Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-12-13
WAS A LOVER OF LUXURY
Nothing was Too Expensive for
Him when in Office.
FROM HAVANA TO INDIANA.
Little Jaunt was Taken that Cost
s5OO-His Gloves, Collars, Cuffs and
Household Furniture Were Paid for
by the Public.

Washington, Dec. S.--Senator Platt,
of Connecticut, chairman of the SEN
ate committee on relations with
Cuba, yesterday made public the
statement prepared by the auditing
division of the war department show
ing the expenditures made by +. G..
Rathbone. late director of the depart
ment of posts for Cuba. The state
ment is included in a volume of 291
pages, and covers the period from
January l, 1899, to April 30, 1900.
There are no remarks and the book
is a solid mass of figures, showing
not only the disbursements made by
Rathbone, but giving the items disal-
lowed upon re-eXamination, as well
as those allowed. The total disal
lowances for the 16 months were $72,-
63f.
The first disallowance was on ac-
count of an expenditure of $3.50 for
duchess carriage, made on February
29, 1899. After that time there were
frequent disbursements for the dt
rector generals carriage service.
March 20 he paid $202 for set of
harness and carriage "auxiliaries;"
April Z, $12 for Jipigapa hat and
for another hat for his coachman
with rosette, and on the same date
$306 for harness. etc. Rent for
the coachman, stable, etc, seems to-
have been regularly paid out of the
public funds at the rate of $40 per
month, and in one or two instances
the hostler's salary was thus sup
piled. All the coach furnishings
were provided in this way.
In May, 1899, uniform costing $40.
pair of boots costing SIS and an
other hat costing 50 were bought for
the coachman. June a rain coat
costing $26 was supplied to that indi-
vidual. The coach later was sup
piled with rubber tires at an ex-
pense to the public of $110. In ad-
dltion, there were many miscellane-
Gus charges for stable rent and for
carriage and car hire.
All of the payments made to c. T
w. Neely, chief of the financial bu-
reau of the department, appear to
have been carefully scrutinized and
many of them were disallowed. Most
of the payments made to him appar-
emily were made on account of office
furnishings, freight, drayage, moving,
advances in salaries, etc. There are
two or three items in his accounts of
from $40 to $50 for the payment of
laundry bills for the director gem
erals coachman. On October IA,
1899, S5,123 was paid to Neely on ac-
count of loss on Spanish gold taken
to the United States," and this was
disallowed, as were several other
minor charges in connection with the
| transaction.
Neely made a trip to the United
States, going as far west as his old
home in Indiana, under the direction.
it is stated in the report of the di
rector general, and many of his
charges in that connection were dis
allowed upon re-eXamination, but not,
of course, until they had been paid.
He also made advances to Rathbone
and to w. f. WiImot on account of
trips to the United States which were
not sanctioned by the auditor Some
of the items in this connection
| amount to $500.
! In April, 30, Mr.. Rathbone made a
| visit to this country under the claim
| that it was made in obedience to the
orders of the postmaster general, buc
the auditor finds that the trip was
not authorized, and refuses to sane
| ton the entire expenditure, which
was $500 Similar action is taken
with reference to the purchase of an
enameled bath tub for the depart
ment of posts, secured at a cost of
| S42. Attorneys and notaries were
paid $110 for services in connection
with the leasing of Mr.. Rathbone's
residence.
There We're also charges for plumb
ing and paper hanging at the resi-
| dence and for a chandelier in the bill
lizard room of that establishment. In
one case the rent of the house was
paid from the public funds. The
house also appears to have been
furnished at the cost of the public
f, In December, 1899, and January, 1900,
several bills We're paid to New York
and Washington firms by Rathbone,
one aggregating 1925, another $36s,
one of $133, one $121 and another ST.
$50.
The last bill includes 240 entries
and covers many articles of domes-
tic use, such as cloths, gloves, scarfs,
toilet articles, cuspidores, wine
glasses, tableware, kitchen utensils,
bedsteads, bedroom sets, bed clothing,
etc. There were also many disal-
lowances on account of office furni-
ture purchases, and in same cases
portions of the payments are found
to have been legitimate and others
not So In one case shirts, collars
and cuffs were charged to the gov
| crnment.
Harvard Wins in Debate.
| Cambridge. Mass, December S,-A