Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-19
Post Office Investigation
Again Considered.
INSPECTORS AT WORK
NO LIST YET PREPARED OF THOSE
TO BE DISMISSED
Superintendent Louis Away on Leave
of Absence General
and MI. Bristow Confer.

The grand jury today resumed considera-
ton of the Post Office Department investl-
CATION matter. Mr.. Hugh T. Taggart' as
sstant United States attorney for the DIS
trict of Columbia. returned from brief
vacation this morning and conducted the
examination of the few witnesses who ap-
peared before the grand jury. The Hallen-
back case it is understood. was the only
one in which testimony was offered today.
Court officials say that there Is no likel1-
hood of any more indictments growing out
Of the Post Office Department investigation
being reported In the immediate future.
From what can be learned at the office or
the United States attorney for the District
of Columbia the indications are that the
grand jury will be in session almost daily
until the opening of the October term or
the District Supreme Court. In addition to
the remainder of the Post Office Depart
ment cases, many strictly local criminal
causes are awaiting consideration by the
grand jury.
Inspectors Still at Work.
The post office inspectors also are still en-
gagged In original inquiries. and it Is under
stood will present the facts In the cases of
a number of department employees. which
while not criminal in character are consid-
cred sufficiently irregular to call for atten-
ton at the hands of the high officials of the
department. Among the cases of this char
acter Is that of w. c. Hazard, division
superintendent of rural free delivery for
the state of New York, who, 1t Is charged,
drew a per diem allowance of "a per day
from the government as If on active field
duty while confined in a hospital under
treatment for a gunShot wound. These
cases have not been brought officially to the
attention of the Postmaster General. and
no decision regarding them has been ar
rived at.
No List for Dismissal.
Postmaster General Payne told a reporter
for The Star this afternoon that so far no
list or schedule had been made out of per-
sons to be dismissed from the Post Office
Department and that the investigation In
some of the divisions of the office has not
progressed far enough to warrant any
statement of the names of persons who
will be dismissed being prepared or made
public. The Postmaster General stated
further that there was nothing In the re-
port that had gained circulation during the
day that number of officials of the de-
partment were to be dismissed and that
several had been suspended or would be.
Mr.. Payne did not state that there would
be no action. but said that nothing had
been done and that while the investigation
of some of the branches of the office had
been almost concluded the inspectors were
not nearly through with others
Superintendent Louis on Leave.
1t transpires now, through the granting
of few days leave, that Superintendent
NJ. W. Louis of the division of supplies of
the Post Office Department, has simply. left
the Office to take rest, made imperative
through illness, and that he IS not dis
missed. nor has anything criminal been
found against him. The rumOr that Mr..
o.,f, haA lAff h.A 1aarll tina
was launched last week, but the statement
was made in The Star at the time that
nothing had been found against Mr.. Louis.
1t Is understood that before the report of
the investigation Is made there will be a
report to the Postmaster General of the
names of clerks who have worked in the
bureaus where Irregularities have been
found. and that this report will show which
clerks should have been cogniZant of the
violations of the law that were going on.
and of the delinquencies of the chiefs, and
should have reported the same to the
proper authorities. 1t is alleged that the
list of names will include number of
clerks of the higher grades. and that these
clerks will. in all probability, be dropped
from the rolls. None of the officials Of the
department would have anything to say
regarding the matter this morning.
Postmaster General Payne and the fourth
assistant. Mr.. Bristow, had long confer
ence this morning, and 1t is believed they
discussed the situation that exists at pres
emit Neither Mr. Bristow nor his chief
would discuss the matter at the conclusion
of the conference, however.
Attorney Conrad Here
Attorney Holmes Conrad is in Washing
ton making an investigation of the sale of
the house letter boxes to residents of
Washington. Mr.. Tulloch charged that the
people We're persuaded to buy these boxes
which We're of no use to them. 1t was
charged that the name and Endorsement of
the late Postmaster Willett were used in
the circular advertising these boxes with
out his consent and in spite Of his protest
Mr.. Conrad is one of the attorneys ap-
pointed by the President to make a special
inveStiga ton.