The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-18
FIRED ANOTHER ONE
PAYNE LETS METCALF OUT OF A
JOB.
COLLISION WITH A BIDDER
CHARGED AGAINST MONEY ORDER
SYSTEM SUPERINTENDENT.

Governments Money order Blanks.
Former Foreman of the Concern
Put in IA Bid $4,000 LOwer-Met-
calf Was for the Former Bid.
Stand He Took Caused His Dis
missaI.
Washington. June 17.-As a result of
alleged indiscretion in matters pertain
ing the money order forms of the gov
eminent, James T. Metcalf for many
years superintendent of the money or.
der system of the Postoffice Depart
ment, to-day was removed from office,
by the Postmaster General. A full
investigation of the case will be made
later.
The dismissal is the result acts OF
Mr.. Metcalf in opposition to the bid of
Paul Herman of Rutherford. N. j., the
lowest bidder by $4,000 and in favor
of the next highest bidder. the Wynn
koop, Hallenbeck, Crawford Company
of New York, of which Mr.. Metcalf's
son is an employee.
The story is briefly told in the letter
of dismissal signed by Postmaster
General Payne. which says:
Payne Takes Him to Task.
THE charges upon which your re-
moval is based relate to your actions
in the matter of the letting of the con-
tract for money order forms. These
charges were made known to you this
morning, and a transcript of your an
swer thereto is enclosed herewith.
1T appears from your answer that
when the proposals of the different
competitors for the contract for sup
plying money order forms were opened,
Paul Herman of Rutherford, N. J.
formerly employed as foreman by the
Wynkoop, Hallenbeck, Crawford Com
pany of New York, by which company
it seems your son is also employed
was found to be the lowest bidder, his
proposal being $4,000 below that of the
next highest bidder namely, the Wyn-
koop, Hallenbeck, Crawford Company:
that the offer of Mr. Herman as sub
mitted was regular in form, and that
he had deposited a certified check for
$4,000 as a forfeit.
1T further appears that within DAY
or two the Wynkoop, Hallenbeck,
Crawford Company filed a protest
against awarding the contract to Her
man, alleging that he was not f1nan-
cially responsible; that short time
thereafter Mr.. Herman called at your
Office and you advised him to withdraw
his bid, and re-enter the employ of
the Wynkoop, Hallenbeck, Crawford
Company, understanding at the time
that such withdrawal would result in
the contract being awarded to said
company, and consequently in loss to
. ,nf off IN
write, and did write, a letter to said
company, apprising 1t of your inter-
view with Herman, and using your
good offices in his behalf; that you
advised Herman that his $4,000 deposit
would probably be returned to him If
he adopted your suggestion.
Was Not His Province.
ut further appears that you regard
ed Mr.. Herman as possessing the me-
chanical qualifications requisite to the
proper performance of the contract,
and that it was not any part of your
duty to pass upon the question of his
responsibility, financial or otherwise.
1t further appears that a hearing has
been had before Gen. Wynne, upon the
question of the financial responsibility
of Mr.. Herman: although it has de-
veloped since the submission of your
answer this morning, that you discour-
aged the granting of such hearing
and manifested a desire that the con-
tract be awarded to the Wynkoop, Hal
lenbeck, Crawford Company"
Postmaster General Payne, in an
nouncing his action, stated that there
was no charge that Mr.. Metcalfe had
done anything that is amenable to the
law. but said that his conduct was u
serious indiscretion that could not be
overlooked. Mr.. Metcalfe, he said. al
ways has been considered a faithful,
efficient, painstaking and honest en-
ploye.
Had Him on the Rack.
The Postmaster General, on his ar
rival at the department to-day, sent
for Fourth Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral Bristow and Assistant Attorney
General Robb, and after detailing the
information that had reached him re-
garding the money order printing bids,
instructed them to send for Mr.. Met
calfe and Immediately investigate the
case. The two gentlemen named with
Inspector Coins, thereupon examined
Mr.. Metcalfe closely for two hours, and
he corroborated the facts stated in the
letter of dismissal. The Postmaster
General later conferred with President
Roosevelt regarding the case, and the
order of dismissal followed.
Mr.. Payne's voice trembled with
emotion as he announced the dismissal
To the newspaper men late this after
noon. He said it had become his duty
to make the removal and was step
which he could not avoid in the proper
discharge of his duties.
Mr.. Metcalf originally was appoint
ed from Iowa and has been in the
postal service since 1882. His salary
was $4,000 a year.
Had Contract sixteen Years.
The Wynkoop. Hallenbeck, Crawford
Company has been the contractor for
the money order blanks for sixteen
years. Paul Herman. the lowest bid
der for the next contract, formerly
was in the employ Of that company,
as also is Norman Metcalf, the 81
year-old son Of the deposed super
intendent who now draws a salary Of
$3.50 from the company.
Herman assisted IN the dra wing Of
the specifications for the contract, and
when the bids were opened, II was
found that Herman had become a
competitor OF the company, undercut-
ting their bid Oy about $4,000 The
company protested against Herman'g
bid on the ground that he lacked the
facilities for doing the work. and Her
man asked for a hearing. which First
Assistant Postmaster General Wynne
gave last Monday 1r. MefoaIf was
opposed - the letting ~ the contract
10 Herman On the ground that BE- WAS
not able % DO the work.