Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-05-21
THE TULL0CH EXPOSURE.
Formal Charges Against the Post
Office Department Made by
Former Official.
THE LATTER NOW READY TO TESTIFY.
Seymour w. TuIioch, Formerly Cashier in
the Washington City Post Ohice, Lays
His Charges Directly Before the Post
master General and the Public-A Few
Instances,

His Charges Directly Before the Post
master General and the Public-A Few
Instances.
Washington, May 1s.-The full text
of the formal charges of Irregular
ties in the administration of postal al
fairs preferred by Seymour W, Iut
loch. formerly cashier of the WASH
city post office, has been made
public by Mr.. Tulloch. The charges
are embodied in a letter to Postmas-
ter-General Payne in response to h
latter's request to be furnished IN
formation that would substantiate
published statements of Mr.. Tulloch-
Some of the matters complained OF
will be investigated Immediately by
the inspectors.
Mr.. TulIoch. in his letter, says he
is at the service of the postmaster
general in rendering any further as
sistance that may be desired. Mr..
Tulloch says that in all instances of
irregularity and favoritism the prop
err allowances. records, vouchers, etc,
were always carefully executed and
kept, as a rule, and little intorma-
ton can be ascertained by their IN
vestigation; that the real facts be-
hind the allowances and vouchers are
not of record and are known to few
.4l-z. s4o,,.+nI ,uhp will mot and
others. clerks, who dare not talk"
The First Break.
For upwards of nineteen years"
the letter r~ecites, 1.-The conduct of at
fairs between the Washington city
post office and the post otnce depart
ment was regular; then came the first
break, the precursor of a system OF
allowances to the Washington post
office on account of departmental ex.
penditures which afterwards led to
irregularities. abuses, extravaganza
and my removal, as an obstacle, on
June 80, 1899.
"Mr. Sheppard, then chief of the
salary department, desired a file cast
for the use of his office. His requlsl'
tons were turned down by his SUI
perior officers. Later vouchers were
presented to me for a file case, ac.
companied by an allowance for its
payment out of the funds of the
Washington office made by Mr.. Shep.
hard and signed by the first assist
ant postmaster general. | directed
the contractor to obtain a certificate
of delivery of the goods. Mr.. Shep
hard refused to acknowledge the re
ceipt of the goods, fearing exposure
during the auditing of the vouchers
and | refused to pay for the cas- unit
some one was willing to father The
same.
An Irregular Voucher.
"Soon after the Mckinley admins
tration came into power the first as
sistant postmaster general sent hi
clerk down to me with a voucher TO.
a lump sum for travelling expenses
accompanied by an allowance TO,
their payment from the funds of thu
Washington office. Such a demand
was irregular on its face. But thu
official became very angry at the idei
of a mere cashier attempting to make
any suggestions to him. and refused
to amend and itemize his voucher
The postmaster explained to him tina
/ had only asked for what was re
quired by the auditor and according
to precedent. The postmaster, upol
his return. stated that the official hat
said: Look here, now, this is a new
administration, and a new crowd ant
we intend to make our own prece
dents The auditor of the post officl
department finally sent word through
the postmaster that on account o
the feeling shown in the matter if
would inclose the voucher in my mex
account its informally would b,
overlooked. An inspection of tn,
Washington accounts will show man,
similar subsequent payments of trav
cling expenses on account of depart
mental officials without the usual de
partmental checks.
Reference to Senate PIatt.
"The Washington office was sur
prised one day to receive from tn
salary and allowance division Of tn
first assistant postmaster generals of
fee a printed circular stating it wa
intending to require all employees a
post offices to give a blanket bon
direct to the department, said bon
to be furnished by a single recognize
bonding company, irrespective of tn
fact whether such employees coul
furnish good personal bonds or nigh
desire to avail themselves of compel
ton in premiums between other bono
ing companies. A similar blankt
bond was, ! believe, to be required
the letter carriers. The postmaste
had a conference with George v
Beavers, then chief of the salary an
allowance division, and reported thu
Mr.. Beaver had said Senator Plat
of New York, would appreciate til
ldCU IL lC Woulb otlCtb II 5SliuloI
company The original circular we
subsequently modified by allowin
employees to select their own bond {
bonding companies.
considerable feeling was NANTES
ed towards me in the Office of fir
assistant postmaster general becau'
I would not pay vouchers for servic
for such places on personal reque
or by direction over the telephone.
Holt Livingston presented vouche
for payment one afternoon, amoun
ing to several hundred dollars, f
postal furniture. / refused to p;
until the allowance had been receive
I was informed that it would be Sc
down by private messenger as so
as it was signed by the first assista
postmaster general. ] again refuse
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