The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-24
Whole Treasury Department
apparently Wrought Up,
Comptroller and oAudftor
Write OigorousD.
Inspector Giln1er's Inquiry
Ceased on Complaint From
Heath That Examiner Was
Shedding and MSoLert.

Nothing has so stirred the Treasury
Department in years as the charge OF
Seymour ". Tulloch, eX-cashier of the
Washington postofice, that political in
fuence caused a Treasury investigation
into postoffice accounts 10 be called
off" Comptroller Tracewen and Capt.
Henry A. Castle. Auditor for the Post
Office Department. yesterday made pub
lie statements in response to Mr.. TuI-
loch's charges. They deny the charge
absolutely, and are inclined to the opin-
ion that MIR. TulIoch did not know what
he was talking about.
Mr.. Tulloch said. among other things,
that T. W Gilmer, an expert accountant
of the Treasury Department, was re
duced in rank and transferred because
he was too active in examining the
postoffice accounts and had begun 70
strike pay dirt" This is almost yio-
lently denied By Mr TraceweH VINO sent
with his own statement one from T. A
VanderIip. former Assistant Secretary CT
the Treasury. and another from former
Attorney General Griggs. which accuse
Mr.. Gilmer of having been insolent in
his manner of conducting Investigations
and of having raised petty and i'll
founded objections which delayed the
working of their departments.
Perry Heath, former First Assistant
Postmaster General was the man named
by Mr. TuIloch as responsible for the
downfall % Mr.. sGilmer. Mr. Trace
well admits that Mr.. Heath complained
about the expert but said that the com
plant was based solely on Mr.. Gilmer's
offensive personality and not on the fact
that he unearthed wrongdoing.
The Postmaster Generals Statement.
The letters OF Mr. Tracewen and Cap
tain Castle were sent to the Postmaster
General with the request that they be
given TO the press Immediately which
was accordingly done. Mr.. Payne was
greatly interested in the charge that
political influence could stop an in
vestigation, and was evidently highly
pleased to see that the Treasury Of
fcials had such strong defense. About
Mr. Gilmer he made this statement:
I'm the Postoffice Department the
complaint made OF Mr. Gilmer was that
he would abruptly and discourteously
eIter the rooms of department clerks,
demand papers in an offensive way, and
then carry them away without leaving d
receipt 1t was demanded that he be
instructed to act as a gentleman and
leave receipts for all papers which he
carried out of the building. for If any
were misplaced the department clerks
would be held responsible"
TraceweH's Brief.
Mr.. TracewelTs statement OF the rea-
sens for taking Mr.. GiImer off the inyes-
tigaticn follows in part:
The facts in the matter are that al
no time before, during or after the com
uaencemeEt Of the revision of said ac-
counts was any political or ether pres
sure brought to bear upon me. OF at
tempted TO be brought TO bear; that the
examination was not stopped by reason
of political or other pressure, but was
fully and carefully completed under my
personal supervision
Charges Of this nature were made to
me by the Attorney General and the
First Assistant Postmaster General.
and, as I understand. he had some minor
matters OF difference with the appoint
ment division OF the Treasury. None
of those officials fled with me aCy writ
ten charges against Mr. Gilmer. I as
sumo they reported them to Mr.. Van
derlip. in fact. Mr Vanderlip said that
the First Assistant Postmaster General
had complained Of Ny Gilmer.
"Mr. Gilmer was q most competent.
pninstak.ng and Industrious clerk In
ray once he displayed none OF the traits
or character Of which these complaints
were made
No Frauds Uncovered.
Mr. Tracewell denies that he aver hid
talk with Mr. Tulloch after the latter
was dismissed from his position os
cashier in the Washington postohice.
and says that he never met him A. any
time.
OF the letter carried by Mr. Gilmer
in which he was directed not TO examine
the accounts of the Washington and
New York postofBces, Mr. Tracewen
says the Washington postoflce had been
investigated and irregularities in the
keeping OF accounts rectifed. but no
frauds were uncovered. The Washing
ton Office handled the postal business o.
Cuba and Porto Rico. ana as that was :,
special matter, Mr.. Traceweu did not
think Il strange when the expert asked
70 have that Office exempted from an IN
vestigation along the ordinary lines.
The Comptroller. instead of causing
the removal Of Mr. Gilmer. interviewed
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