The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-17

CONTINUED from Tirst,)

y F..
.-------------.
Ter to his office of number of persons
+ tnus employed without, SO far as is
shown, any protest or exposure.
The report comments on Auditor Cas-
ties apparent readiness to disregard the
usual safeguards against unauthorized ex-
pendirures." In passing accounts for en-.
ployes, the character Of whose services
could not be ascertained, and i'll allowing
Beavers "illegal and fraudulant claim of
s1,14S for expenses"
The report says
I'VE find 1t impossible to doubt that
Mr.. Heath. Mr.. Van Colt and Mr.. Beavers
himself all knew the payment Of this nd
citional compensat ton was expressly Tor
hidden by law. and that 1t was called en-
penses' to evade the prohibition
Grave Abuses.
The summary and conclusion OF the re-
port are as follows:
las result Of our inquiry into the
'Tulloch charges and OF the consldera-
lions here!nbefore set forth. we have
the honor to report, that in our Judgment:
.Ttrst-The discussion Of the Tullocn
charges has revealed the existence OF de-
plorablc and gravely d!screditab!e abuses
during the years 1895, 1899 and 1900 in the
Washington postotfice. and the offices OF
the First Assistant Postmastcr-General.
"Second-Thcse abuses involved conduct
on the part OF various public officials.
which were certainly often illegal, and
may have been sometimes criminal, but
such offenses, If committed, were In all
cases, committed more than three years
before we were ordered to investigate
the charges, and, SO far as we are clear
~ Informed. more than three years before
i,,t Nf Mas, Lot a ~
"1h!rd-The evidence laid before u.
suggests the possibility and even propa.
bility, but does not prove that abuses may
have continued both In the department
and in the pustofllce subsequently to the
early summer Of 1900, when we lost sight
of them, and that IN connection herewith.
criminal acts may have been committed
within the period Of limitations.
"E'ourth-The ,Lnsport, OF Inspector
Crowel and tA,e ..facts relating to the
claim Of Georgo w. Beavers. Indicate Til"
possibility that similar conditions may
have existed both within and beyond tho
period Of limitations in tho Now York
postoffices
"Flfth-Tho persons primarily responsi-
hle for the above mentioned abuses and
the resulting scandals appear to have
been Perry s. Heath, then First Assistant
Beavers, then chief of salaries and al
lowance division, neither OF whom, Ii
now In the service of the United States
Mr.. Smith Shares Blame.
"sixth- Charles Emery Smith. late
Postmaster-G General: James p. Wilett
late postmaster of Washington. now dc,
ceased: John A. Merritt. his successor ir
the said Office and its present incum'
bent: Robert J, Tracewcll, comptroller
and Henry A. Castle auditor for the Post
office Department, all appear to have
shared, In some measure, their RESPONSE
hillties; the late Postmaster-Genera fol-
his seeming failure withstanding re
peated warnings, TO appreciate the grnvit,
Of their misconduct and the consenncn
necessity for It's prompt and adequate
punishment; the two postmasters for toll
Grafton Of these abuses and obedience t
plainly improper orders without exposure
or, apparently. protest, and the audito
and comptroller for acting upon lax AM
arbitrary principles IN tho admnilstra
ton Of their respective offices, whoreb:
the payment OF illegal and seemins!.
fraudulent claims by tho treasury wa
rendered possible.
''seventh--The employment Of subor6l
mates IN poatofflccs about to heonm
classified for the purpose OF thus So
curing their administration withont ex
animation into the classified service wa
practice In fraude logIs, and official
guilty Of it thereby established their ow
unH'Hnee for public employment,
"Elghth--The employment Of so-eal'e
1hborers 10 do classified work We
clearly ILLEGAL, and under tho express d
rections Of the civil service rules. 10 /
punished by dismissal from office,
Conspiracy TO Defraud.
"Ninth-An agreement by any publ
officer with any person. whether IN or OF
OF the public service AT the time that n
latter shall receive the emoluments {
public employment under pretensc OF Il,
Ing employed. without rendering any SCI
vices to the gtoyernmept, constitutes
'Tenth.-The detail OF Thomas ", G.
mer to different work OF lower grad
and at reduced compensation by f.
Yanderlip' then aGsn1K Secretary Of II
tending 1t, way apparently unjust o.!
Oppressive. and certainly disastrous
the public Interest. since It would be gel
orally and naturally understood by thos
;------;;:-