The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-23
HEATH ACTUATED
GILNER'S TRANSIT Err
TraceWell Contributes This
knowledge to Scandal.
PAYNE PUBLISHES LETTERS
Comptroller and Auditor Make Detailed
Answer to Charges of Ex-Cashier
Tulloch-Asperity Shown.

Postmaster General Payne made public
this morning the replies Of Comptroller
TraeeweH and Capt Henry A. Castle
auditor of the PostofIice Department. TO
the charges OF s. W Tulloch that an in
vestigation into the affairs of the de-
Partment was called off" because Of
political pressure brought to bear by
Perry Heath. the First Assistant Post
master General. Both officials deny abb
solutely that there IS any truth in the
charge. They assert that the investi-
cation was net stopped. but was COM
pIeted, and the irregularities pointed out
were corrected.
Attached 10 the correspondence of the
two Treasury officials are letters from
F. A. Vandcrlip, former Assistant Secre-
tary OF the Treasury. and former Attor-
ney General Criggs. who uEited in say
ing that T w Gilmer, the clerk who
made the investigation. was removed to
minor position because Of his offensive
personality ard his habit of taking pa
pers out of the department without leay-
ing receipt fo- them.
View Of PoStcmce Authorities.
Mir. Payne said that the charge that
an investigation could be stopped by po-
litica1 influence was the most serious OF
all the allegations made by Mr. TuIloch
and the one which he was most anxious
70 have explained The same view was
taken by the Treasury officials. and they
vehernently deny in detail that their ac-
tion was affected by political pressure.
Mr.. Traceweu and Captain Castle both
requested that their replies be given TO
the papers as soon as possible.
Mr.. Payne states the Post Office De-
partment's complaints against Mr.. .iil-
mer as follows:
IN the PostCfIice Department the corn
plant made OF Mr.. Gilrner was that he
would abruptly and discourteously enter
the rooms of department clerks. demand
papers in an offensive way. and then car
ry them away without leaving receipt
Il was demanded that he be instructed to
act as q gentleman and leave receipts
for all papers which he carried out OF
the building. for If any were misplaced
the department clerks would be held re-
sponsibIe"
TTacewell's Brief
Mr. Tracewell's statement OF the rea-
sons for taking Mr. Gilmer of the in-
vestigation follows in part:
The facts in the matter are that al
no time before, during, or after. the COM
mencenent of the revision OF said ac-
counts was any political or other pres
tempted to be brought TO bear; that the
examination was not stopped by reason
of political or other pressure, but was
fully and carefully completed under my
personal supervision: that said expert
accountant, Thomas ". Gilmer.
was rot removed, but was detailed, by
the Secretary of the Treasury, from ray
Office to the Office OF the Auditor for the
State and Other Departments on or about
the 18th day of September. 1899. where
he has ben since employed; that this
detail, in so far as l was advised at the
time by Mr.. Vanderlip, Assistant Secre-
tary of the Treasury and chief of the
committee on personnel OF the Treas
ury. was because of reports that had
come to him OF several instances where
in it was charged that Mr.. Gilmer had
been impolite and offensive to other
Government officials in the discharge OF
his duties as an expert accountant from
my Office.
Did Heath Remove Gilmer?
Charges of this nature were made TO
NE by the Attorney General and the
l Dos nd
as I understand, he had some minor
matters of difference with the appoint
ment division of the Treasury. None OF
those officials fled with me any
written charges against MIR Gilmer- I
assume they reported them TO Mr.. Van
derlip. in fact. Mr.. Vanderlip said that
the First Assistant Postmaster General
had complained of Mr. Gilmer-
Mr. Gilmer was a most competent.
painstaking, and Industrious clerk. In
D,y Office he displayed none OF the traits
/ of character Of which these complaints
were made
The Case Of Gilmer.
| Mr.. Tracewen denies that he ever had
| a talk with NJ. Tulloch after the latter
/ was dismissed from his position as
/ cashier in the Washington postoffce, and
says that he never met him at any time.
OF the letter carried by Mr.. Gilmer in
which he was directed not to examine
| the accounts of the Washington and
! New York postoffces. Mr.. Traceweil
says the Washington postoffice had been
/ Investigated, and Irregularities in the
| keeping of accounts rectified, but no
! frauds were uncovered. The Washington
! office handled the postal business Of
! Cuba and Porto Rico, and as that was a
special matter Mr.. Traceweu did not
| think it strange when the expert asked
to have that Office exempted from an in
vestigation along the ordinary lines.
| The Comptroller. instead of causing
j -. L,ai-