Evening journal., 1903-09-15
Postmaster General Do
ing Some Queer Stunts
to Justify His Action
in Dischar9ing the
Woman
Decision Made in the
POstoMce Case About a
Year Ago Reversed in
This Instance-Miss
Contradicts Payne

Persons who have been following the
controversy over the removal of Miss
Todd from the Greenwood postofice,
would like to, see Postmaster General
Payne produce the letter he said he
received from lSenator Alice about the
postmistress.
When Miss Todd was first ousted Mr..
Payne said that there We're no charges
against her; thai she had simply made
herself personally obnoxious to Sena-
tor Alice. Now that so much publicity
has been given the matter Mr.. Payne
says that he had information that Miss
Todd allowed political meetings to be
held in the postofhce. On account of
the contradictory statements those in
tsrested want the letter produced.
When the delegation from Delaware
went to Washington in Miss Todd's
behalf they went TO the office of the
fourth assistant postmaster general.
They were assured that not a word
of complaint had come to the depart
ment against her. Anyone who knows
anything about the rules of the de-
partment knows that If there had been
charges against her they would have
been filed in the office Of the fourth
assistant. Miss Todd was not dis
charged by any of Paynes subordi-
mates but by the Postmaster General
himself.
Conveniently Changed Rule.
The following incident will show
how the rules were changed to get
Miss Todd outs of Office.
About year ago an effort was made
10 remove the. postmaster at Milton
Although it was a fourth-class office
the Postofiee Department declared
that It could not be done unless
charges were filed and substantiated.
The postmaster had just served a four
year term. Following the word from
Washington the charges were filed and
an inspector was sent to Milton to
make an investigation. He did not
find anything which 10 his mind justi-
I, fed the removal and the Postohice
Department dropped the case. The
|, case Of that and Miss Todd is the same
Z except the action Of the postal officials
Payne lnvestisatin Self.
People are laughing at the snvesti-
cation of the matter Mr.. Payne has
been ordered by the President to in
vestigate. This means that he will
investigate himself. According to all
the reports Payne was the whole show.
\ He handled the whole affair. The re-
port on himselftwould make interesting
reading.
Miss Todd Denounced Payne.
Miss Todd gave an interview yes
terday in which she denounced POST
master-General Payne as a teller OF
Il falsehoods.
Relative to that part of the interview
in which Mr.. Payne said that Miss
Todd had been removed because "her
office was. in effect. the headquarters
of and her family and herself the most
active factors in the factional quarrel
within the Republican party" she de-
MED It. Miss TODD became indignant
and said she had made ~ such an ad-
mission to Postmaster -Gentrcl Payne
. She gave the lie to Mr.. Payne and
said those who were with her when
she went before him would support
her in her assertions.
Says Charge Was Trumped Up.
Miss Todd is confident that the as
sertion. that she has taken part in the
factionhl fight was trumped up by
4 Union Republicans to get her out OF
office. Her friends declare that State
Senator Simeon Pennewill of Green
wood, islat the bottom of the trouble
Asked about the charge that she
had annoyed Union Republicans who
called at the Office for their mail. she
said:
Il have treated all patrons Of the
Office with courtesy Whether the,
We're Republicans Union Republicans
or Democrats made no difference tome
Ny business was to handle the mai
and to serve the patrons of the Office