Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-06-19
Letter to Postmaster General
Asks for Suspension of
Dismissal Order.
CHARGES MADE AGAINST HEDGES
Allegations Under investigation by In
Establishment of Rural
Free Delivery Routes Has Been
Resumed.
Resumed.

Washington. June 19-Postmaster
General Payne received the following
letter from Mr.. Metcalf asking sns-
pension OF the order of dismissal I'M
til his complete defense may be heard.
Il cannot but feel that under or
binary circumstances such summary
action as has been taken in my case
would not have been had without CIV
ing me chance to be heard by your
self in my own defense II must be
due to the heated, excited and con-
sested condition Of affairs in the post
Office department that the postmaster
general has consented to this sum.
mary dismissal of man who for the
best part of his life since attaining
manhood has devoted his whole
thought and being to the honest dis
charge of his duties to the govern
ment and the best interest of the pos
tai service, in which no stain or su5-
picion has ever heretofore attached to
him.
Governments Interest at Heart.
buSli1G w IAy sell, my 1dlllily anu
my friends require that I should ap-
peal to the postmaster general to re-
call this order of summary dismissal
and accord me an opportunity to show
that in this matter, as in all others,
was consulting only the best inter-
ests of the postoffice money order SER
vice in whatever I did concerning the
Herman bid, and not my own self in
terest and with no thought of myself
or my family, as is made to appear in
the charge against me.
The common sense of Justice and
the right of defense, which my score
Of years of faithful public service en-
titles me to, must impel the postmas-
ter general to grant me this oppor-
tunity of demonstrating to him that
his action has been hasty and unjust
to faithful public servant, who has
devoted his life to the BEST interests
Of his government.
The suspension of your order Is
respectfully asked until such time as
you may hear from me-"
Allegations Against Charles HEDGES.
Charges against Charles Hedges,
superintendent of the city delivery
service of the postoffice department.
alleging that he has pressed claims
before congress, solicited employees in
the service to take stock in a mining
company and other allegations. are
under investigation by the inspectors
of the postotfice department. The
charges We're presented to Postmaster
General Payne and referred by him
to Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen.
eral Bristow. The allegations that
Mr.. Hedges went to the capitol dur
ing the last session of congress and
urged the passage of a claim then
pending was made at that time.
Mr.. Hedges was Immediately called
upon for statement, which, 1t is
is now on file in the de-
partment. Since then other charges
have assumed definite shape. Mr.
Hedges was an assistant to former
General Superintendent August w.
Machin. of the free delivery service,
now under indictment.
Rural Free Delivery.
The postoffice department has re.
sumed the establishment of rural free
delivery routes, which were held up
on account of the deficit in the appro-
priation for that service and a large
of routes will be put into OBJ
Grafton on July |, the beginning of the
new fiscal year. The policy of the
department hereafter will be to es.
tablish routes as rapidly as possible
consistent with the best interests of
the service and economic administra-
ton. The rules as to the number OF
families required to be on the route
in order to secure the service, proba.
bly, will be more strictly adhered to
and fewer exceptions made. The rules
requires that no service shall be es.
tablished on route on which there
are less than 100 families. Unless
exceptions are made for some special
reasons routes are to be investigated
in the order in which the petitions for
them are filed
To Settle War Claims.
Havana