The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-23
REPLY TO BRISTOW
RathbOne and ThOmpsOnAnswer
the Fourth Assistant.

Washington, Feb 23-Two volumes Of
the testimony and exhibits in the Cuban
postal investigation were reported to the
senate today They consist in the main
Of mass of figures, the only new mat
ter of popular interest being statements IS
made by ex-Director General RathboEe
Havana, in reply to Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General BristoW'S criticisms
of their conduct of affairs.
Mr.. Rathbone's statement is dated No
vember 20 last and in it he takes up
and replies to Mr.. Bristown's charges
Seriatim
Referring to Mr. Bristow's charge that
there was no contract as to prices in the
purchase Of postoffice furniture from
the Keyless Lock company of Indiana,
Mr.. Rathbone says that the statement
is contraGicted by BristoW's own report.
He also says there was a contract with
the Mosler Safe and Lock company Civ
ing this fact refutation of Bristow's
statesments that Neely's authority was
absolute in the matter of purchases Of
safes, etc.
Continuing Mr.. Rathbone SAYS.
No opportunity was given to me to
defend myself or the service, which I
had created until the second day before
Bristow's departure The scanty time
then available was devoted by Bristow
almost exclusively to the effort to find
some discriminating evidence against
Gen. Perry Sheath, first assistant post
master general or myself, as the inter-
to me to explain what appeared against
me, or to make any showing of the time
and labor devoted by me and by my
SubOrdina teS in the building of a postal
service from its very foundation, nor
obstacles that met and were overcome
by US, as best we could under the then
existing conditions. but he suppressed
documents, letters, etc, which / made a
part of my statement"
Referring to the charges in connec-
ton with the" Nicely miscellaneous bills
Mr.. Rathbone says: THE statement
therein made involves another case of
suppression, amounting to perversiOn of
material facts. Gen. BristOW knew for
/ told him nyself-and the office of the
assistant auditor of the department of
posts ShOWS-that there were 13 of the
Nicely bills eight of which We're ap-
proved by myself, as director general
and five of which were approved by Z.
H Bristow, chief clerk of the depart
ment, as acting director general, during
my absence, when the duty devolved up
on him of approving bills of this kind
He inferred, he said, from these and
other features of the BristoW report
that that official deliberately misled by
a plain perversion and suppression Of
facts within his own knowledge.
He asserts that p. II. BIistow (chief
clerk in the Havana office) signed war
rant 70S7 for 900 which Gen. Bristow
had charged him (Rathbone) with sign
ing. Another transaction charged as a
dereliction against him is he says,
of Gen. 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 Details
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
appointment of DR.. W. H Reeves to a
place in the Cuban service. He charges
Bristow with suppressing important
parts. of his (Rathbone's) testimony.
Postmaster Thompson takes exception
to Gen. Bristow's statement that he
(ThompSOn) had caused four money or
ders to be issued to himself. He says
that as a matter of fact he purchased
nine postoffice orders but that in doing
so he committed no crime. The short
age was made good.
Speaking of the Havana office in a
general way Mr.. Thompson says:
The Havana postohice was organized
under the most trying and difficult cir
cumStanceS and Irregularities were
bound to occur. The organization and
conduct of this office was such rnat Mr..
Bristow could f1nd no 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 I have been most outrage
ousIy treated" "