Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-18
TULLOCH'S CHARGES
Made Public in Full by
Former Cashier.
Observation-Disclosures
ALLEGES FAvORITISM AND MIS-
USE OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS.
Complimentary Pay Rolls Created for
Benefit of Favorites of Officials
Mass of Allegations.

was taken by Mr.. Tulloch in view of thu
statements to the press of the Postmaste
General regarding the charges.
Mr.. Tulloch in his letter says he is at the
service of the Postmaster General in rem
dering any further assistance that may b.
desired. Mr.. Tulloch says that in all in
stances of irregularity and favoritism the
proper allowances, records, vouchers, etc.
were most carefully executed and kept, al
a rule, and little Information can be as
certained by their investigation; that the
real facts behind the allowances ant
vouchers, are not of record, and are known
to few-"those interested who will not, ant
others, clerks, who dare not talk
For upward of nineteen years" the
letter recites, 1.-The conduct of affairs be
tween the Washington city post office ant
the Post Office Department was regular
then came the first break; the precursor o.
a system of allowances to the Washington
post office on account of departmental eX
penditureS which afterward led to irregu
larities, abuses. extrangance and my re
moval as an obstacle on June 30, 1899. Mr.
Sheppard. then chief of the salary and al
lowance division of the Post Office Depart
ment, desired file case for the use of hi:
office His acquisitions were turned dowr
by his superior officers. Later voucher:
were presented to me for file case, -ac
companied by an allowance for Its paymen
made by Mr.. Sheppard, and signed by the
first assistant postmaster general. l di
rected the contractor to obtain a certificate
of delivery of the goods. Mr.. Sheppard re
fused to acknowledge the receipt of the
goods fearing exposure during the audi
of the vouchers, and 1 refused to pay fol-
the case until some one was willing t.
father the same.
A New Crowd.
soon after the Mckinley administrator
came into power the first assistant post
master general sent his clerk down to me
with voucher for lump sum for travel
ing expenses, accompanied by an allowance
for their payment from the funds of the
Washington office. Such demand was ir
regular on It's face, but the official became
very angry at the idea of a mere cashier
attempting toSmake any suggestions to hin
and refused to amend and itemize his
voucher.
1.-The postmaster explained to him that
had only asked for what was required by
the auditor and according to precedent
The postmaster upon his return stated the
official had said. Look here now, this is q
new administration and new crowd, ano
we intend to make our own precedents!
The auditor for the Post Office Department
finally sent word through the postmaster
that. on account of the feeling shown II
the matter. If / would inclose the voucher
in my next account it's informality would
be overlooked. An inspection of the Wash
ington accounts will show many similar
subsequent payments of travelling and other
expenses on account of departmental Off
Gals without the usual departmental
checks.
Platt's Bonding Company.
THE Washington office was surprised one
day to receive from the salary and allow
ance division of the first assistant postmas-
o;,-
ing 1t was intended to require all employees
at post offices to give blanket bond direct
to the department. said bond to be fur
nished by a single recognized bonding com
pany, irrespective of the fact whether such
employees could furnish good personal bonds
or might desire to avail themselves of com
petition in premiums between other bond
ing companies. similar blanket bond was
l believe, to be required of the letter car
riers. The postmaster had a conference
with George w. Beavers. then chief of the
salary and allowance division. and reported
that Mr.. Beavers had said: Senator Plat
of New York would appreciate the fact il
he would select the senator's company.
The original circular was subsequently
modified by allowing employees to select
their own bond or Binding companies.
considerable feeling was manifested
toward me in the Office of the first assist
ant postmaster general because 1 would no
personal request or by direction over the
telephone. j. Holt Livingston presented
vouchers for payment, one afternoon
amounting to several hundred dollars FOL
postal furniture. / refused to pay until the
allowance had been received l was in
formed that it would be sent down by pri
vate messenger as soon as 1t was signed
by the first assistant postmaster general
I again refused. Mr.. Livingston departed
quite angry and some time afterward re
turned with the allowance properly exc
cuted and still damp from the copying
press. 1t was for shipment of furniture
as l remember. to Cuba or Porto Rico. NJ
one had certified as to the receipt of the
goods. and l called the attention of Mr.
Livingston to the omission. He explained
it would be all right and that he needed thu
money l declined to pay unless some re
sponsible official would acknowledge the re
ceipt of the goods whereupon Mr.. Living
ston became confidential and told me hi!
company did not have very much capital
that work had not yet even begun upon thu
furniture. and that George had agreed t.
advance him the money in payment. 1t /:
needless to add no payment was made
Mr.. Tulloch says payments were author
lied to Mr.. Livingston amounting to abou
81, 800 on May 5, June and June 10, 1899
That of June 10 was for 81, 725 for Porte
Rico. and was rendered in lump sum
An intimate friend of Mr.. Heath's, NJ D
Helm was the vice president of the com
pany 1t is stated the company shipped
IS coo to $4,000 worth of supplies to Cubf
on the order of Messrs. Rathbone and Nee
ly, and fitted up the American post Office a
the Paris exposition. Mr.. Livingston wa.
also in charge of the Washington office o
the Keyless Lock Company.
Extensive purchases of furniture for Por
to Rico amounting to over 81 1900, and in
volving some washstands at very higl
prices, Mr.. Tulloch says, were purchased
by order of the first assistant postmaste
general April % and May %. 1899, from
George w. Cobb, jr., ~ Nassau street
New York city.
The Washington Office.
Mr.. Tulloch says that the post office in
spector in charge William B. Smith of thi
city, made an inspection of the Washington
post office. and during that inspection re
ceived word from an associate of the frs
assistant postmaster general that he woul,
better be careful or he might lose his owl
head. Mr.. Tulloch adds:
II was creditably informed at the tim
that the matter so prepared, with perhap
other evidence. was laid before Postmaste
General Smith by Fourth Assistant Bris
tow, who requested the appointment of
commission to investigate the Office of tn
first assistant postmaster general Thi
was refused by Mr.. Smith, who looked upo
it as another manifestation of the relation
existing between Perry S. Heath and MI
Bristow"
Continuing. the statement says:
ssPaSideptS Of WASHINGTON rey,ar,ba,. mol