The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-24
VOLUMES OF TESTIMONY.
a Report on the Cuban Postal Fraud
Investigation.


a Report on the Cuban Postal Fraud
Investigation.
Tho Postofice Department has issued
two volumes of the testimony and exhib-
its in the Cuban postal investigation. The
matter is voluminous mass OF figures
and tables and contains little of moment
Statements are contained FROM Ex-Di-
| rector General Rathbone and Postmaster
Thompson.
The Rathbone statement is dated No
vember 90 and refutes the charges made
\ by Mr.. Bristow in regard 20 purchases
and contracts for furniture. The state
| ment says in part:
No opportunity was given TO me TO de-
fend myself or the service which / had
| created until the second day before Bris-
lows 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 Cen
eral, or myself, as the interview shows.
No opportunity was given to me to explain
what appeared against me or to make any
showing of the time and labor devoted by
me and by my subordiuates in the build
ing up of a postal service from its very
foundation nor of the obstacles that were
met and overcome by US as best we could
under the then existing conditions, but he
| suppressed documents. letters, etc. which
l made part of my statement.
The statement made in regard to the
miscellaneous bills Of Mr.. Nicely involves
another case of suppression amounting to
perversion of material facts. General
Bristow knew. for l told him myself. and
| the office of the assistant auditor of the
department of posts shows. that there
were thirteen of the Nicely bills, eight of
which were approved by myself as direct
or general and FIVE of which were ap-
proved by Mr.. p. H. Bristow. chief clerk
of the department. as acting director gen.
eral during my absence when the duty
| devolved upon him OF approving bills of
this kind
1t is then inferred that Mr. Bristow
intended TO deliberately mislead by
plain perversion and suppression of facts
within his own knowledge 1t is asserted
that p. II. Bristow, chief clerk OF the Ha
vana postofiice. signed warrant for s12,-
COO. which was charged TO him (RathboneJ.
Postmaster THOMPSON denies Mr.. Bris
tOws statement :, -arding money orders.
He says, in part
THE Havana POI office was organized
under the uGst lying and difficult cir
cumstances, g q irregularities were bound
TO occur. The organization and conduct of
this Office was sucn that Mr. Brstow could
ind no reason fer change. either in its
organization or the number of employees
required to conduct it. I feel that for a
technical mistake on my part / have been
most outrageously treated
Rathbone calls attention to the posi-
tive assurance given by Mr.. Bristow, on
his arrival in Havana. that he tRathbone)
should be given full and ample opportunity
to be heard on all phases OF the investiga-
ton of the Cuban postal service: yet that
same day he was, without warning re-
lieved from duty and access was denied
him to all his correspondence. both official
and private. No opportunity until the last
day OF the investigation was given him,
he says, for defending himself or the
service he had created and that time was
devoted principally to discovering some
discriminating evidence against Gen. Perry
S. Heath. First Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral.' or himself. Up to the time the let
ter was written, November 20. Rathbone
claims he had nos been able to secure ac-
cess to even his private papersA
The remainder OF Rathbone's communi-
cation is made up of accusations against
Bri5tow's report, including specific charges
of deliberate peryersion and suppression
of facts within his (Bristow's) own knowl-
edge, and at the same time, that Bristow
had given the widest publicity to every
little fact, circumstance or incident tend
administration. Among the instances men
toned is the discovery that ore of the war
rants in controversy flor SO, 1000 was sign
ed not by Rathbone but by his chief clerk,
and 1.-THE fact was studiously and care
fully kept secret" He also complains that
personal bill OF Mrs RathboEe, amount
Ing to $273 for her expenses in New York.
which was paid by her or Rathbone, was
included in the report, with the evident
- \ l.
ing it appear that payment had been made
out OF the Cuban postal funds.
Rathbone accuses Bristow Of trickery
and jugglery with regard to the examina-
ton OF the former He says it was the
understanding that he should revise his
statement after the notes were transcribed
by the stenosrapher. He says:
For purposes OF his own Bristow chose
another way which again amounts to per-
version, and is misleading and falsifylng.
He printed the original statement as 1t
came from the typewriter, before being
corrected by me, and then printed my
corrections separately and with his own
comments on them. 1t is in my opinion
simply dishonorable for aay Government
official to resort to such practices"
He then points out 'glaring self-eyi- |
dent errors" in the transcript OF his origi- !
nal statement. and says no attention was |
paid 10 his explanations OF them. He also /
gives other instances Of suppression OF |
material facts, including his letter of |
April 20. 1900. to the Postmaster General |!
which gave a resume OF the work of the |
Cuban postal service from Its inception |
to that date, containing Rathbone says. !
facts and statistics that are full and in
controvertible, and had they become part
of my statement. as I asked, and had rea
son to believe they would be, 1t would
have put an entirely different complexion |
on Bristow's report. In my judgment, |
knowing this fact, he suppressed them"