New-York tribune., 1903-06-08
TULLOCHS DEFENCE.
Replies to Counter Charges By Mr.
Merritt and ReaHrms Accusations.

Washington June 7.-Seymour w. Tulloch, ex-
casbiar of the Washington Postoffice, under date
of June 3, has written a letter to Postnaster
General Payne in response to replies received
from Postmaster Merritt, of the Washlis eoi'
Postofice and others, to the charges Oh ihai-
administration made by Mr.. Tulloch against 'ho
management of the local postoffice. large
part of Mr. Tuloch's letter is in defence ol
counter charges made by Mr.. Merritt He de-
c1ares 1bat while in office he did report frreg-
u1arities to his immediate superiors and the IN
spectors.
Mr.. Tuloch says that the charge that when ne
WAS cashier of the Washington Postoffice quart
erly payrolls required to be signed III
blank even if true would but produce smile
in washington, where probably the greater por-
tion of governmental employees sign payrohs III
blank" But he says, the fact is that TINS
CUSTOM usual elsewhere, was prohlDlteo eish
teen years ago by the postmaster ana tue oiii'
times when payrolls were signed in pianh "eie
when postal clerks at distance, or other en-
ployes expecting TO be absent, received at their
request and as a personal favor, the prlVilese
Of signing in advance. the law requiring inc
voucher going to the auditor to be persoNah'
signed by the employe. He says that at the
time of payment all figures had been previously
filled in and that false payments could not but
possible
The charge that "a false voucher had been
put in while Mr. Tulloch cashier, he says
was only an attempt to discredit him. ana even
Mr. Merritt admits that the TRANSACTION was
directed by the postmaster, recognized Dy the
assistant postmaster, and the money retalheo
paid to persons duly designated" MI Iulloch
letter then continues:
In closing may state that 1t has not been sno%n
to the contrary in any of the replies you nave @ poO
local funds. instead of by the proper dlsours@lns @
officer of the department; that an dr adeT.p single
blanket bond with some favored company that 'no nc
regula tions of the department were NloIdHu ,.Ia m
were said to be interested. upon the puonc even ~
the unauthorized of the postmaster dutLioi
ana sganst n hS not evered that persons
paid two or three salaries and performed Ile,s o5
no service; that physician was iIesaIs @ heen told
whose position was q sinecure-l ndHe Sar nri-
that $500 operating table was puTcIlaseu lO1
vate use and charged to the deparsee ted ns mon
proyiso of division with high officials OF the de-
partment that persons were appointed from "nOn
that arrears in Porto Rico were not fully recov-
cred; that useless junkets were frequent 20 ror.U
nosfsI service had their salaries continued for
months after ceasng all service, and that saIaTies
also continued after service hau eeaSou ~
take up irregular expenses
As to the reply of ex-First Assistant Postmast-
er General Heath. Mr. Tulloch says, All that IS
necessary is to compare my specific charges with
his general denial
He then reaffirms that his representations re-
main in all essential particulars true ana not
disDroved and closes with a denial that there ls
anIy office within the gift of the Postoftice De-
Dartnent that he would accept or that ne ever
authorized his friends to seek his reinstatement