The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1903-06-24
COMING TO LIGHT.
Significant Facts About the Mail
Scandals Being Unearthed.

Significant Facts About the Mail
Scandals Being Unearthed.
BRISTOW's REPLY TO CHARGES.
Many Irregularities Are Shown by
the Omcial Papers Being Ex-
amined by the Govern
ment Omcials.
Postmaster General Payne WedncS-
neSday made public the reply of
of Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral BriStow to the charges of Scy-
mour w. Tulluch, former cashier of
the Washington city pOStOlice, re-
garding the Irregularities i'm the postal
administration, and also reports of
of inspection and investigation 1r the
Washington poStoilice by inspectors
between June 30, 1899, and July 81,
1900, together with the transcript of
iiiC L ullbNll tlldlECS Nblll' years ago
and the conclusion thereon then reach
ed by Postmaster General Charles
Emory Smith. These papers con-
Stitute by far the most significant
documents yet made public as Il result
OF the sweeping postal Investigation.
The reports show the existence of
many irregularities during the period
involved. The inspector who inveSti-
gated the irregularities reports that
the files of the poStotlicc cashier show
direct orders from Sueprior authority
for the disbursement OF all the QueS-
tionaDle items cited. The inspector
urged that the responsibility for the
many illegal appointments, the pay
ment of two salaries to one and the
same person and the disbursement of
thousands of dollars for which practi-
cally no service was performed, should
bc placed where it properly belongs
and the many abuses corrected =
In a summary of the several reports
the postmaster general says:
The charge of Mr.. Tulloch is in it's
essence against President Mckinley
and Postmaster General Smith. PreSi-
dent Mckinley is no longer living:
Postmaster General Smith, who car
ricd out President McKinlcy's policy.
has answered for himself With re-
gard TO the present management of
the Washington poStotlicc and the
conduct of any and all men charged
with wrong doing who have been in
the postal service under the present
administration, thorough and
searching investigation is n0w being
made"
The postmaster general also says:
1T will be seen that the whole sub
Gneral Smith and investigated by
him. All expenditures referred to
were allowed by the auditor and comp
trollcr, with the exception of Sl6O."
The documents made public We'd
neSday show that on May last, Mr..
Payne wrote letter TO Mr.. BriStow
calling attention to the published in.
terview with Mr.. TullUch, and asked
Mr.. Bristow what truth if any there
| is in the statements"
MIR. BriStow'S reply dated three days
later transmits reports OF three in
SpectOrS relating TO the Washington
poStotlice.
Mr.. BriStow says that after the in
Spectors had reported Irregularities he
directed that reports be made in the
regular way.
During the progress of the inSpec.
tion | was advised by the chief in
Spector that George w. Beavers. chief
of the salary and allowance division.
| had suggested TO one of the inspectors
/ that when he came to certain APP
| pOintmentS in some Of the stations
! that appeared irregular he had better
make no reference to them as they
had been ordered personally by the
! postmaster general. ! told the chief
! inspector to instruct the inspectors tC
report the facts as they would in any
other inspection; that | did not be
lievc the postmaster general had
knowingly authorized any irregulari-
ties.
Capt. w. Il. Smith, inspector in
! charge, submitted Il special report
This report disclosed what seemed t.
me glarlng Irregularities and | sub.
mittcd it personally TO the postmaster
! general. suggesting TO him at the
time that ii contained matters To
which | thought he would want tC
| give his pcSOnal attention.
The third report sets forth mum
Der OF irregularities that prevailed al
that time in the Washington post.
Office. | was informed by the chic,
inspector that complaint was made
to the postmaster general that inSpcc
tor Little, who was engaged ON the
work, was asking unnecessary qucS
tionS and seeking to obtain infOrma.
tiOn which was not called for on in
SpectiOn. | advised him toinStruck in
SpectOr Little to make the same kind O
an investigation of the Washington
poStotlice that he would make of an,
other OIlce under similar CircumStan
ceS, and to submit i'm a special repOr
anything which he thought should b,
called to the personal attention Of tn,
postmaster general. This he did"
In the first OF the inspectors report
submitted by Mr.. BriStow it appears
that Robert V. Wilett, a son of TIN,
then postmaster, drew two salarie
from July to Dec. 10 1898
one as laborcr at the city pOStuilic,