The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-12-03
TIE PRESIDENT COMMENTS ON IT
PERRY 8. HEATH'S NAME IS INCL
DENTALLY MIXED JP IN THE
SCANDAL.
CORRUPT METHODS ARE EXPOSED
MOST OF THE CASES TOUCHED
ON HAVE ALREADY BEEN
MADE PUBLIC.

Washington, Dec. i. - postmaster
General Payne has made public H.
0OO-word abstract of the report or
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow on the investigation of the
postoffice scandals, which he has been
investigating since last March.
The report itself is ten times as
long, but the abstract gives in as few
words as possible the result OF the
work OF the inspectors and 1t Is ac-
compani>d by memorandum" writ
ten by President Roosevelt. in which
he comments upon the facts set forth
in the report and delivers denuncia-
ton of the corruption that has been
exposed.
One of the most interesting parts OF
the presidents memorandum is his In
direct reference to the indefinite
charges made against Perry S. Heath
who was first assistant postmaster
general in the Mckinley administra-
ton. President Roosevelt expresses
no opinion as to the guilt or innocence
Of Mr.. Heath, and contenting himself
with calling attention tn
ne Z GCI OCT TOTtn
in the Bristow report that Beavers, the
former chief of the salaries and allow
ance division of the fourth assistant
postmaster generals Office, who is now
under indictment, made a direct
charge that in at least one instance he
was compelled to share bride money
with Heath, statement that. 1t Is adj
mitted in the report. Heath denies. and
the evidence in support of it was not
regarded by the district attorney as
sufficient to warrant his indictment.
The president expresses regret that
the statute of limitations expires at
the length of three years from the
time of wrong-doing of officials, and
he urges that the limit be extended to
at least five years, as recommended by
the attorney general
A surprise is the accusation Of Gen.
Tyner. WHO was summarily removed
from Office of attorney for the post
Office department and who, the public
has heretofore believed, was the hon
est victim Of designing subordinates.
The president, however, says that
Tyner was knowingly and wilfully cor
rupt. He promises to use every en-
deavor to convict the indicted man,
and in closing his memorandum, uses
this phrase:
THE liberation Of the wrong. not the
exposure of the wrong is the offense."
The so-called Tulloch charges, re-
lating chiefly to the lax methods en-
ployed in the department when Heath
was first assistant postmaster general,
are not referred to In the report now
made public. They involve charges
against the accounting officers of the
treasury and postoffice department, &C
cused not of downright corruption, but
"complacency" in the methods OF
Heath and other officials, and they are
now being investigated by Charles j.
! Bonaparte and Holmes Conrad. the
special commission appointed for that
purpose by the president. The report
Of this commission will be dealt With
4 later.
There Is separate paragraph in the
Bristow abstract declaring that a
thorough investigation failed to sus-
tain charges against H. II. Rand, form
er confidential secretary of the post
master general, who was accused OF
forcing worthless mining stock on en-
ployes of the department and with be-
ing interested in the Parish ice claim
lobby.
The greater part of the abstract is
taken up by history of the scandals
in the salary and allowance division,
Al til 80
accordingsto Mr.. Bristow, having been
"more demoralizing upon the integrity
of the service than that Of Supt.
Machen of the free delivery division"
With regard to the notorious pro
motion syndicate" which operated ex.
tensively in New York. the report
says:
lotto F. Weiss, clerk in the New
York postoffice and an intimate friend
of Beavers, secured from $4,000 to
$40 900 from clerks upon the pretense
that it was to be used in securing ia.
vorable legislation. Many Of the clerks
IL New York and New Jersey post
Offices stated under oath that they had
contributed to Weiss legislative fund
under the promise of promotion.
Henry G. Hay, clerk in the Jersey
City postoffice, states that Weiss told
him that the money would be paid to
Beavers after the expenses for col
lecting had been deducted"
The report says that the appropria-
tion for clerk hire In tho third and
fourth-class ofices, averaging over q
million dollars year, was distributed
by Beavers largely by personal favor.
AS result OF the investigation four
officers and employees have resigned,
thirteen have been removed and forty.
fou. indictments have been found in.
volving thirty-one persons, ten Of
whom have been connected with the
postal service.