The Washington times., 1901-07-27
THE NEELY CASE.

Let no guilty man escape was the cry
OF the Administration and OF the Admin
istration press when the Cuban postal
frauds came to light. That was over a
year ago Now il is given out that the
war Department Is doubtful of ever being
anie to bring the guilty men to trial,
though the evidence against them, collect
ed by Fourth Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral Bfistow. is Overwhelming. The nee
essary witnesses who are in this coun-
try cannot. 1t is said, be induced to go
20 CUBA TO testify, and without their tes-
tifnony Rathbone and Neely cannot be
convicted. Rathbone, by the way. is the
man who threatened to pull down the
pillars OF the temple II he were pushed
10 the wall. The probability is strength
ening that he will never be pushed And
yet the Government is still in control in
Suha and the rascality OF Neeiy and
fiathbone has been exposed by its own
oHicialS- queer, isn't it?-Portland Ar
gus
The more we look at Neely the more
We wonder that Carter was convicted
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
We cannot doubt that If there is a real
ly serious purpose to bring Nicely to trial
a searching investigation of the whole
subject can be had. Certainly II will be
raost unfortunate for the Administration
and the Republican party IL man with
such 'puli' az Neely is known to have
. BAD escapes without having his official
c.'h5iuct subjected to a searching enquiry
) .dianapolis News
rhe authorities at Washington. referring
% the delay in the Neely case, on which
some rather uncomplimentary comments
have been made, say they are not dead.
nor even sieeping. The earlier 1t Is
brought to trial the sooner the people will
fo,t sxxf -.
cused. Right or wrong, many people be-
lieve that political influence will save
Neely from punishment.-Duluth Herald
The public has been inclined to believe
that the apparent immunity from punish
ment of these embezzlers was due to the
power of the political pull. 1t seems like
ly. therefore, that the rascals are to have
the last laugh as well as the first--Bing
hamton News.
1t will certainly be very unfortunate for
our future relations with Cuba If Neely,
the alleged embezzler of Cuban postal
funds, is not put on trial. If Neely is
acquitted by Cuban courts. the public will
be glad that a stain has been washed off
our record in Cuba by a Cuban tribunal
If he is convicted. it will regard his con-
victien as establishing our disinterested-
ness in administering the affairs of the
island. On the other hand IL he goes
untried, is simply released without being
acquitted, the public will inevitably feel
that combination of Cuban and Ameri-
can politicians has succeeded in covering
up a pest spot which In the interest of
both countries should have undergone the
most thorough moral Standardization
Transcript.
Neely is charged with the grossest
frauds in connection with the postal SER
vice in Cuba. 1t Is more essential to the
credit of the United States that he should
stand trial. and that he should be pun
ished if found guilty, than If the alleged
embezzlement related to purely domestic
service. Neely's position was one of con-
spicuous responsibility. He represented
his country where 1t was on trial before
its proteges and where example counted
for much. If he has embezzled, as charg-
ed. he should be punished with all the
severity that the old Spanish law. under
which the Cuban courts are still opera
ting. can impose.-Kansas City Star
How long is it since the defaIcation of
C. w. F. Neely and his associate. Rath-
bone, in the Cuban postal service was
discovered? The shame and Indignation
of the authorities in Washington were
great and punishment was to be certain
and summary. There was furor of in
vestigation, and the whole nation was
hot for vengeance against these two who
had brought our honor into disgrace in
the eyes of the Cubans- Well. nobody has
yet been convicted and punished, although
both lost their offices. The War Depart
ment has been watching these proceed
ings in Cuba. and no great surprise would
be occaSiOned by an announcement that
Neely could not be convicted, and that he
would he released. There are others who
viii not be surprised They are the ones
who said in the beginning that NeeIy's
pull would save him. 1t is curious that
the investigation of the affairs of the
Seventh National Bank is said to have
revealed the fact that it held at one time
a large sum in Spanish gold, reported to
have been received from Nicely. This
bank, too, was credited with having big
.'pull." Herald.