New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-27
ABUSES DIR. P4N COTT.
Calls Stcry of Postofice Graft"
Pack of Lies

With much amusement and not a little disgust
Postmaster Van Colt At his desk for the first time
after two weeks illness. Yesterday discussed
story. published YESTERDAY containing charges Of
inconpetency. nepotism, the using of political
pull ard hirting at graft unlimited and pros
pective arrests.
"A little thing like thatn never disturb US" he
declared Wonder who could get up that rack Of
lies? Like to know the fellow who gold bricked
his paper that way: hear he got a premium
for the story. No. l don't care to say much about
IT; any one who knowa much about the postofice
can see how absurd it is"
All the postofice OFFICIALS agreed with him The
story purported to be a forecast of the report
which the inspectors wi. turn in to the department
at Washington While those who familiar with
the investigation could guess pretty shrewdIy at
some OF the recommendations, Mnowing the line of
work the inspectors have been doing it is utterly
impossible that any detailed information or any
general summary o. this report should be made
pubic save from Washington through Major
Little, the chief inspector For him or any of
the other inspectors to make such a forecast
would mean the loss OF his place.
Replying to charges that dummies were carried
on the books of the postoice here. and that there
were two organizations which collected money
from each employe for illegal purposes which or
CARNATIONS had, the story limited been in existence
only in Postmaster Van Colts tenn. Auditor Jar
dimes said:
There is an organization OF postal clerks known
as the National Association of Postal Clerks. The
monthly not weekly as Charged Tbe FUNDS aTs
used 10 maintain the organization, and il also has
SICK benefit fund, from which each member is
organiza ton.
That dummies could be on the payrolls is an abso-
iute lnpossiDlly. All our employees certified
they have at al times complete list Of the persons
employed in this and every office connected with
me postal system Our lists must check with theirs
The statement that no check is maintained on
supplies Is also wrong Our estimate of what sup
piles re need is made out each year This is verf-
ned by our inspector from Washington and the
this office alone. Our supplies come from the reg
ular supplies for the entire postal service We have
nothing to do with the purchase of goods either
directly or indirectly. That is done entirely in
Washington.
The statement that names could be run up on the
clock and that that was all the vouchers for
superintendent of each and every department cert-
hes to me the names OF the under him and
exactly the character Of the work done. The only
value the clock has is to assist in checking
up the lists % arrivals and departures of the men
each day.
Superintendent Joseph Elliott of the Money Order
Division. stated that far as the forwarding of
money to other offices concerned, it was done
under most perfect banking system
Each office has its quota OF audit with u.s." said
he FOR we act as their depository as we'll All of
the funds Of the Offices over certain sum are for
warded to us daily. When that Office needs money
20 meet money orders the postmaster negotiates
pay. We know exactly how much credit that par
ucular once IS entitled to. and allow Looking
81 II properly the amount sent that postmaster is
really giving him back portion OF the he has
already forwarded Then TO show YOU how i'm
possible anything like wrongdoing il concerned let
me say that we check up our accounts with the
and commence with a perfectly clean balance sheet
Not a bank In this country does that