Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1901-02-01
WHAT NEELEY AVS.

Neeley's signed statement, printed 10 the
New York Journal, In which he discusses
his connection with the Cuban postal frauds,
and duplicates by indirection certain off,
cials, has created quite a stir In the Post
Office Department.
That paper sums up Neeley's interviews,
which matter occupies nearly q page, as
follows:
"The Republican statesmen nearest to
President Mckinley offered to get him of
with a sentence of one year If be would
plead guilty and be a 'scapegoat for the ad
ministratiou's crimes and blunders.
"The proofs Of his innocence on various
charges are TO be found on the file of the
Secretary of War-unless the letters have
been deliberately destroyed.
"If, as has been charged, the packages sup
posed to contain $50 800 in stamps, which
were burned in Havana, really were filled
with waste paper, the gigantic fraud was
done at Washington by other officials, and
not In Cuba by him.
mo actual shortage existed in his &C
counts, and Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General ]. l. Brstow pretended to fnd one
in order to destroy First Assistant Postmas
ter General Perry Heath and get his place
and boosted 10 Havana that he would have
Heath 10 Jail within 48 hours.
"Cspt Burton, who announced the short
age in Neeeys accounts, had made q SINH
La nharua concarniao Traaanear ~ a.,
Island Lsdd, for which he had to retract and
apologize.
"rhe administration dsres not give him
trial by Jury and an opportunity to cross
examine the witnesses against him, but Il
rushing him to Cuba to be tried under tn,
old inquisitorial Spanish law, by which b,
will be convicted, guilty or innocent, and
sentenced to term In a tropical prison
where his early death lie certain.
He 10 being sacrificed, and will be tn,
sole sufferer, as 10 evidenced by the repor
that United States Senator Hanna has re-
served accommodations in Havana for til,
period during which Director General Rath
bone OF the Cuban postal department will
be tried, and is interesting himself directly
In RathboneIs defense. Maj. Rathbone con.
Quoted Hanna's fight for the Senatorship"
Following are some excerps from Neely's
statements made In the interview:
Had wanted to steal, why did not dc
1t when there was a chance for me to ge
something worth the whilef Once could
have pockeled million dollars.
THAT printing office 10 Muncie, Indiana
which am alleged TO have fraudulently
transferred to other parties, is owned by .
stock company. Not for four years, Ions
before l ever thought Of going to Cuba
have owned more than one share of stock
in the corporation.
"The man who says that stamps were not
destroyed, or who says that / said the pack
ages contained only brown paper, tells q
dsmnable lie Save for one or two pack
Ages, they were In the original form. L
they contained only brown paper the fraud
was committed in Washington.
This explains the three principal charges
again,t me: The stamps were actually de
stroyed. The payments on account OF Rath.
bones house and per diem were specifically
ordered from Washington. The shortage
with which l am charged does not exist in
fact.
al wish / had chance at trial before 40
American jury. with the privilege OF exam
lining and the power To subpoena witnesses,
books and papers"
Comment on the above lie unnecessary
but 1t presents dark picture of the party
OF great moral ideas"