The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-11-30
REPORT ON POSTAL FRAUDS
RESULTSOF BRISTOW'S INQUIRY
GIVEN OUT.

Also the Prestdenps Comment Vnereon
shocking system of Organized Corr
ruption DtsoIossd-Be Began tn 1893 and
Continued Until stopped by the PRES
ent tInvestigatIon- -Cases TO be Pushed
with Utmost visor.
Washington, Nov. 29.-Assistant Post
master General Bristows report on pos
tai frauds and President Roosevelt's
comment thereon were given out for
publication to-day. In the beginning
OF his report Mr.. Bristow gives a his
tory Of each Individual case investigat-
ed, the facts OF which have been pub
lished from time to time. In conclusion
he summarizes his investigation as fol-
lows: -...
For the purposes Of this report the in
yestigation ordered by you POSTMASTER
General Payne) on March has been
completed. In the preparation of cases
for trial where indictments have been
found, information may be secured
which viii necessitate further investi-
cation and possibly involve persons not
now implicated ,
More than forty inspectors have been
employed upon this morn, some of them
continuously every day since the inves-
tigation began. The records of 1000
postofiees have been examined, and the
files Of many divisions Of the depart
mert. covering period Of from six to
ten years, scrutinized. -....- s...
The system Of organized corruption
that has been disclosed began in 1893
and continued until stopped by this in
Vestigation. The amount of money Sc
cured by the corrupt officials and their
confederates is small as compared to
the total loss to the government. To IL
1ustrated: There is no evidence that
Louis received any COMPENSATION from
AuIt g Wiborg. vet during the first
year Of his administration the expendi-
lures for canceling ink increased over
$4,000
It does not appear that Kempner re-
ceived money from the manifold COM
pany, vet the cost Of manifold sup
plies increased more than $4,000 year.
Barrett received but $4,000 from Ar
mold. yet that company defrauded the
people out Of over s3,0oo.0OO
Machen probably did not receive more
than $4,000 from the Croft fastener,
yet the government has paid approxi-
nately 100000 for that device, which
represents net loss, since the depart
ment continued BY the terms OF the
contract for letter boxes. to pay for the
original fasteners.
Beavers and his associates received
1 less than $4,000 from the automatic
cashier. Yet the department expended
$74,275 for this wholly unnecessary ma
chine. q
The total amount that the perpetra-
tors of these frauds themselves received
cannot be definitely learner. but 1t will
aggregate between 100000 and 100000
whilet the loss to the government, con
sidering the unnecessary supplies that
have been purchased and the inferior
quality Of those furnished by fraudulent
contractors, cannot be established with
any degree of accuracy. -.
As the gross abuses have been
brought to light they have been prompt
" corrected by the proper departmental
officers. Contracts where fraud has
been discovered have been annul1ed.
AS a result Of the investigation four
officers and employees of the department
have resigned and thirteen have been
removed. Forty-four indictments have
been found. involving thirty-one per-
sons, ten OF whom have been connected
with the postal service.
The results of the investigation DEM
onstrate that all travelling agents of the
department--such as assistant superir-
tendents of salaries and allowances, of
the free delivery service. the railway
mail service and the registry system,
the inspectors should be placed under
one organization. @s~ ~.
A number Of changes should be made
in the organization of the department in
order to provide a more perfect check
on the operations Of various divisions,
and some restrictive legislation affect
ing the divisions of salaries and allow
ance, Of rural free delivery, and possibly
others may be necessary. What the
service most needs, however, is honest,
Intelligent and vigorous administration.
The corruption disclosed is not due to
lax laws, but to the dishonesty of those
who have been charged with the re-
sponsibility Of administering themy
0 The President'a Comment
Va ~
The president in his comment says:
The investigation made by Mr.. Bris-
tow discloses a condition of gross cor
ruDtion in the office of the first assist
ant postmaster general and in that of
the assistant attorney general for the
postoffice department. In the case Of
the superintendent of the free delivery
Machen. the evidence shows that his
misconduct began Immediately after his
appointment in September, 1893. In the
case OF the general superintendent Of
salaries and allowances, Beavers, it be-
gan soon after he was appointed to that
place in 1897. In the case of Assistant
Attorney General Tyner it has gone on
for a number OF years, but it is i'm
possible to say exactly when it began.
A melancholy feature Of the case is that
with one exception all the offenders
have been for a number of years in the
government service. The following is
d list of the fourteen postoffice employees
III the service at the time this investiga-
ton was begun, who are apparently
most seriously implicated in the wrong
doing. together with an account Of the
Ii.L. L 4oJ- axY4