New-York tribune., 1903-04-15
POSTAL INQUIRY PUSHED.
MORE IRREGULARITIES
Machinists Said to Haze Been Car
ried on the Rolls as BooLekeeperS.
fBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1BUNE.l

washington Ap-il I4-There were several i'm
oo-tart Developments in the postofice investiga-
.,ou to-day. The Controller Of the Treasury
took hand in the affair and caused a series Of
inquiries to be mise into the status OF twelve
rnachinists who have been carried on the rolls
as -'bookkeepers." Inspectors have been set at
work in the New-York Postoffice, where il is
said that promotions and increases of salaries
have beer made without the recommendation
of Postmaster Van Cott and a general read
-uetrneat Of the salaries Of postal clerks
throughout the country WILL ii is feared become
necessary Postmaster General Payne spent the
cay in making himself familiar with what has
occurred in his absence He had long confer
enoes with First Assistant Postmaster General
wynne. whom he congratulated on the tact he
had displayed in a trying situation, and with
Fourth Assistant Postmaster Bristow whom he
cor.plimented on the systematic and business
Ike manner in which he was conducting the in
-estigation now in progress.
Late this afternoon Mr.. Payne said TO E repre-
sentative Of The Tribune:
While * is too early to have arrived at re-
suits. ] may say that l am entirely satisfied
with the manner in which those officials charged
with tho investigation have conducted II. 1 am
satisfied that there has been earnest effort. no
lzck Of discretion and no display Of excessive
zeal. Il is apparent that in its desire TO probe
aI charges 10 the bottom the department is
---o~6s desire % bell the cat" At this time
G only say that everything is going salts
fa-torIIy. that nothing will be left undone TO
prove guilt II It exists, and to exonerate in
nocence Il II has been inlpugned.
AT THE NEw-YORK OFFICE
! report was in circulation to-day to the
effect that Mr.. Van Cott, postmaster at New
York had said that any employe who had paid
for promotion would be Immediately discharged.
While the report has not been verified it is
feared that such statement might operate 10
r7~avent the inspectors from securing necessary
Information and It is said that every person
who furnishes information will be protected It
6 admitted that a number Of promotions have
been made without Mr.. Van Colts recommenda-
ton and these viii be the subject Of special
inquiry Where promotions were made on rec
concentration Of the postmaster their propriety
-z-l be taken for granted
The most sensational Of the days develop
,rsrts was the investigation regarding the ma
cbfrfst -rbookkeepers' instituted 5y the Con
t-oller Of the Treasury. There are twelve of
--zsa employees whose duties have consisted IN
--svellirg about the country examining and re-
resring the canceIling machines in use IN the
larger postoffices. The salaries paid to these
r-en are said 10 average approximately S2OJo
,e-- The employment Of rnachinists who are
cz--ie5 OF the rolls as --bookkeepers' is held 70
r. entirely irregular. and. moreover, the Con-
,~r1ler desires to know If the concerns who lease
The csncelling machines to the government for
rentals VARYING from $3.50 TO S400 a year are
ro1 legally bound 10 keep them in repair II
fhess men 1xera employed contrary TO law 70 dc
work incumbent on the owners Of the cancelling
machines II is not altogether unlikely that they,
ry ne large number OF repairs they found It
necessary 10 make IN certain classes OF ma
Clli7es and the small number they found neces-
sarv for certain other classes were parties TO
ic of he
tons which the postofice G5cials haze been
asked 10 answer
READJUSTdENT NAY BE NECESSARY.
The fear that general readjustment Of the
aiaries Of postal clerks throughout the country
may be found necessary arises from the discov-
e-y that the division Of salaries and allowances
fas been n the habit of placing broad con-
sJruction on the appropriation bills Of Congress
These bills stpulaje that a given number Of
clerks At each designated salary shall be en-
ployed. The division has disregarded the pro
vision and has merely taken pains to see that
The aggregate salaries did not exceed TIA total
amount appropriated for clerk hire A legal
opinion on this question has been called for. and
4. as is assumed by the officials. the liberal con-
srruction is illegal. a readjustnent viii become
Necessary. although il is not believed that this
VII he difficult Of accomplishment.
The inspectors are numerous al the depart
4 eat. ndFtheir reports have made an addition
e the usual stenographic force Of the Fourth
Assistant Postmaster Generals Office necessary
Inspector Fosnes. the former Director General
q Posts o. Cuba and one Of Mr- BristoW's chlef
assistants in conducting the inquiry was en-
eaee6 today in the investigation Of the free
delivery bureau Inspector Thorpe, Of New
York who has lust returned TO that city after
o~l1ir- or z detail here. Is believed 10 be
looking into the charges affecting the 1ectiI
Teadjustment OF salaries ana allowances iOi
Tnsrct7.ce clerks IL New-YoTk City
Senator Lodge Of Massachusetts. had long
Conference today with Postmaster Genera
paxre and urged the appointment Of one OF MS
CtrEtituerts as Assistant Attorney GeIleri1i ioI
the P0stofEce Department TO succeed ~ JsllIe9
announced this evening that there would pc no
changes pending the close OF the investigation