The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-17
HEATH AND BEAVERS
ARE BLAMED HI MOST
CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE.)


period Of limitations in the New York post
Office.
"~Fifth-The persons primarily responsible
for the aforementioned abuses and the
resulting scandals appear to have been
Perry s. Heath, then first assistant post
master general, and George w. Beavers.
then chief of the salaries and d.
vision, neither of whom Is now In the serv-
ice of the United States.
"Sixth-Charles Emory Smith, late post
master general, James P. Willett, late
postmaster of Washington, now deceased,
John A. Merritt, his successor in the said
office and its present incumbent; Robert ].
Tracewell. controller, and Henry A. Castle,
auditor for the POstoffice Department, all
appear to have shared. in some measure.
their responsibilities. the late postmaster
general for his seeming failure, notwith-
standing repeated warnings, to appreciate
the gravity of their misconduct and the con-
sequent necessity for it's prompt and ade-
quate punishment; the two postmasters for
liberation of these abuses and obedience
to plainly improper orders without ex-
posture, or, apparently. protest, and the
auditor and controller for acting upon lax
and arbitrary principles In the administra-
ton of their respective offices whereby the
payment of illegal apd seemingly fraudulent
claims by the treasury was rendered possi-
BILE.
"Seventh-The employment of subordi-
mates in postofices about to become CLASH
fled for the purpose of thus securing their
admission without examination into the
CLASSIFIED service was a practice in frauden
legis and officials guilty of 1t thereby es-
tablished their own unfitness for public em-
ployment.
"Eighth-The employment of so-called
'laborers' to do classified work was clear
ly illegal, and, under the express direc-
tons of the civil service rules, to be pun
ished by dismissal from office.
"Ninth-An agreement by any public Of
fcer with any person, whether in or out
of the public service at the time, that the
latter shall receive the emoluments of pub
lie employment under pretense of being
nrpn1ayoH without ran6arinO anu C0vyfRao
to, the government constitutes a conspiracy
to defraud the United States, and If fol-
lowed by any overt act tending to its &C
complishment by any of the parties renders
ali of them responsible under the terms
of the United States. Revised Statutes. Sec
ton $40.
to different work of a lower grade and at a
reduced compensation by f. A. Vanderlip,
then acting secretary of the treasury, un-
der all the circumstances attending IT, was
apparently unjust and oppressive, and GER
tainly disastrous to the public interest,
since 1t would be generally and naturally
understood by those cognizant of 1t as a
punishment inflicted on a faithful public
servant, who had by the honest discharge
of his duty incurred the enmity of active
| and influential politicians. 1t seems to have
been preceded by no sufficient inquiry on
the part of Acting Secretary Vanderlip and
| would render proper an investigation of the
latter's conduct were he still in the pub
lie service.
EltNtlll-Nf DllC VIC liz OPiiAAO
as to the propriety of Seymour w. Tul-
loch's removal from the office of cashier by
Postmaster Merritt, the precipitancy and
discourtesy shown by the latter in effecting
this removal seem to have been without
justification and tend to cast grave doubt
upon the good faith of his explanations of
the removal itself, and his course was clear
ly regrettable in the public interest as lead
ing naturally to the belief that the cashier
had been in fact removed for his failure to
| comply with irregular and even illegal de-
| mands upon the funds in his custody"
Appended to the report are letters to the
| President from Secretary Shaw, Postmaster
General Payne and former Gen
| eral Smith. Secretary Shaw states that as
soon as the Tulloch letter was published he
| had investigated the connection of Judge
Tracewell with the matters involved. and
the secretary adds:
II then reached the conclusion that he
had passed a few improper payments. /
was then convinced, however, that 1t was
| an error in judgment and the amount
| were very small. I went over the whole
| matter with Mr.. Gilmer, and 1 became
| convinced that this gentleman was seeking
| to embarrass the department and his for
mer chief. He injected into his examina-
| ton every possible insinuation and was
| wanting in that measure of frankness
| which is important In all these matters"
After reviewing further his investigation
Of Gilmer the secretary concludes: "As
nearly all the criticisms of Mr.. Tracewell
| relate to differences between him and Mr..
Gilmer. and as Mr.. Gilmer is manifestly an
| unsafe custodian of any mans official repu-
| tation, / think the controller should be ex-
onerated.'