The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-01
SMITHS REPLY TO TULLOCH.
FORMER POSTMASTER.GENER.4L
REFUTES CHARGES.
He shows That They We're Investigated
on TuIloch's Retirement From Once
and That the Result Of That lnNestiga.
ton Is on File In the Department
ALLEGED Irregular rifles Explained.

WASHINGTON, May 3l.-Post ma ster- Cen
| eral Payne to-day made public the answer
| of former Post mast err General Charles
Emory Smith to the charges filed against
Mr. Smiths administration by Seymour
/ w. Tulloch former cashier OF the Wash
! ngton Post Office. Mr.. Smiths letter
| follows
PHILADELPHIA, May 81. 1903.
SIR am in receipt Of your letter of the
| 10Th inst enclosing copy OF letter ad-
dressed to you by Mr.. y. W. Tulloch respect
| ing the conduct of the Post ONCE Department
| and the Washington City Post Office during
| the years 1893 and 1909
In reply beg to say that the allegations
| of Irregularities made by Mr. Tulloch on his
!, retirement from the position OF cashier of
| the city post Office were duly examined at
| the time They we're taken up item by item.
| and the facts in each case were ascerta!ned.
! The result of that examination was embodied
| in full exhibit OF the alleged irregularities
| and of the explanations in each instance.
| which is on Ale in the Department, To this
| exhibit | refer as embracing particular and
! detailed answer to Mr.. Tulloch ) statements
Without undertaking TO repeat here it's
| specific and minute evidences. let me say in
| general terms that in most cases II presents
| what was believed to be a justification of the
! transactions complained Of. The transactions
| mostly grew out of the condition incidental
| to the opening of the Spanish war. and the
| criticisms betrayed want OF knowledge
| hota of the conditions and Of the methods
| adopted to meet their requirements. Inc
| war was declared April ~, 1893 Within "A
| few weeks an army of % 100 men was raised
| and organized in camps. 1t became nece>-
| sary TO provide at once for tho prompt hand
| ling of mail of this large body of soldiers
| und their million friends at home. Any
| failure to do would Justly have excited
| universal condemnation
Al the outset no special appropriation was
| available and the means had to be pro-
| ,dcd from the general postal appropriations.
| After"ard Congress made special appro-
| printion for the military postal service to be
| expended entirely at the discretion OF the
| Postmaster-Gen In meeting the de-
| nands of the service and in making good
| out o. one fund what IN been temporarily
| and unavodab!y drawn from the other.
| changes and transfers and special employ
| ments were made which might not be under
| stood by those WHO had only an inCom plete
| knowledge of the facts.
j, VAS found eNpedient as matter Of prac-
,ica administration to treat the camps, and
iiltrward for a time the offices of Porto Rico.
istI,r,tss of the Washington once. as those
| OF tut n were treated as branches OF the New
York fNi,e his involved the enrolment
OF the men employed tor Porto Rico on tue
ashngton roll, For time some OF the
| extra help needed in the Department was
prov ldcd for in the same way. Out OF these
| facts iGnorantly grew some OF the allegations
! of irreguarity.
Compared with the magnitude Of the mill
tary service, not many new appointments
were made IL WAS the policy of the Depart
ment to select trained and experienced men
already IN the service and detail mem Tor .,s
| Congress appropriated tSoo,o0o Tor the Ini,l-
tary postal service to be expended az IN, tms
amount s?to,6es.a So was spent ana the re-
mainder. $3.50. +5. was covered back INTO
: Some reference has been made 70 the feet
that few maGhinsts appeared 70 OG enrP1, ne,.
on ,NS S1 n ss Of nv acts as
ing the subject I determined to cut down the
"fc ls ss"'sd 81 ssHns s" f Vt 81
year in the aggregate I" re Government no,
l@achnes This reauired ,lree or i ,s, ma a.
that The mach nists already familiar with
the say vof Rat '@ do p" h" ff hS
we're enrolled. but II WAS thought that II
could be lawfully done in exempted p places
to b " for The ' good Dol Of i%o ssEstcs
Wth tn Washin;t9n once e s'raf" ao stated Ia
ossher Gsndd f% did not 'seST It" os
cases was not convinced Of the necessity
or pro2rc,y Of The ransaH"nf ,or ht bs
most part Of placing on III" roll few per.
ihe need q WhGis s'Tyi,ssa Mas not
the proner officers were Instructed that ever
rErooc;dns wh;h could ., no, !" justified
i is proper for inc 70 add that Mr. TyI-
lochs allegations wcr" the subject Of an indie
rst dent and searching Investigation ny IN"
t'OmDtrDlcr Of the Tra1 who maze n
mrnutc examination Of th" vouchers and OF
the .hory for sSpSTdTc IN The h ,svs sis
allowances amount'l t, 1892. considerable
Of MhiSh sum ySs Ill nG on
CATION Was fully arprtsed' ,
About the same tns Fourth Ass STAN,
that inspectors had found the same apparent
o., actual irregularities in the Washnsto,n
| troller Of the Treasury had mad" and OF the
steps which we're being taken to rectlfy any
! In Sir. Tuochs letter he does not repeat
! his earlier statement that when he made his
/ however, say:
! ~ was credtably informed a the time
ss ss was d ee
General smith BY Fourth Assistant Bri.-
tow, Who requested the "GInoin ntTns Of
f Fr.t Assistant Postmaster GENERAL This
was refused by Mr.. smith. who looked upon
/ " IN dnOlneT HlunllVsta'ltIl " wv 'VIu'i'hs
/ between Perry S. Heath aud Mr. Hristow,"
| In reply | refrain from making the obvious
! comment and content myself with saying
! that the statement that Gen. Bristow made
entirely untrue Very Respectfully yours.
CHARLES EMORY SNITH
Mr.. Payne said this morning that when
he first called on Mr., Smith for an expana-
ton OF the charges against his administra-
ton he replied that he didn't remember
Tulloch or his charges and could reco'lect
but little concerning the nveetiga' ion.
A search of the Department files, however.
brought to light the reports of the investi-
eating officials, with marginal notes in
| Mr.. Smiths handwriting. showing that tho
charges made bv Tulloch had been investi
gated In detail at the time and had failed Of
| subStantiation.
Mr.. Payne considers the answer Of Mr..
: Smith as so conclusive that he thinks II
will not he necessary to make public the
reply of PerryiS. Heath, secretary ia the
Republican National Campaign Committee
and formerly First Assistant Post master
| General under Mr.. Smith to the Tullooh
! charges Mr.. Heaths reply is on its way
TO Washington. and will reach here by
Postmaster General Payne to-day gave