Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-30

pended. in 50 proceedings were dismissed
and seven defendants died awaiting trial.
Eleven forfeited bail and ten escaped,
leaving SOC cases pending.
In state courts ii3 cases were disposed OF.
resulting In fOrty-twO convictions and ten
acquittals. leaving sixty-one cases awaiting
trial.
with an aggregate amount Of sii2.u on
hand July I. 1901. S6t,g76U was collected,
making a total Of S52, 121.4S to be accounted
for. Of which S32,O J1 20 was disbursed, leav-
Ing an uneNpended balance OF Nie.S at the
close of the year. Attention is invited to
the fact that the total cash collected is 81
per cent Of the last annual appropriation
for pOstoffice inspectors. IL represents COLI
]lections due from postmasters, penalties for
violations and collections Of amount ille-
gally received by postmasters, as well as
collections in. cases of robberies of post
offices, wrecking Of mail trains, highway
robbery of mail stages and moneys re-
cetved on account of loss attributable TO
carelessness; accident or larceny;
On May 20 Inspector Fosnes delivered to
his Cuban successor the postal service COM
pletely organized i'm its operations and ac-
counts, completely equipped with material
and almost entirely Cubanized in It's per-
sonnet.
Among the assets turned over were post
age stamps and stamped paper to the
amount Of s1T7. 6O0.O7 and money order funds
to the amount of SIS, 249.7S.
The division Of postofice inspectors for
the territory of Hawaii has been discon-
tnued. II is now included in the San Fran
cisco division.
Recommends Legal Changes.
The act of June 10, 1898, providing that
assistant postmasters, cashiers and other
employees In postoffices of the first. second
and third classes shall give bond direct to
the United States, has not proved salts
factory in operation, and has raised a num-
Der of legal questions, which, IL decided In
accordance with the contention of sureties
and postmasters. may result in serious loss
to the government. Originally a postmaster
was responsible under his bond for all
moneys received and Il was his duty to
account therefor. even II a loss was due to
a subordinate A veXatious question as to
responsibility for losses has arisen since
the act referred to became effective. II
the postmaster makes good the loss there
Is no provision for him to succeed to the
rights of the United States under the clerks
bond. If IT should be judicially determined
that the bonding of the clerk direct to the
United States relieves the postmaster, the
government would have no recourse in the
event the loss exceeded the amount of the
bond. ] therefore earnestly renew my
recommendation that the act be repealed
and suggest a law requiring assistant post
masters, cashiers and other employees to
ing postmasters responsible under. their own
bonds for any and all acts and defaults
occurring at their respective offices.
l further recommend that an approprta-
ton be made for the purpose of construct
ing lookouts wherever, in the opinion Of the
postmaster general. the same may be
needed, and that the interstate commerce
riers, telegraph and express companies,
from aiding and abetting in the green goods
or lottery swindles or any other scheme
carried on partly by mail and partly by
common carrier, and which is in violation
of the postal laws.