Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-06-20
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.
Washington, ID. c.. June 20.


ton is to be broadened. First Assistant
Wynne will today request the postmaster
general to order an investigation OF all
the bureaus under his charge. He will
ask that the money order division from
the superintendency, of which James 1.
Metcaif was summarily dismissed Wed
nesdav. to be the first to feel the in
spectors' probe. General Wynne has
reached the conclusion that he must
know of his own personal knowledge the
methods in operation in the various bu-
reaus of which he is the head. The bu-
reaus included are city delivery, money
order. correspondence and dead letters
The free delivery, rural free delivery,
salaries and allowances are under In
vestigation now. The inquiry into the
division of supplies disclosed no irregu-
larities.
The postoffice scandals, replete with
tragedy and pathos, are not entirely
devoid of ludicrous features. One OF
these was under discussion ut the de-
partment today. 1t seems that inspec-
tors, trailing down Machen' transactions,
ran upon a contract for letter boxes,
which led to man named Scheible, OF
Toledo. as the contractor in the case.
They learned that Scheible is a dentist
in good standing. Astonished to find
a dentist making letter boxes they look
ed farther and found that he had sublet
the contract TO the Adrian, Mich, Brick
and Tile Company. This wasn't alto
gether reassuring, until it became evil
dent that the Brick d Tile Co. had an
other plant devoted to the making Of
the boxes in question. The Adrian
people are inclined to the belief that the
dentist got bigger share ofthe profits
than the Brick d Tile Co. did, and this
feature of the controversy has not yet
been cleared up. DIR. Scheible is in
Europe on a pleasure trip, and his side
of the case is not now Obtainable.
The announcement from New York
that A. b. Correll, doorkeeper in the
House of Representatives, has been
summoned to testify before the grand
Jury there in connection with the postal
inquiry, is deeply interesting to friends
here because OF hints recently dropped
by Correll of his knowledge of certain
grave practices in the POstofiice Depart
ment. Correll as a leading republican
of Canton, Ohio, came here early in
the Mckinley administration as door
keeper of the House. He was often
seen in company with George F. Miller,
a former Cantonian, but who had re-
Gently removed to New York and had
identified himself with the Brandt-Dent
automatic cash register company. 1t Is
presumed Correls suit for 800 against
that company related to the personal
services he had rendered Miller in intro
ducing him TO Congressman. 1t Is no
secret that at that time Miller was in
troducted as representing Abner McKin-
LEWIS company. This impression, which
Mr.. Mckinley has declared to have been
wrong, also existed in certain bureaus of
the pOstOfice. The name mckinley
in those days was term with which to
coniure, and it is though that Miller
may have have been merely taking bust
ness advantage of his close acquaint-
ance with the Presidents brother,
and to have presumed upon the further
fact that his brother-in law, Ernest +.
Baldwin, formerly Of Canton, Ohio, had
been selected Assistant United States
District Attorney in New York city
largely through the influence of Abner
Mckinley. Correll, in mysterious hints
he has from time to time dropped rela-
tive to postal irregularities, has men,
toned the name of briggs. No one
connects that name with that of ex-
Representative briggs, a prominent
democratic politician of Brooklyn, but
the latter has formally acknowledged
having received $12, 500 from the au-
tomato register company. He declares
that remuneration was in payment of
his services as attorney in presenting
the article to the government. Correll
NAV not have had ex-Repretentative
briggs in mind, although it is said he
is expected to enlighten the grand jury
as to the events preceding and follow
ing the alleged introduction of Agent
Miller to briggs who was then in Con-
gress. The significance in this is that,
in his letter to the PostOffice Depart
ment relative to the fee referred to, it is
understood briggs claimed to have been
attorney for the register company before
he entered Congress.
The Navy Department has created
within itself new billet to be known as
eject ordnance officer" He will act
under the regulations prescribed by the
general naval board and the direction of
the inspector of target practice of the
navy and will practically be a sort of
deputy to the latter officer, personally
supervising target practice and ordnance
drill of all kinds. The purpose of the
departments to create greater uniformity
in results and greater efficiency in gun
merry.
The government is the proprietor of
at least one plant which not only shows
no loss but atpresent has a balance to its
credit. That is the new floating dry
dock at Algiers, La. A report to the
Navy Department states that since Its
installation it has been well patrOnized
by the owners of private vessels and that
the money so collected in fees has more