The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-19
ALL THE SUMS REFERRED
TO HAVE BEEN PAID UP
Postmaster General !ntlmates That the
Cashier Has Gone Little Beyond
His Province to crltlcise
Porto Rican Affairs.

Washington, May 1s-Postmaster Cen
eral Payne today sent letters to the
comptroller of the treasury, the auditor
of the postoffice department and other
officers of the department, calling their
attention to statements made by former
Cashier Tulloch in his communication Oh
last Sunday. The letters ask for any
explanation or further information that
might throw light on the subject.
The formal charge of Mr.. Tulloch, Mr..
Payne said, had been dissected and mat
ter relating to particular branches of
the service had been rererred to the
bureaus having jurisdiction. Mr.. Payne
tonight said that he regarded the charge
against the auditor and the comptroller
as the most serious of the allegations. he
said that If those officers allowed I'M
proper accounts to be audited or sup
pressed what might be called pay dirt
had been found" The charges, he said,
impugned their good faith and integrity.
Irregularlty Not Violation.
Mr.. Payne pointed out a difference
which existed between a charge If erregu-
larity and of actual violation of law.
"a government OFFICIAL he said, may
buy something which he has not au-
thority to pay for, but the government
gets the use of the article neverthe-
less. The department may pay out OF
the wrong fund, either by accident or
design, yet that need not be unlawful"
He said In this connection that the
- 10 hV the
comptroller of between $4,000 and $4,000
was charge of irregularity and not of
unlawfulness and he understood that
practically all of this sum had been sub
sequently allowed.
Regarding the charges against Perry S.
Heath, formerly first assistant postmas-
ter general, and G. w. Beavers, formerly
chief of the division of salaries and al
lowances and as to what effect the fact
that they were out of the service would
have In the consideration of this case Mr..
Payne said:
Il have nothing to do with the personal
relations between Mr.. Tulloch and Indiana
politicians If any improper act was
done by any one now in office or by any
one who is not now In office, so far as 1t
might reflect on the department, we will
investigate it,
Tulloch Went Too Far.
Discussing Mr.. Tulloch's references to
the Porto Rican service, Mr. Payne sug
gested that Mr.. Tulloch was not charged
with responsibility for the Porto Rican
establishment and that the Porto Rican
establishment had no more to do with
the Washington office than the Chicago
office. for instance, except in name, which
was for convenience in administration.
Speaking generally, the postmaster gem
eral said the original letters of the off,
cials against whom Mr.. Tulloch made ac-
cusations, were necessarily general in
tenor, but now that the Tulloch letter
furnished something more definite In the
way of charges, they will have an op-
portunity to make more definite replies.
August w. Machen. superintendent Of
the free delivery division, who was given
an indefinite leave of absence pending
the investigation, called at the depart
ment today for the first time since his
summary relief from office. He came
for some personal papers he had left In
his desk. Postoffice Inspector Fosnes.
acting superintendent of the division,
was present and inspected all the papers
before permitting Mr.. Machen to take
them from the office.