Relations with Cuba, to-day
made public the statement prepared by the
Auditing Division Of the War Department,
showing the expenditures made by E. G.
Rathbone, late Drector-Gensral Of the
Department OF Posts for Cuba.
The statement covers the period from
January lst, 1899, to April 30th, 1900. There
are no remarks, and the book is a solid
mass of figures. The total disallowances
for the sixteen months were $I263l.
|, The first disallowance was on account OF
an expenditure of $3.50 for a Duchess car
riage made on the 18th Of February. 1885,?
There were frequent disbursements for the
Director Generals carriage service. Kent
for the coachman, stable, ETC.. seems TO
have been regularly paid out OF the puollc
funds at the rate of $l10 per month, ana
in one or two instances the hostler's sala-
~ was thus supplied. All the coach 1ur-
nishings were provided in this Nay.
In NAV. 1899 a uniform costing $40, a
pair of boots costing SIS and another hat
costing 50 were bought for the coachman.
June 9th a raincoat costing SO was sup
piled to that individual The coach later
was supplied with rubber tires at an eX-
pense to the public OF Sllo.
NJ MISCELLANEOUS L lE--ho.
In addition there were many misceMan-
eous charges for stable rent and for car
riase and car hire. All of the payments
made to c. w. F. Neeley, chief OF the fl
nancial bureau OF the department, appear
to have been carefully scrutinized and
many of them We're disallowed. There
are two or three items in his accounts OF
from so to $50 for the payment OF laundry
bills for the Director Generals coachman.
n, 4 n Jn
Neeley out of the account OF loss on
Spanish gold taken to the United States,
and this was disllloWed.
Neeley maze q trip to the United States
going as far west as his old home in
Indiana under the direction, it is ssteted.
in the report of the Director General, and
many OF mis- charges in this connection
were disailowed upon discrimination. but
rot, OF course, until they had been paid.
WE'RE DISALLOWED.
In April. 1889, Mr.. Rathbone made visit
to this country under the claim that it
was made in obedience to the orders OF
the Postmaster General, and the auditor
hnds that the trip was not authorized and
refuses to sanction the entire expenditure.
which was an even $500 Similar action is
taken with reference to the purchase af
an enamelled hath-tub for the Department
CT Posts, secured at cost Of $40 At
torneys and notaries We're paid $40 for
services in connection with the leasing of
Mr.. Ratflbones residence.
There were also charges for plumbing
and paper-hansing at the residence and
lot chandelier in the billiard-room of
that establishment
IN one case tbs rent of the house was
pad from the public funds The house
also appears to haWa been furnished at the
cost of the public. In December of 1899,
ana January of 1900 several bills were
paid to New York and Washington firms
by hathbone. one aggresating 1925, another
S'ee one Sl33, one S121, and another 1885,
CHAMPAGNE GLASSES.
The last bill includes 24O entries, and
covers many articles of domestic use. such
as cloths. gloves, scarfs, toilet articles.
cuspldores. champagne, and other wine
glasses, tableware, kitchen utensils bed
steads, bSu-room sets. bed-clothing. etc
Ihere were also many disallowance on ac-
mere We're also many disallowances on ac-
some cases portions OF the payments are
FOUND to nave been legitimate and Others
not SO. In some cases Shirts collars and
CUTS We're charged to the Government.
AL payments made to Cowan & Com
pany, OF Muncie Ind. for printing and
stationery. aggregating several thousand
dollars. are found to have been illestmate
Alr. Nicely seems to have bought sew
eral hundred dollars worth of photos at
Government expenses and also a grsat
deal OF stationery outside Of that ordered
from the Muncie firm, but these items
ars all pronounced Legitimate
me Auditor recommends the disallow-a
ance of Sl2,2Sl spent for repairs on the
department. building, also a deposit of
Sl2,uoo enormously credited to Rathbone.,'