The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-15

iaKe charge Of The department OF posts in
cuba. vice -. q. Rathbone, superseded.
This appointment was announced late
yesterday afternoon by Postmaster Gen
.gA smith, at The conclusion OF a two
hours conference at he White House
Participated in by the President, SecTe-
Jary Root, Attorney General Grlggs. and
the FOstmas ter General. Mr.. B.lstCw will
leave tomorrow for his new post Of
Cuty. He has been granted indefinite
leave d absence. and n the mean time
the duties of the Fourth Assistant Post
master General will deyolve upon Merritt
q. Chance. the chief clerk of the office Ir
que course Of time a successor to Mr..
EdlhbUne VIII be appointed and then Mr.
tristOw Will return 10 Washington The
Postmaster General was asked yesterday
afternoon whether Mr. Rathbone's sue
CtssOr had been selected, ana replied that
mat matter had not yet been given con-
sideiation.
Praised As a conscientious Onicer
Mr.. BristOw mas been in his present Of
hce ever since the incoming OF the Nc
hlney administration, and Is universally
praised as an efficient and conscientious
officer. He comes from Kansas. Ills BROTH
er. who was formerly chief clerk of his
oiilce, went to Havana almost as soon
% 'he poSJd! service was inauguTattd
there and ii is believed will be able 10
give the new director general Of posts
some important Information Mr. BrIstow
mas charge OF the inspection service Of the
Fost-ofiice Department He said yester-
day that the detail Of post-Office inspcc-
tors 10 go 10 q ba had been made upon
tAe request Of the Secretary of War, as
was thought that these men were bet
Ter equipped for such work than the mil
ljaIy inspectors.
Teh. BTlstow said that Auditor Reeves
VINO mas been suspended, was selected by
me assistant auditor Of the Treasury for
NE POSt-Oftice Department for deputy
auditor, although the appointment was
made by the War Department. Assist
ant Auditor Lawshe, who has been sent
10 cuba 10 investigate the accounts. will
nj the position formerly held by Mr..
Reeves. Mr. Lawshe who installed the
AUDITORS Office in Cuba, is of the belief
mat II the lines he laid down for the
management OF the office had been follow
ed. a detalcation would have been i'm
possible.
RathbOne's Use OfCuban Funds.
II has been known ever since last Sun
dav. when The Post made the positive
statement, that the official days of Mr..
Rdthbone in Cuba are numbered. There
is sun no charge on the part of the POST
once Department authorities that he has
been guilty Of a criminal offense. such as
would lead 10 his arrest, but the eyi-
0ence OF gross dereliction in the discharge
ol MS duty Is beyond question. Indeed,
'Ae Postmaster General yesterday stated,
When the matter was brought To his at
teGtion, that the accounts brought 10
showed that some Of the Cuban revenues
hau been expended by Mr.. Rathb0ue for
purely personal purposes. II was pub
Ashed yesterday that when Mr.. Rathbona
was allowed an official residence IN Ha-
Fana, he forthwith proceeded TO furnish
IL At the expense Of the Cuban fund and
thaJ The ltemiZed bill for these furnish
mss included hosiery and ether articles
or underwear. According 40 the prjnrad
story, the Cuban clerk who was asked 10
make out the warrant FOR these articles
refused TO DO So on the ground thai such
practices were far beyond anything I'm the
Way of Official eXtrsvagance under The
Spanish regime An American clerk in
u Office thereupOn made out the war
rant which was coIntersigned Dv the
auditor approved by the military autaor;-
lies. and paid The amount involved was
S.'' and 5, is said the goods were DUR
chased IN Philadelphia.
cannot talk about the matter" said
-lr. smith yesterday, beyond saying that
some small items Of apparently purely
personal expense We're charged to the Gu
ban fund"
Was the department acquainted with
UeSe matters before Col. Burton brought
up his reporte"
N'. because no detailed statement Of
receipts ana expenditures was made 10 the
-'l-r'menL All the accounts went
through tae War Department. which had
---.ls, of The auditing"
Porto Rienn Funds HonestI, Handled.
Postmaster General Smith said vester-
gay '"1i the postal funds In Porto Rico
acre intact In Porto Rico" he ssid
Hr l-t The same system Of accopntip,
@S prevailed in Cuba, but in Porto Rico
"'." Sides were hOnest-that is the sd
...-.s.IiuHy side. under the Post-ofica
apartment, and the auditing side. under
' "ar Department. There was no coll
-'.5- between the officials as happened
.' '-Ha, and which WAS the only wav In
which dr'alcatioHs could occur. II tba
cashier and the teller Of a bank are IN
,,'as..n, they can rob the bank" added
-lr Smith, Notwithstanding all tb-. or3i-
nary precautions and safeguards which
are adopted "
Nj smith said that there was nothing
IN tie story that frauds had been dlscov-
efel iu the Philippines
Assistant Secretary Mcikleiohn was in
conference for some time yesterday with
Gen Sanger and Col sBurton. Of the
Inspector Generals Department, respect
HE 'he Cuban postal frauds. but there
was az outcome. IL Is probable thai the