The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-18
STORY OF TULLOCH
LAYS BARE METHODS OF POST
OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
HE GIVES OUT HIS CHARGES.
cross IRREGULARITIES THAT HE
HAD NOTED.


some of This Few Will Not and
others Dare Not Tell What They
KNOXVILLE Was Removed Because
He would Not COnnive in Irreg-
uIarities.
washington, May 17.-The full text
Of the formal charges of irregularities
in the administration of postal affairs
preferred by Seymour w. Tulloch, for
merly cashier of the Washington City
postofice, was made public to-day by
Mr.. Tulloch.
The charges are embodied in letter
10 Postmaster General Payne in re-
Spouse to the latter's request to be fur
nished any information that would sub
stantiate published statements of Mr..
Tulloch. Some of the matters COM
blamed of will be investigated imme-
diately by the inspectors.
Mr.. Tulloch in his letter says that he
is at the service of the Postmaster
General in rendering any further serv-
ice that may be desired. In all instances
of irregularity and favoritism the
proper allowances, records, vouchers,
etc, Mr.. Tulloch says, were most care
fully executed and kept, as a rule, and
little information can be ascertained by
their investigation; that the real facts
behind the allowances and vouchers
are not of record and are known to few
those interested, who will not. and
others, clerks, who dare not talk.
For upwards of nineteen years"
Mr. Tulloch continues, "the conduct of
affairs between the Washington City
pcstOffice and the Postoffice Depart
ment was regular; then came the first
break, the precursor of system of
allowances to the Washington post
office on account of departmental ex-
penditures which afterwards led to ir-
regularities, abuses, extravaganza and
my removal as an obstacle on June 80,
1899.
Insisted on Vouchers.
Mr.. Sheppard, then chief of the
salary and allowance division of the
Postoffice Department. desired a file
case for the use of his office. His re-
QUESTIONS were turned down by his
superior officers. Later vouchers were
presented to me for file case, accom-
panied by an allowance for its pay
-Inert out of the funds of the Wash
ington office. made by Mr.. Shepard,
and signed by the first assistant post
master general / directed the contrac-
tor to obtain a certificate of delivery of
the goods. Mr.. Shepard refused to ac-
knowledge the receipt of the goods,
fearing exposure during the audit of
the vouchers, and l refused to pay for
the case until some one was willing
to father the same.
Soon after the Mckinley admins
tration came into power the first as
sistant postmaster general sent his
clerk down to me with a voucher for
Il lump sum for travelling expenses, ac-
companied by an allowance for their
payment from the funds of the Wash
ington office. Such a demand was ir-
regular on it's face, but the official be-
came very angry at the idea of a mere
cashier attempting to make any sug-
gestions to him, and refused to amend
and itemize his voucher The post
master explained to him that 1 had
only asked for what was required by
the auditor, and according to precedent.
The postmaster upon his return stat
ed the official had said Look here.
now this is a new administration, and
new crowd, and we intend to make
our own precedents.'
How They SmOOthed 1t over.
THE auditor for the Postoffice De-
partment finally sent word through the
postmaster that on account of the feel
ing shown in the matter, if l would
inclose the voucher in my next account,
its informality would be overlooked. An
inspection of the Washington accounts
will show many similar subsequent
payments of travelling and other eX-
penses on account of departmental Off
Gals without the usual departmental
checks.
1.-The Washington office was sur
prised one day to receive from the sal
airy and allowance division of the first
assistant postmaster generals office
printed circular, stating it was intend
ed to require all employees at postof-
fees to give a blanket bond direct to
the department, said bond to be fur
nished by a single recognized bonding
company, irrespective of the fact
whether such employees could furnish
good personal bonds or might desire
to avail themselves of competition in
premiums between other bonding COM
panies. A similar blanket bond was. l
believe, to be required of the letter car
riers
The postmaster had a conference
with George w. Beavers, then chief of
the salary and allowance division, and
reported that Mr.. Beavers had said,
Senator Plat of New York would ap-
preciate the fact If he would select
the Senator's company The original
circular was subsequently modified by
allowing employees to select their own
bond or bonding companies.
TulIoch Was Not Subservient.
Mr.. Tulloch says considerable feel
ing was manifested towards him in the
office of the first assistant postmaster
general because he would not pay
vouchers for service or supplies upon
personal request or by direction over
the telephone. He goes into some de-
tail in stating his refusal to pay j..
Holt Livingston for furniture for Porto
Rican postoffices until ii was receipted
Tor, and says an intimate friend of eX-
Assistant Postmaster General Heath,
M. ID. Helm, was vice president of the
furniture company.
Mr.. Tulloch says that William b.
Smith of this city, postoffice inspector
IN charge, made an inspection, of the
Washington postoffice, and during that
Inspection received word from an as
sociate OF the first assistant postmaster
general that he would better be care
ful or he might lose his own head. Mr..
Tulloch adds:
II was creditablg Informed az the
Time that the matter 50 prepared. with
perhaps other evidence, was laid be-
Tore Postmaster General Smith by
Fourth Assistant Bristow, who re-
qlested the appointment Of commits
Sion 10 Investigate the Office Of the
hfst assistant postmaster general This
was refused by 81. Smith. who looked