New-York tribune., 1903-04-14
PREDICT TROUBLE HERE.
Em pIoyes of Local Postoffce Deny
Syndicate, HosceUer-

While -be heads Of departments at the General
Postoffce in this city s:outly declared that tie
New-York office could not even come under any
criticism. the other employees took different view
ana were doubtful as the outcome Several men
predicted serious trouble
A rumor was current in the afternoon that the
erre.t Of one or two officials of the local office
would be made. but foundation for this couio
be obtained Postmaster General Paynes hurried
return 20 Washington yesterday and the hasty and
mysterious actions of Chief Postofice Inspector
Cochran and those Of Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Bristow were taken by the employees 10
simply that IL arrests coming they Will ne rnaoe
eoon.
Postmaster Van Cott yesterday received the Off
ciaI order from Acting Postmaster General Wynne
suspendfng the confirmation Of promotions ana
allowances in the New-York Office, which were due
20 take effect July /. Two thousand three
hundred employees affected by this order. and OF
this number 177s clerks were promoted by George
w Beavers. the former superintendent Of the
Division Salaries and Allowances. before he re-
signed.
Another order OF Mr.. wynne, prohibiting the
further signing Of letters and orders by subordi-
mates using the names Of officials caused general
surprise the local postofice. This order was
aimed Il is said at Miss Ina Leibhardt. chief
clerk OF the Free Delivery Division. who had the
complete confidence o, A w Machen, the superin-
tendent Of the division. and signed his name TO
orders Il is said that writing of Mr. Machen's
sla1ne was so well done that the higher officials
found IL difficult distinguish between it ana
tMr Mschens signature.
Mr.. Van Cott said yesterday that he received
all his communications from the free delivery
division through Mr.. Machen, but that he had
saerer noticed any variation in the signature
When Mr. Van Cott was asked If it were true
that his recommendations had been ignored oE
George W Beavers and the latter's own indorse-
xnent. taken instead. he said he had no knowledge
nf anything OF that kind ever having been done
Thomas W. Jardine, auditor 10 the Ne"-fork
.Postonice said yesterday that in the latter part
of March Postmaster Van Cott recommended l.6le
employees for promotion out OF the 2bA employees In
the General PostofNce in the grades between $500
and s. a year. and asked for 80 additionai nei
all to take effect July ! He asserted:
There is no one knows who the Postmaster rec
commended except myself and the two or three clerks
who tabulated the list And each one or the cieTKs
only tabulated certain portlon OF the ellre nst
20 il would be utterly impossible for even one OF
7hen to do anything toward assisting sSnoioa'
II any arrangements for the sale OF promotions
sn the department were made, know absolutely
11othins about it I believe the entire story is
based on an anonymous letter which was inspired
by malice
a man familiar with the workings OF the salary
and allowance division yesterday said that the pro-
motion syndicate could have operated from Wash
sngton If it had the opportunity to see the books
and records OF the division. and that its agents
could probably have got considerable money from
those who had been recommended by the Postnas-
Many employees yesterday who II is
supposed were includeG in the list of promotions
take effect July ! They all denied having
f,een zpproached by any one regarding their pro-
motion Many said that. knowing their record to
1900 go. 80 -, tbe pos+rn.steT Vet not one was
found who would admit that he had ever heard he
really had been recommended for promotion.