The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-18
Bri'tOw's Reply to TulIOch
Charges Made Public.
No Attempt Made to DisprOYe
Those Allegations.
SUPERIOR AUTHORITY
Responsible for Many and Gross
Irregularities.
Superintendent MetcaIfe of NJ.
o. Department Dismissed.

general. Mr. Payne. has made public
the reply of the fourth assistant post
master general. Mr.. Bristow, to the
charges OF Seymour W. Tulloch. former
cashier of the Washington city post
office. regarding the irregularities in the
postal administration, also reports of
inspection and investigation Of the
Washington poston1ce by inspectors be
tween June go 1899 and July 81. 1900
together with the transcript of the Tul-
loch charges made some years ago and
the conclusions thereon then reached by
Postmaster General Charles Emory
Smith.
These papers constitute by far the
most Significant documents yet made
public as result of the sweeping postal
investigation. The reports show the ex-
istence of many irregularities The in
spector who Investigated the irregulari-
ties reports that the files of the post
Office cashier show direct orders from
superior authority for the disbursement
OF an the questionable items. The in
spector urged "that the responsibility
for the many illegal appointments the
payment of two salaries 10 one and the
same person and the disbursement Of
thousands of dollars for which pracu-
calIy no service was performed should
be placed where il properly belongs and
the many abuses corrected
In q summary Of the several reports
the postmaster general says
The charge of Mr.. Tulloch is, in its
essence against President Mckinley and
Postmaster General Smith. President
Mckinley IS no longer living. Postmas-
Ter General Smith. who carried out
President McKinleys policy, has an
snered for himself With regard to the
present management of the Washing
ton postofice and the conduct of any
and an men charged with wrong doing
who have been in the postal service un-
der the present administration,
thorough and searching inVes tigatlon Is
row being made and when it is ended
aN facts in the case viii be made pub
lic as also whatever action may be
taken i'm view of such facts.
The postmaster general also says.
1t VIII be seen that the whole sub
iect was taken up by Postmaster Cen
eral smith and Investigated by him. At
the same time all matters referred to in
the charges affecting the payment Of
bills. accounts and financial dealings
generally. were under Investigation by
The comptroller of the treasury. and all
the expenditures referred to were allow
ed hy the auditor and comptroller, with
the exception of $780,
published reply of Mr.. smith and adds
that these papers are now published.
lin order TO complete the public under
Standing of "a matter. a large part OF
which has already been published The
papers are filed without action, for the
reason that they relate To- the business
Of prior "a administration. The subject
matter of complaint IS four years old
and an action hereunder was closed
over two years ago
The documents made public show that
on May ] last Mr.. Payne wrote a let
ter to Mr.. BrlstoW calling attention to
the published interview with Nh. Tul-
loch and asked Mr.. Bristow what
truth T any, there is in the statements
and particularly upon that part which
speaks Of your connection and that OF
the postoiiice inspectors or
BkISIOW' S REPLY
Mr. Bristow's reply in fun. dated
fnrca DAYS later. is as follows.
ln response TO your inquiry of Man
J. 1903. as to the truth or falsity of the
assertion 0t Mr.. S. W. Tull0ch thu Z
apDeafed in AN Interview by him in the
w Wash'ngton Post Of that date. [ beg T.,
hand you herewith an abstract of three
reports made hy the inspector on the
ttrllfion nf the Washington p0stOffica
The hlst. marked Exhibit A. refers to
the transfer of the postoffice To Hon
dunn A. Merritt incoming postmaster
nf Alr James =. Wilett. retiring post
master which occurred June go 1899.
Ar me time this inspection was in
lroEress. as near as can remember.
.Nitt inspector Cochran and Inspector
u naf-e smith called upon me aue
iaNiSel me- that the inspectors in the
invest tiealon Of the postofiice had dis
covered many Irregularities of a Sc
i'NN1 nature which seemed to be au-
THOR .zee by The department. After dis
GUESSING ihc matter at some length with
-Nil' Hllfcted that report relating
ln general to the transfer he submitted
AN tAe tAular way and comics IF the
salilt referred to the various division.
lowed in other similar cases ana mn
report affecting the irreen.
'ill. tnat seemed 70 be- authorized H.
'ue department be submitted
During the progress of the inenao+fo,,
was advised by the chief inspecfo,.
lat Mr George w. Beavers ch5ef ~
i' salary and allowance division had
sieefsfed to one of the inspectors fhaf
MH'n re came TO certain anroir1tr,,s,-f 4.
lH some of the stations that annaare5
irregular he had better make no refer
tfff lo them IS they had been ordered
personally by the postmaster general 7
told the chief inspector to fnstrl,et the
lHrpe tors TO report the facts as they
N.uid in any other inspection. that T
ga nor believe the postmaster general
laq knowingly authorized any irregu-
Captain w b. Smith. inspector in
"stEt submitted a special report on
sNle 3s directed. an abstract of which
e7.ewith submitted marked '.H.xhibit
ms report disclosed what seemed
10 me slaring irregularities. and 7 su,-
Hiit'rd u personally to the postmaster
general. suggesting 20 him at the time
tnat u contained matters to which I
thought he would want To give his per
sonal attention.
Referring to the statement that had
demanded thorough investigation OF
the office Of the first assistant postnas-
Ter general ] beg TO state that Inspec-
tor In Charge Smith. in his special re-
port, heretofore mentioned as Exhibit