New-York tribune., 1900-12-08
RATHBONES EXPENDITURES.
ILLEGAL DISBURSEMENTS BY FORMER
CUBAN DIRECTOR OF POSTs-PUBLIC
FUNDS FOR PERSONAL USES.

Washington. Dec. E-SIr. Platt Of Connecticut,
chsirman of the Senate Committee on Relations
with cSba. to-day made public the statement pre-
pared by the auditing division Of the War De-
| partnent. showing the expenditures made by z. G.
Rathbone Director Of Posts for Cuba The
statement covers the period from January l. 1S99
70 April 80. 1900 There are no remarks and the
book is solid mass Of figures. showing not only
the disbursements made by Rathbone. but giving
the items dsallowed on re-examination well as
those allowed The total disaIowances for the six
teen months S72.631.
The first disallowance account OF an ex-
penditure OF $3.50 for Duchess carriage made Feb
ruary 2S 1899 After that time there were fre-
carriage service. On March 20 he paid S2O2 for a
set Of harness and carriage 'auxiltaries' April z
s12 for Jipigapa hat and for another hat for bis
coachman with rosettes. and on the date
sSO6 for harness, ETC. Rent for the eoaehman. sta
ble etc. seems TO have been regularly paid out
Of the public f-nds. at the rate OF $40 month and
in one or two instances the hostler's salary was
thus supplied. All the coach furnishings were pro-
vided IN this way In May. 1893. a unfform costing
$40. pair OF boots costing SIS and another hat
costing 50 were bought for the coachman- June 8
a rain coat costing SIS supplied TO that tndi-
vidusL The coach later was supplied with rubber
tires at expense to the public Of $40 In addi-
tion there were many miscellaneous charges for
stable rent and for carriage and hire.
All OF the payments made TO G. F, W. Nicely.
chief of the financial bureau of the Department.
appear to have been carefully scrutinizsd. and
many OF them were disallowed- Most OF the pay
Of Office furnishings, freight drayage, moving, ad-
vance in salaries, etc There two or three
| items in his accounts OF from SO 70 $40 for the
payment Of laundry bills for the Direetor-Generals
coachman October Il. 1899. S.12S was paid TO
Neey on account OF loss Spanish gold taken
20 the United States and this disallowed, as
were several other minor charges in connection
with the transaction Nicely made trip to the
United States. going as far West as his old home
in Indiana under the direction, IL IS stated in
the report of the Director-General. and many Of
his charges were disallowed upon re-examination.
but not of course. until they had been paid he
also made advances 20 Rathbone and 10 w. E.
wilmot on account OF trips to the United States
which were not sanctioned by the auditor. Some
OF the items amount TO much as $500
In April 1893, Rathbone made visit TO this
country under the claim that IL was in obedienee
to the orders Of the Postmaster-General, but the
auditor nnds that the trip was not authorised and
refuses to sanction the entire expenditure, which
was $500. Similar action Is taken with reference
TO the purchase Of an enamslled bathtuo for the
Department OF Posts at cost OF SO.
Attorneys and notaries received $40 for services
in connection with the leasing of Rathbone's house.
There were also charges for plumbing and paper
hanging at the house, and for chandelier in the
billiard room Of that eStaolishIe9t In one % Sase
funds The house also appears 10 have been fur
nhea ms ana al January sRS 1900 Several bills We're paid to
New-York and Washington firms firms by Rsshbons, one one
aeereeating Se25. another $3.50 one 1888. one xl2l
and another 81 $50. The last bill includes two hun
dred and forty entries and covers many articles
~ domestic use. such clothes. gloves, scarfs.
toilet articles cuspdors. champagne and other
wine table ware, kitchen utensils, bed
stsads bedroom sets. bed clothing There
we're also many disallowanees on account Of Office
FURNITURE purchased. and in some cases portions
of the payment are found TO have been legitimate
and others not In one case shirts. collars and
cuffs were charged 70 the Government.
All the payments made 20 r. n Cowan & Co.,
~ Muncie Ind. for printing and stationery, ag-
GTesating several thousand dollars found 70
Raw been Iegitimate. Neely seems 20 have bought
sevaraI hundred dollars worth OF photographs N
CSovernuent expense. and also great deal OF sta
tionery outside OF that ordered from the Muncie
The auditor recommends the disal!owance OF
so 9s1 sDent for repairs the department build
ing, and also deposit Of $1,000 enormously cred
tted TO Rathoone.