The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-17
SWEEPING CHARGES UPHELD
Continued from First Page.)


 disregard the usual safeguards against unauthorized expenditures, but this is needless because the same, in our judg- ment, regrettable disposition was shown in matters far more serious. We have already seen that he not only passed the accounts for the cleaners or char women and of the assistants in pass ing on overtime claims, the scene and character of whose services the inspec- tors could not find out from the post master or any one else Gas to these It is possible, although hardly probable, that he may have been misled) but ac- tually allowed MT. Beavers illegal and fraudulent claims for expenses, which as MT. Castles own memorandum says, really constituted salary, the salary of an office which Beavers did not and could not legally hold, and which no one, not even the president, could have promised him so as to bind the United States, either legally or morally to keep the promise. We find it impossible to doubt that Mir. Heath MT. Van Cott and MT. Beavers himself all knew the payment of this additional compensa- ton was expressly forbidden by law and that it was called expenses to evade this prohibition"
 The summary and conclusions of the report are as follows:
 First-The discussion of the "Tulloch charges" has revealed the existence of deplorable and gravely dtscreditable abuses during the years 1898, 1899 and 1900 in the Washington postoffice and the office of the first assistant postmas- ter general. -
 Second-These abuses involved con- duct on the part of various public of- ficials which was certainly often illegal and may have been sometimes criminal, but such offences if committed, were in all cases, committed more than three years before we were ordered to inves- tigate the charges and so far as we are clearly informed. more than three years before MT, Tulloch's interview of May 1, last ft.
 Third-The evidence laid before. us suggests the possibility and even prob ability, but does not prove that abuses may have continued both in the depart ment and in the postoffice subsequently, to the early summer of 1900, when we lose sight of them and that in connec- ton herewith criminal acts may have been committed within the period of limitations.
 Fourth-The report of Inspector Crowell and the facts relating to the claim of George w. Beavers, above set forth, indicate the possibility that sim1i- lar conditions may have existed both within and beyond the period of limita- tions in the New York postoffice.
 Fffth-The persons primarily respon- sible for the above mentioned abuses and the resulting scandals appear to have been Perry s. Heath, then first assistant postmaster general, and George W. Beavers, then chief of the salaries and allowance division. neither of whom is now in the service Of the United States. .1 A
 Sixth Charles Emory Smith, late postmaster general James Willett, late postmaster of Washington, now deceas- ed: John A. Merritt, his successor in the said office and it's present incum- bent; Robert J. Tracewell, comptroller, and Henry A. Castle, auditor for the postoffice department, all appear to have shared, in some measure, their re- responsibilities: the late postmaster gen eral for his seeming failure. notwith- standing repeated warnings, to appre- ciate the gravity of their misconduct and the consequent necessity for it's prompt and adequate punishment; the two posmasters for toieration of these abuses and obdience to plainly improper orders without exposure, or, apparently protest, and the auditor and comptroller for acting upon lax and arbitrary prin- ciples and in the administration of their respective offices where by the payment of national and seemingly fraudulent claims by the treasury was rendered possible. .
 Seventh-The employment of subordi- mates in postoffices about to become classified for the purpose of thus secur- ing their admission without examina- ton into the classified service was a practice in fraudem legis and officials guilty of 1t thereby established their own unftness for public employment
 Eighth-The employment of so-called 'laborers" to do ''classlfied' work was clearly illegal, and, under the express directions of the civil service rules, to be punished by dismissal from office.
 Ninth-An agreement by any public officer with any person, whether in or out of the public service at the time, that the latter shall receive the emolu- ments of public employment under pre- tence of being employed without rem dering any services to the government constitutes conspiracy to defraud the United States, and, if followed by any overt act tending to it's accomplishment by any of the parties, renders all of them responsible under the terms of the United States revised statutes, section 544. ,--.
 Tenth-The detail of Thomas w. Gill mer to different work at a lower grade and at reduced compensation by F A. Vanderlip, then acting secretary of the treatury, under all the circum- stances attending it, was apparently unjust an oppressive and certainly dis astrous to the public interest, since ii would be generally and naturally un- derstood by those cognizant of it as a punishment inflicted on a faithful pub- lie servant, who had, by the honest dis charge of his duty, incurred the enrnity of active and influential politicians. It seems to have been preceded by no suf- ffcient inquiry on the part of the Act ling Secretary Vanderlip and would render proper an investigation of the