The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-06-26
COMING TO LIGHT.
Significant Facts About the Mail
Scandals Being Unearthed.

oA5 nAACaAt EaCGS AuoHt IAo 1udAA
Scandals Being Unearthed.
BRIsToW's REPLY TO CHARGES.
Many Irregularities Are Shown by
the Onioinl Papers Being lex
amined by the Govern
ment Officials.
Postmaster General Payne Wcdncs-
nesday made public the reply Of
of Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral Brstow to the charges of Scy-
mOur w. Tulloch, former cashier Of
the Washington city postolice, re-
garding the irregularities in the postal
administration, and also reports of
Of inspection and Investigation Of tho
Washington poStoilice by inspectors
between juno 30 1899, and July 81,
1900, together with the transcript Of
the Tull0cll charges some years ago
and the conclusion thereon then reach
cd by Postmaster General Charles
Emory Smith. These papers con
stitute by far the most significant
documents yet made public as result
OF the sweeping postal investigation.
Tho reports show the existence Of
many Irregularities during the period
involved. The inspector who invcSti-
gated the irregularities reports that
the files Of the pOStOtlicc cashier show
direct orders from superior authority
for the disbursement of all the ques-
tionable items cited. The Inspector
urged that the responsibility for the
many illegal appointments, the pay
mcnt Of two salaries to one and the
same person and the disbursement. Of
thousands OF dollars for which practi-
cally no service was performed, should
be placed where IL properly belongs
and the many abuses corrected"
In Il summary OF the several reports
the postmaster general says:
"rhc charge Of Mr.. Tuiloch is in it's
essence against President Mckinley
and Postmaster General Smith. PrcSi-
dent Mckinley is no longer living:
Postmaster General Smith, who car
ricd out President Mcl[inlcy's policy,
has answered for himself With re-
gard to the present management OF
Tile Washington pOStOllice and the
conduct Of any and all men charged
with wrong doing who have been in
the postal service under the present
administration, Il thorough and
searching Investigation is now being
| nade.n
The postmaster general also says.
| 1t will be seen that the whole sub
jcct was taken UP by Postmaster
Gncral Smith and investigated by
him. All expenditures referred to
were allowed by the auditor and comp
trollcr, with the exception OF $780,
The documents made public 4 We'd :
nesday show that on May last, Mr..
Payne wrote Il letter to Mr.. Bristow
calling attention to the published in
tervicw with Mr.. Tulloch, and asked
Mr.. Bristow what truth if any there
is in the statements
MIR. BriStow's reply dated three days
later transmits reports of three in
spcctors relating to the Washington
posto!lice.
| tHt' A'htotoN UCl CilC liz
spectors had reported Irregularities he
directed that reports be made in the
regular way.
During the progress Of the inspec-
tion | was advised by the chief in
spector that George w. Beavers, chief
OF the salary and allowance division,
had suggested to one of the inspectors
| that when lie came to certain APP
pofntmcn IS in some Of the stations
that appeared irregular he had better
make no reference to them as they
had been ordered personally by the
postmaster general. ] told the chief
inspector to instruct the inspectors to
report the facts as they would i'm any
other inspections; that I did not be-
llerc the postmaster general had
knowingly authorized any irrcgulari-
ties.
Capt. w. y. Smith, inspector in
charge, submitted special report.
This report disclosed what seemed to
me glaring Irregularities, and sub
mittcd 1t personally to the postmaster
general, suggesting to him at the
time that it contained matters to
which l thought he would want to
give his pcsonal attention.
The third report sets forth Il num-
Der of Irregularities that prevailed al
that time in the Washington post
Office. was informed by the chief
Inspector that complaint was made
to the postmaster general that inspcc-
tor Little, who WAS engaged on the
work, was asking unnecessary uucs-
tions and seeking to obtain inrorma-
tion which was not called for on in
Spcction. | advised him to oinstrllck in
Spector Little To make the same kind OF
an investigation OF the Washington
postoilice that he would make Of any
other Office under similar circumstun-
ces, and to submit In a special report
anything which he thought should be
called to the personal attention OF the
postmaster general. This he did"
In the first OF The Inspectors reports
submitted by Mr.. Bristow it appears
that Robert V. Willctt, Il son Of the
then postmaster, drew two salaries
from July ! TO Dec. 10. 1898,
one as Il laborcr at the city postonicc
at 5000 Il year, and the other as a
mechanic at 81 per day for each work
ing day on what appears to have been
Il special roll Of the free delivery scr.