The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-05-17
MAKES LIGHT
OF THE AFFAIR
Postmaster General Has Re.
ceiVed the TulIOck Charges.
SEES NOTHING NEW IN THEM
PERFUNCToRY INVESTIGATION
WILL BE MADE.

fIJ ASHINGTON, May 1s,-The for
W NAL charges Of Seymour ". Tul-
Ioch. cashier Of the washington
City postofice for many years until his
removal four years ago, alleging ir-
reguIarities IN the postal administra-
ton. was submitted to Postmaster
General Payne today. Mr.. Payne and
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
BristOw went over the statement IN De
tail. The postmaster general subse-
quently stated that of the fifty type
written pages of 500 words each only
about three contained germane mat
ter TO the investigation. He said that
the rest Of the statement consisted OF
glittering generalities-
Payne's Statement.
Postmaster General Payne, reviewing
the charges OF Mr. Tulloch, said this
afternoon:
The great bulk Of the irregularities
or which Mr. Tulloch complains was
the result OF the government taking
over the postal service OF Porto Rico
Mr. TuilOch refers TO troubles caused
by the payment of the Porto Rican &C
counts through the Washington post
office. and makes some other insinua-
tons. as. for example, the promotion
of letter box schemes, etc, but there
is no misunderstanding but words. All
that will be OF any service Wha tever to
the department in looking up matters
in connection with the investigation Is
comprised in three pages.
Tulloch's Grievances.
The bulk of the statement, however.
consists of an airing of his own griev-
ances and Of comments on his own
removal. He gives letters bearing on
his removal, extracts from newspapers
published in various parts of the cOun-
try and deals in glittering generalities
in cTitiCising former Postmaster Gen
eral Smith. He refers to vouchers ana
payments of certain people which ne
claims to have been illegal. and makes
a pretty severe attack upon the comp
trolIer of the treasury He makes some
reference to the alleged smOtheTing or
the examination Of accounts Of the To-
cal postoHice. but offers no new evil
dence or documents to subSUantlate ms
allegations. merely referring to certain
people. certain vouchers and certain
accounts.
Sees Nothing in It.
There are no particularly new points
except in explanation of what he here
tOfore has said in a general way. L
am greatly disappointed that the dOcu-
ment viii not be Of any great help 10
US Mr. TullOch enclOses a newspaper
clipping rega riding a dinner given by
former Washington newspaper man 10
the postmaster general and his first
assistant and other officials, but fail
to see what bearing that has on the
subject He also mentions a rumOr
about the department that cable
gram mad come 10 the department.
which said. Papa. send a transport
here quick; I am sick but that is
given only as a rumOr. Ap argument
is also made that the Washington
postmaster should be a Washington
man.
Will Examine Records.
There are some things. of course,
that on their face look to be wrong
and that need explanation. All Of the
charges refer to matters pertaining TO
former Postmaster General Smiths ad-
ministra ton. It is to be presumed that
the comptroller of the treasury and the
auditor for the treasury and the post
master of Washington will be able 70
throw some light on these matters.
THE bulk of the Offenses alleged IS
that vouchers were charged 10 the
wrong accounts. All Of the items which
were not allowed by the comptroller
were finally audited except less than
$780, We viii look into the records OF
these matters, of course