New-York tribune., 1903-05-19
PAYNE TAKES ACTION.
ON TULLOCH'S CHARGES.
Controller, auditor and Others
1sLed for Explanations.

Washington, May 1S.-Postmaster Ieheral
Payne to-day sent letters to the Controher oI
the Treasury, the Auditor for the Postoihce De
nsrtment and other officials calling their atten-
ton to statements made by ex-Casnler 1uiio'h
in his communication of last Saturday The let
tore ask for any explanation or further infor-
nation which might throw light on the SUBJECT
The formal charges or Mr.. Iulloch, Mr. fayhe
said have been dissected and matters relatihs
TO particular branches of the service rererreo 10
the bureaus having Jurisdiction for report
Mr. Payne said tonight that he regarded the
charge against the Auditor and Contfoiei
the most serious of the allegations he saiu Il
those officials allowed improper accounts 10 De
audited or suppressed. what might De calieu
pay dirt had been found" The charges NC
said impugn their good faith and integrity
Mr. Payne pointed out a difference between
charges Of irregularities and Of actual violation
of law "a government official" he said may
buy something wrich he has no authority 10
purchase and no authority to pay for. but the
government gets the of the article nevertne-
less Irregularities do not necessarily mean
anything unlawful The department may pay
out of the wrong fund, either by ACCIDENT or
by design yer that need not be unlawful he
said that the charge regarding the oisaiio" an NJ
nv the Controller of between 10000 and S4OOoo
was a charge of irregularity. not of unlawful
ness and he understood that practically all OF
this sum had been subsequently allowed
1T is unfair" he added. "to make the public
believe that the government has been cheated
out of such an amount Of money, Wheh IL was
only question of irregularity in accounting
CASES OF HEATH AND BEAVERS
The Postmaster General was asked regarding
the charges against Perry s. Heath. former
First Assistant Postmaster General. and George
Foft tha vi
Salaries and Allowances. and as to what erect
the fact that they were out of the service would
have in the consideration Of their cases.
'.I have nothing to do replied the Postmaster
General with the personal relations between
Mr. TuIloch and Indiana politicians nor Win
his hatred for the postmaster OF washington UT
others. If any improper act was done oy any
one now in office or by any one who is not now
in office so far as it might reflect on the de-
partment we will investigate it."
Discussing Mr.. TuIIoch's references to the
Porto Rican service, Mr.. Payne suggested tnat
Mr. TulIoch was not charged with the respon-
sfbity for. the Porto Rican establishment, ana
that the Porto Rican establishment had no more
to do with the Washington office than the Chi
cago Office for instance, except in name which
was for convenience in administration He sa1d
II was physical impOssibility for Mr.. Tuiioch
to know whether the employees at Camp Anger
or in Porto Rico or in the department were per
forming the labor for which they were paid
Mr. Tulloch as cashier" he said. did not know
what work any set of clerks was doing; only
the Postmaster General, the Assistant Post-
master General or those who had charge of
that part of the work would know. Some OF
these allegations that work was performed
are now being investigated. If employees have
drawn money without doing any service we VIII
try to get the money back from them We VIII
demand the recovery of the money The re-
sponsible party is the postmaster of Washing
ton, who should have known whether they were
doing any work 1 suppose the postmaster in
voIved is the one now dead Mr. Wilett
Speaking generally Mr. Payne said the Orlgi-
nal letters Of the officials against whom MT
TulIoch made accusations were necessarily gen
eraI in terms, but that Tulloch furnishes
something more definite in the way of charges
thev will have an opportunity to make more
definite replies.
Mr.. Bristow' he said. went very carefully
over Mr.. TuIIoch's charges and he has selected
such things as ought 10 be considered ana III
Vestigated.
MACHEN NOT To RESIGN.
August w Machen. the superintendent OF the
Free Delivery Division. 10 whom an indefinite
leave of absence pending the investigation was
given called at the department to-day for the
first time since his summary relief from office
He came for some personal papers ne had leIl
in his desk Inspector Fosnes. the acting su-
perintendent of the division was present aho III III
spected all the papers before permitting MI
Nachen to take them from the office.
Postmaster General Payne was asked to-day
whether friends of Mr.. Machen had asked that
be he per1nitted to resign. He said no one mad
requested such action. "WiH MI Maehen Oe
permitted TO resign?" he was asked
Mr. Machen will not resign, he answered;
eat least I understand So 1t is safe TO assume
that ne will not ask it, / have reason 10 be-
ty,af hA JVin
mitted to resign