Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-23
Statement of the Ex-Director General
of Cuban Posts.
Mr.. RATHBONE ATTACKS Mr.. BRISTOW
Declares Him Guilty Of Perversion
and Suppression of Facts.
MR.. HOMPSON' SIDE

Two volumes of the testimony and ex-
hibits in the Cuban postal investigation
were reported to the Senate today. They
consist in the main of mass of figures,
the only new matter of popular interest
being statements made by ex-Director Gen.
eral Rathbone and Mr.. E. P. Thompson,
postmaster at Havana, in reply to Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General Bristow' s
criticisms of their conduct of affairs.
Mr.. Rathbones statement is dated No
vember 20 last, and in it he takes up and
replies TO Mr.. Bristows charges seriatim.
Referring to Mr.. Brstow's charge that
there was no contract as to prices in the
purchase of post office furniture from the
keyless Lock Company of Indiana. Mr..
Rathbone says that the statement is con-
tradcted by Bristow's own report. He
also says there was contract with the
Mosler Safe and Lock Company. giving this
fact as a refutation of Bristows statement
that Nee,y was absolute in the matter of
purchases of safes, &c.
No Opportunity for Defense.
Continuing, Mr.. Rathbone says:
mo opportunity was given to me to de-
fend myself or the service which l had
created until the second day before Bris-
tow's departure. The scanty time then
available was devoted by Bristow almost
exclusively in the effort to find some in
eliminating evidence against Gen. Perry
S. Heath, first assistant postmaster gen.
eral, or myself. as the interview shows. NO
opportunity given to to explain
what appeared against me or TO make any
showing of the time and labor devoted by
me and by my suhordinateS in the building
up of postal service from its very founda-
ton. nor of the obstacles that were met
and overcome by us as best we could under
the then existing conditions, but he sup
pressed documents letters &C., which l
made a part of my statement.
The Nicely Miscellaneous Bills.
Referring to the charges in connection
with the Neely ''miscellaneous bills" Rath-
bone says: 'The statement there made
Involves another case of suppression
amounting to perversion of ma terial facts.
General Bristow knew. for l told him my
self and the office of the assistant auditor
of the department of posts shows. that
there We're thirteen of the Nicely bills
eight of which We're approved by myself
as director general and five of which were
approved by MIR p II. Brstow, chief clerk
Of the department.. as acting director gen.
eral during my absence. when the duty de-
volved upon him of approving bills OF this
kind"
He infers he says. from these and other
features of the Bristow report that mat
official intended to deliberately mislead by
a plain perversion and suppression OF facts
within his own knowledge" He asserts
that F. H. Bristow. chief clerk in the Ha-
vana office signed warrant 1857 for S12OOO,
which General Bristow charged him 'Rath-
bone) with signing. Another transaction
charged as a dereliction against him 1s,
he saws chargeable to j. w. Irwin, a sub
ordinate of General Bristow.
Mr. Rathbone says there is no evidence
and that none can be secured to sustain
the allegation that he was careless, loved
ease and refused to give attention to de-
tails" On the contrary he asserts that
he worked hard earnestly and long.
He SAYS that Auditor LaWshe, and not
Perry S. Heath was responsible for the ap-
nointment of Dr. w. H. Reeves to place
in the Cuban service. He charges Bristow
with suppressng important parts OF his
(Rathbone's) testimony.
Postmaster ThOmpsOn's Side.
Postmaster Thompson takes exception to
Cen Bristow's statement that he CThomp-
SOM had caused four money orders to oe
Issued to himself. He says that as mat |
ter of fact he purchased nine post office Or
ders, but that In doing so he committed no |
crime: the shortage was made good. Speak |
ing of the Havana office in general way, |
Mr.. Thompson says: 1.-The Havana post |
office was organized under the most trying !
and difficult circumstances. and irreguiari-
ties were bound to occur. The organization
and conduct of this office was such that Mr.
BriStow could find reason for a change,
either in its organization or the number Of |
employees required to conduct it. I feel that |
for a technical mistake on my part l have
been most outrageously treated