New-York tribune., 1903-04-11
POSTOFFICE SCANDAL.
INQUIRY IN PROGRESS.
Operations of Alleged Rings IN This
City and Washington.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

Washington April 10-Since the first intin1a-
ton some days ago that there might be irregu-
laritfes in certain branches of the postoffce ad-
mnstration. work has daily been growing
heavier on the investigating branch of the de-
partment. There be limit to the
number of complaints which are being filed or
TO the character of the charges they contain
Contractors who have failed to secure awards
in the successful bidder all sorts Of faults
charge favoritism in the award and declare the
supplies inferior. To-day investigation was
ordered regarding charges contained in an
anonymous letter received ten days ago, to the
effect that there ring of postoffice officials
in this city which worked through subordinate
officials in other cities for tie purpose of sell
ing promotions in the service. A certain as
sistant Superintendent in the New-York Post
office was mentioned as the promoter OF the plan
in that city The investigation is being made.
like all the others. by the secret service OF the
department. and nothing can be made pubic re-
garding the findings until the Postmaster zen
eraI returns from the West Indies.
An exhibit Of rubber stamps was filed with
the department to-day by Fred L. Bingham. or
a Philadelphia firm. which was an unsuccessfui
bidder for this work The allegation was made
by Mr. Bingham that the stamps which he SUD-
mitted as an exhibit were those being fur
and he asserted that on account of the inferior
ity OF materials and manufacture. each stamp
could be made for at least cents less than
it could II the specifications of the department
had been followed.
The substitution of sheet iron mail boxes for
the cast iron boxes. which was begun in l9oi' IS
also a target. In his last annual report FIRST
Assistant Postmaster General wynne mentioned
this change. and said that there was breakase
in transportation of at least IA per cent of the
cast iron boxes which would be saved in the
sheet iron boxes There are 81. 135 of these
boxes in use in cities having free delivery, and
IL 600 in cities not having free delivery. 1t is
declared that the firm making letter boxes with
which Mr Machen's brother is connected did
not get the contract to supply the sheet iron
boxes.
The current appropriation for letter boxes ana
carriers bags is S212,3O0 The estimate SUD
mftted to Congress for this purpose was
100000
The anonymous letter charging the existence
of a ring for the sale of promotions, which was
taken up for active investigation to-day Is uh-
derstood to have been supplemented by o!ners
making the charge. The plan as set IOI IN
was to charge a cash payment of from 40 10
$50 as a preliminary step in getting promotlon
for a clerk When the promotion was secured
a percentage of the increase was demanded:
The profit from this transaction was pooled, ana
went 70 the officials working the deal through
The investiga ton of the matter is to deal hrst
with the promotions themselves. 1t Is TO be as
certained whether the promotions announced on
March 20 were all made strictly on merit or
through favoritism. There is no disposition 70
hurry this investigation, and an ofhclal OF tie
department said to-day that II one-tenth OF the
charges which have been made are SHOWN 10
contain the least foundation there Will be
much surprise the part of officials in positions
to know their seriousness.