The age-herald., 1901-10-20
DR. HUGHES AND
 CIVIL SERVICE
 COMMISSION Charged That He Allowed RiVes to Use His Office While
 Assessing EmpIOyes VAUGHAN TOLD ID PROSECUTE Civil Service Commission Not Satisfied With Results, Asked for Another
 Attorney-Hughes' Post
 office Record Good.
VAUGHAN TOLD ID PROSECUTE
BY PATTERSON sTEALEY.

Washington, October 19.-(Special)-The Birmingham postoffice has been a source of more or less trouble to the civil service commission for the past three years. Sev- eral Investigations of the office have been made, and, as stated In the Age-Herald. now comes another to determine allega- tions to the effect that unclassihed labor CTS are on the classified rolls. Postmaster Hughes has never been closely identified with the alleged violations but the fact that he is the postmaster places him on the defensive and makes him to degree responsible.
 The Birmingham postoffice case arose originally through charges to the effect that office-seekers were being assessed for political purposes. The commission seemed to be unable to prove this charge we'll enough to secure an indictment on the part of the district attorney, and the claim Is made that District Attorney Vaughan, to whom the commissions charges were referred by the Attorney General for investigation, has such close connection with the case he should not be allowed to bring it before the grand jury.
 Substitute in Vaughan's Place.
 The civil service commission has ac- cordingly requested the Attorney General to appoint a special district attorney in Mir. yaughans place. This request was made several weeks ago and has not as yet been acted upon by the Department of Justice. The commission Is insisting that this course be taken, and the expec- tation is that it's demands will be com piled with, for since President Roosevelt was inaugurated the civil service commits sion stock has gone up about 100 points.
 Chief Examiner Severn and Inspector Wanamaker of the civil service commis- sion fully investigated the charges of po- litical assessment and reported to the commission. They found, in brief. that D. D. Harris was acting In the capacity of a cashier and had already collected as much as $40 from employees. He after wards returned the money, stating that he did not know he was committing a criminal offense.
 From the evidence secured by the in- spectors 1t seemed that R. E. s. Rives, the secretary and treasurer of the NduRndH CdHlpdi6h postofflce place of resort, and the ques- tion arose with the commission as to whether the postmaster did not make himself party by permitting Rives to solicit subscriptions. On one evening, ac- cordinR to the report of the inspectors. Messrs. Gilbert and Jones learned that Riyes was in the postmaster's ofnce. ana called the postmaster into the assistant nostmaster,s office and rendered him the amount of money which they proposed to contribute in response to Rives letters. The postmaster acknowledged this in the presence of Mr Gilbert and the civil ser vice inspector. MT. Gilbert said, how ever, that the postmaster would not re- ceiye the money, but he told them he would send Rives In, Rives being in tho front room, which was the postmaster office at the time. MT. Rives came Into the rear room, the assistant postmaster office, and there received the money from Messrs. Gilbert and Jones.
 Case Before Attorney General.
 The civil service commission according ly made statement of the case to the attorney general, comprehending the fol- lowing points:
 q. s. D. Harris, secretary of the civil service board received contributions for political purposes, intending to turn them over to whoever should prove to be tho proper party to receive them. Later h. returned the money received because h uyao aFratd fhot bto rooafx,trr @t,oso 11-