The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-05
His Methods Were Sim
plicity ITSELF
Not known How Much He Made
BY Selling Stamps.

Havana, June 4.-"What q thief that
fellow Neely was" remarked Acting d.
rector of Posts Bristow today, after In
quiring as to the amount taken in May,
1899 and ascertaining that 1t was S3i, BIZ.
Neely's monthly average was about sl7,
900. His system of bookkeeping was sim
plicity itself. Apparently he merely d.
vided the amounts received taking one
half for himself and accounting for the
other. This morning the examination Of
Estes G.. Rathbone, former director of
posts was continued. 1t lasted more
than four hours. The most startling fact
developed was that on May 26 Of last
year Mr.. Rathbone ordered special agents,
Leatherer AMI Sullivan, to examine the
accounts. They found shortage. but 1t
was not thought that anything had gone
wrong. They reported however, that
there was no check upon the bureau of
finance, and they recommended that GER
tain blank forms be made, which would
answer the purpose, such as all postmas-
ssrs use when making their reports to
tho monthly department. Mr.. Maynard,
then chief agent, indorsed the recon-
mendation and forwarded 1t to Mr.. Rath-
bone. The latter approved 1t and sent 1t
to Auditor Reeves, who initialled and
forwarded 1t to Neely. After he had
initialled it, instead of putting the scheme
into operation, he quietly pigeon-holed
it and 1t did not see the light until May
10 of this year, when the plan was put
into effect.
Mr.. Bristow says he Is almost certain
that the extent of the steal win amount
60 something between ss0, 600 and sl00, 200,
but that this win not touch the item of
sub-charge stamps, which is s411 600. As
to how many Of these were burned and
how many sold, 1t is impossible to obtain
definite information. As many have been
traced it is known positively that not
all were destroyed, but II Neely sold, say
fifty or hun 1red thousand dollars
worth it would not be surprising, Mr..
Bristow thinks, to find them scattered
all over the world. The postal inspectors
say 1t is surprising that system so rot
ten could have been concealed beyond the
lrst month. Every day only adds to the
surprises. Lieutenant Colonel Burton,
Mr.. Jones, the special prosecutor, and
Mr.. Stevens will leave tonight for the
United States. Lieutenant Colonel Bur
ton expects to return here In about ten
days.
Hopes are expressed by some Of the
local papers that, as Governor Roosevelt
has signed the extradition order, no fur
ther time will be wasted in bringing
Neely to trial. These journals point
out that "Neely's conduct has disgraced
Americans in the eJes Of the Cubans"
and they declare that 1.-THE best way for
the Americans to redeem themselves is to
bring him to prompt trial"
The Cubano saysi
"Cuba is not primarily interested, but
she looks to see what the United States
will do. Fraud Is not the monopoly of
any nation; and there Is great differ
ence between the frauds of the postoffice
and those committed under the Spanish
regime. Now thorough investigation is
being made with q view of Furnishing the
criminals. In former days the criminals
went scot free. The Americans are prov
ing themselves more honest than the
government which ruled Cuba for four
hundred years"