Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-30
MERRITT REPLIES
Combats Tulloch Charges in
Vigorous Language.
COUNTER ALLEGATIONS
DECLARES FALSE VOUCHERS
WERE GIVEN BY Ex-CAsHIER.
Saws No Comments Were Ever Made
by Mr.. Tulloch While in
COUNTER ALLEGATIONS

The reply of Postmaster Merritt to the
charges OF Seymour w. Tulloch. former
cashier of the Washington office, was made
public last night by Postmaster General
Payne. The reply is contained In two
communications from Mr.. Merritt on the
subject. The Merritt response makes ser
ious accusations against former Cashier
s. w Tulloch OF the Washington post Of
flee. saying that transaction in which Mr.
Tulloch was concerned In 1893 appears to
comprahend the presentation of a false
voucher. which Is made a crime by the
statutes" Mr.. Merritt's reply further al
leges that receipts were signed in blank on
the payrolls during Mr.. Tullochs regime
as cashier and that the files do not indi-
cate any complaint of irregularities against
the Washington post office filed by Mr..
Tulloch while he was In Office. Mr.. Mer-
rift says the general practice of giving
employees duties seemingly incompatible
with their positions is no abuse and that
the practice of paying certain expenses OF
the Post Office Department out of the
Washington city post office funds always
has existed and is proper.
Mr.. Payne's Letter.
The letter of the Postmaster General to
Mr. Merritt on the subject is as follows:
May 1, 1908.
Mr.. John A. Merritt, postmaster, Wash
ington, D. c.
Dear Sir: I observe in the Washington
Post of this morning what purports to be
an interview with Mr. 8. w. Tulloch. max
ing statements which seriously reflect upon
you and your management Of the Wash
ington post office.
I would be pleased to receive from you
any statement which you desire to make
which will throw any light upon the sub
ject matter discussed by Mr.. Tulloch in
the interview In question / also desire
you to give the reasons which aotuated
you in not reappointing Mr.. Tulloch cashier
of the Washington post office when you
assumed the duties of postmaster
1t Is also stated in the interview that the
local postmaster keeps on adding additional
employees as directed, whether their SER
vices are required not, and there are
other charges which not only seriously re-
feet upon your office but upon the Post
Office Department as well. 1t Is implied
that this adding of employees occurs by
reason of the Postmaster General or the
department designating appointments, pro-
motions or transfers without regard to
the wishes or needs Of the local office.
In this connection / request that you give
me a statement Of all the employees in your
Office who have been appointed promoted
or transferred under orders or request of
the department or the Postmaster General
since my incumbency of the office of Post
master General January 10. 1902, together
with the date of such appointment, promo
ton. or transfer, and on whose order 1t was
made. and such other Information as will
throw any light upon the charges made
in the article in question. Very truly
yours II. G. PAYNE,
Postmaster General
Merritt's First Response.
Washington City Post Office.
ONCE of the Postmaster.
Uyno N ~
Hon Henry C. Payne. Postmaster General.
Washington, d. c.:
Sir: Replying to your letter Of the LIST
instant. referring to an interview published
in the Washington Post with Mr.. g. w.
Tulloch, which reflects both upon the Post
Office Department and this office. and ask
ing for any statement may desire to mako
that Will throw light upon the subject
matter discussed by him, and also the rea-
sons which actuated me in not continuing
him as cashier OF this office. beg to state
that my appointment was made May TO-
1880, but did not assume the duties of
the office until July 1 following In the
interim I had under consideration the
makeup of my executive force, and espe-
cially that part of 1t which under the law
was authorized TO choose outside of the
classified service, namely, the assistant
postmaster and the cashier. I had no per-
sonar acquaintance with either of the gen.
tlemen then filling these places. but I had
heard much of them. had made appropriate
inquiries concerning them, and finally, be-
fore the day fixed upon for taking charge
of the Office I had decided not to reappoint
either So far as relates to the cashier the
following statement in detail embodes the
reasons for my decision:
My Judgment of Mr.. Tulloch was that he
was arbitrary man, of very noticeable
selfesteem and with such an exalted sense
of his own Importance and authority as to
practically assume official equality with, IL
not superiority to, the postmaster.
Mr.. Tulloch was engaged in much impor-
tant private business, which brought about
his not infrequent absence from duty, and
which, even when he was present at the
post office. took up a great deal Of his time.
l had reason to believe that Mr.. Tulloch
was a large investor in private business
and venturesome man in the field Of spec
ulation or in undertakings wherein the ele-
ment of uncertainty largely entered AS
was a government officer about to take
charge OF a business that would require the
handling of $300O.0OO a year. more or less.
for the security and proper disbursement of
which had given a heavy bond did not
deem 1t advisable to retain him as my
financial assistant. / preferred to select
as my cashier a person OF different pecu-
MARY environments and OF fewer business
responsibilities.
Approached as to Bond.
Shortly after was appointed postmaster
and before I had entered upon the duties
of the office I was approached by MI. A.
Nv. Bingham. then chief of the finance d.
vision of the Post Office Department. who
stated that Mr.. Tulloch had got up the
bonds of several of my predecessors, and
was a surety upon at least one of them.
and that, therefore, he would no doubt be
glad to do the same for me. I may have
done Mr.. Tulloch an injustice In my inter-
probation of this incident: but 1 conceived
the idea that he had prompted Mr.. Bing-
ham to make the proposition. and resent
ed 1t.
In the published interview. which you
mention. Mr.. Tulloch refers to himself as
an obstacle in the way of the Postmaster
General and his first assistant and that I
removed this obstacle within five minutes.
The fact Is that neither the Postmaster
/ General nor MIR. Heath directly or indi-
rectly. influenced me in my action regard
ing Mr.. Tulloch. After my appointment was
announced both the President and Post
master General said to me that so far as
the appointments to be made were con-
cerned / was left to the exercise of my
own discretion.
L hesitate to add-though 1 am con-