Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-06-13
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.l
Washington, d. c., June 10.

Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette.l
Washington, d. c., June 10.
Special interest is being manifested
in the forthcoming report of Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General Bris-
tow on the charges of gross ir-
regularities in the city postoffice
recently made by excashier S. w. Tul-
lock. The intimation comes from a high
official of the department that it will
sustain the charges of malfeasance and
disclose that certain officials of the de-
partment four years ago used their posi-
tons for political, ifnot personal, advan-
tage. Mr.. Bristow states that he has
not completed his report, the present in
vestigation into the management of the
division of salaries and allowances and
free delivery having occupied almost his
entire attention. He is unable to say
when it will be placed in possession of
the Postmaster General and de-
clines TO foreshadow any part Of it.
Tullock, in his charges that set the
postoffice By the ears, declared that a
previous investigation had been sup
pressed by Postmaster General Smith
as a result of political pressure. 1t is
now learned that the investigation was
not suppressed, but that the discovery of
irregularities reflected so previously upon
First Assistant Heath that the inspectors
feared to place in that officials hands
their findings. They met the embar-
RAISING situation by preparing two re-
ports. One, confidential in character,
set forth their findings in detail. This
was turned over to Fourth Assistant
Bristow. The OtherS a formal one of
modest character, was given to Mr..
Heath. Capt. w. B. Smith, in charge
of the local branch of inspection and
who conducted the inquiry at the time,
admits that two reports were made and
that so far as he knew Mr.. Heath did
not see the confidential one. Postmaster
General PAYNE has this confidential re-
port in his possession. He declines to
make it public until he has the report
from Fourth Assistant Bristow on the
recent work of the inspectors in the local
postoffice. 1t is understood that he de-
sires the publicity of both reports stimuli
taneously so that it can be seen thatif
there were Irregularities under Mr..
Smiths administration, they do no exist
now.
The Civil Service Commission in a re-
port this morning to Postmaster General
Payne, relative to the charges of irregu-
larities in appointments in the Postofiice
Department and the Washington city
postofiice, finds that there have been vio-
lations of the regulations in the transfer
from outside offices to this city of persons
not entitled to civil service positions.
In fixing the responsibility the reports
says "The investigation seems to
show clearly that most of the irregulari-
ties herein set forth were directed by the
department or requested or suggested by
high departmental officials, and in
either case came to the postmaster with
all the force Of a direction"
Concerning the pOstofice investigation
a high official says that President Roose-
Welt will give Postmaster General Payne
all the credit for the disclosures, al
though he was from the start opposed to
an investigation. Wynne will get no
credit because he simply carried out the
orders of his chief 1t is said that Payne
is close to Hanna, whose help the Presi-
dent wants to secure him the support of
the corporate interests Of the country.
The Navy Departments statistician
decides that the presence of an admiral
on board of a battleship adds fifty tons
to that crafts weight. In addition to the
added presence of his gold laced staff,
who are generally large, well fed ample
wasted gentlemen, the admiral must
have an extra boat for his own personal
use, two extra bath tubs, one for his own
use and one for the use of the guests he
is supposed to entertain, and a large
number of flags, books and instruments
that are inseparable from the dignity of
the commander of the fleet The heavy
thinkers of the department are now en-
gagged upon the problem of reducing this
weight as far as impossible by cutting
off such articles as can be spared by the
admiral. Up to date they have got no
further than the extra bath trb, which
they areinclined to regard as unnecessary.
1t is not absolutely necessary, they be-
lieye, that the admiral and his guests
should battle at the same time, and the
guests should use the admiral's tub
The War Department has been mott
fed of the arrest at Manila of A. C..
Roberts, former cashier of the govern
mont ice plant in that city. He is
charged with the larceny Of government
funds amounting so far as discovered by
the auditor to $500 in gold and 7 1000
pesos. The department also learns that
S9SO5 gold of the sum stolen by o. G.
@. Milne, formerly postmaster at
Tacloban, has been recovered. Milne,
who is now serving ten year sentence,
voluntarily took a member of the con-
stabulary to an old native cemetery near
Tacloban and pointed out place where