The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-30
CHARGES AGAINST TULLOCH.


Former
Associated Press Dispatch.
WASHINGTON, May 29.-Serious accusa-
tons against w. Tulloch, formerly cashier
of the Washington postofice. were made
public to-day by General
Payne, who gave out the reply of Post
master Merritt. of Washington, to Mr..
Tulloch's charges.
Postmaster Merritt charges that a trans
action in which Mr.. Tulloch was concerned
in 1893 appears to comprehend the pre-
sentation of a false voucher, which is made
a crime by the statutes" that receipts
were signed in blank on the pay rolls dur
ing Mr.. Tulloch's regime as cashier. and
that the files do not indicate any complaint
of Irregularities against the Washington
postofflce filed by Mr.. Tulloch while he was
in office. Mr.. Merritt says the general
practice Of giving employees duties SEEM
ingly incompatible with their positions Is
no abuse, and that the practice of paying
certain expenses Of the Postoffice Depart
ment out of the Washington city postoffice
funds always has existed and is proper.
. The postmaster general to-day announced
the completion of the investigation of the
salary rolls of all the first and second-class
postofices in the country. The only irreg-
ularities reported, all Of which have been
ordered to be corrected Immediately, were
the payment to fourteen assistant post
masters of a larger salary than they should
receive under the departments policy: pay
ments to a few clerks of more than the law
allows, and the existence of designations
unknown to the law for positions in seven
teen postofices. Mr.. Payne said that none
of these items indicated any wrong-doing,
and he regarded this net result of the over
hauling of the rolls Of upwards OF 1900
presidential postofices as gratifying.
SALARIES REDUCED.
The postmaster general announced his
approval of instructions reducing the sal
aries of assistant postmasters at the fol-
lowing second-class postofices to so per
cent. Of the salaries Of the postmasters:
Cairo, ILL.,; Clarinda, Ia; East st. Louis,
H.; Flushing. Fredonia and Geneva, N. Y;
Freehold, N. j.; Warren, Pa; Hagerstown,
Nd; Portsmouth, N. H.; Stamford. Conn.,;
Stevens Point, Wis, and Ponce and San
Juan, Porto Rico.
Mr.. Payne has found thirty-six officials
In the postal service who hold offices under
designations not authorized by law, and
directed that their positions be changed to
conform to the law governing them. They
were in the following offices: New Orleans,
New York. Boston. Brooklyn, Buffalo, Gin
cinnati, Detroit, st. Louis, Washington,
Chester Pa.). Los Angeles. Louisville.
Nashville. Newburg On. W. Utica and Chi
cago. Among these designations not au-
thorized by law are ''superintendents
of stations" (although there is a SUI
pe sn6;tar IT f0s sta saSn separate aIasnec station d
stations" etc. Violations of the law
which fix the maximum salary of clerks
In second-class postofices at $1,000 a year,
except in the case OF assistant postmasters,
will be corrected at Leadville, New Bright
on. n. Y; Tarrytown, N. Y; San Juan.
Porto Rico.
fees at which. in all, thirteen clerks re-
ceive more than the salaries to which their
designated positions as assistant superin-
tendents" entitle them, and IN these cases
the postmaster general mas directed that
the salaries be accordingly reduced. This
order affects two positions in Louisville,
In Philadelphia and Detroit. four in st.
Louis and two in Boston. The maximum
salary OF these positions by law is a stated
percentage of the salary OF the postmaster.
The postmaster general has directed that
such of these changes as involve correc-
tons of the violation Of law shall take eff
feet next Monday. and changes made TO
conform TO the rules and practice of the
department will be operative July /, the
beginning of the new fiscal year. Most Of
these excessive allowances were made dur
ing the administration of George w. Bea-
vers, who suddenly resigned his position as
superintendent of salaries and allowances
after the investigation of the department
affairs began.
Mr.. PAYNE's STATEMENT.
The rolls of the third-class postoffces, the
lowest of the presidential grade. are now
under investigation. and the authority for
49, ffon Of tho annl.x,aS % o,o-.
third-class postofice In the country is being
| carefully examined. Postmaster General
Payne made the following statement regard
ing the changes:
I'm the cases OF the Offices where the as
! sistant postmaster Is paid in excess Of 80