Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-18
TULLOCH TALKS
Of Charges of Irregularities in
New York Office.
Things Went Right for Years, and
Then Became Very Lax.
Instances Cases Which Can Be Shown
by the Records.

|
ferred by Seymour w. Tulloch, former
| ly cashier of the Washington city post
office. was made public, today, by Tul-
| loch.
| Mr. Tulloch says that in all instances
of irregularities are faVorltlsm the
| proper allowances, records, vouchers,
etc. We're most carefully executed ana
kept as Il rule, and little information
| can be aScertained by their mVeStlga-
ton; that the real facts behind the al
| loWanCcS and vouchers are not OF record
and are known to few those interested
who will not, and others, clerks, VINO
| dare not talk
For upwards of 10 years" the letter
recites. the conduct of affairs between
| the Washington city post office ana IN"
post Office department was regular;
| then came the first break, the precur-
sor of a system of allowance to the
Washington post office on account or
| the departmental expenditures winch
IL afterwards led to Irregularities, abuses,
| extravaganza and my removal as an
| obstacle on June so. 1899.
| Soon after the Mckinley adminlStra-
| ton came into power, the 1irSt assistant
postmaster general sent his clerk down
| to me with voucher for a lump sum
| for travelling expenses accompanied by
| allowance for their payment from the
| funds Of the Washington office. Such Il
| demand was irregular on its face, but
| the official became very angry at the
| idea of a mere cashier attempting to
make any suggestions to him and re-
fused to amend and itcmiZe his voucher.
| "The auditor for the post office de-
| partment finally sent word through the
| postmaster that on account OF the feel
| ing shown in the matter that If | would
| incIosc the voucher in my next account
| its informality would be overlooked. An
| inspection of the WASHINGTON accounts
| will show many similar subsequent
| payments of travelling and other cX-
pcnses, account of departmental off
| cials without the usual departmental
| checks.
| "Fhe Washington office was surpris
/ ed one day to receive at the salary and
| allowance division Of the first assistant
postmaster generals office n printed
| circular stating it was intended to re-
| ,luire all employees at post offices to give
| blanket boud direct to the depart
| ment said bond to be furnished by Il
| single recognized bonding company, IT.
| respective of the fact whether such en-
| ploycs could furnish good personal
| bonds or might desire to avail them
| selves of competition in premiums be-
| tween other bonding companies. y
! similar blanket bond was. | believe. to
| be required of the letter carriers. The
| postmaster had n conference with
| gorge w. Beavers, then chief of the
| ;alarE and allowance division, and re
| ported that Mr.. Beavers had said: Sen
| ator Plat of New York, would appre-
| riatc the fact if he would select the
! senator's company The original cir
| cular was subsequently modified by al
| lowing employees to select their own
| bond or bonding companies.
| y. Holt Livingston presented VoUCh-
| ers for payment. one afternoon.
| amounting to several hundred dollars
for postal furniture, l refused to pay
| untl the allowance had been received
| was informed that it would be sent
| down by private messenger as soon as
| it was signed by the first assistant
pcstmaster general. | again refused
| Mr.. Livingston departed quite angry
| and some time afterwards returned
ana still damp from the copying press.
1t was for a shipment of furnturc as
| remember. to Cuba or Porto Rico No
| on" had certified as to the receipt of the
| goods and | called the attention Of Mr.
| Livingston to the omission. He cX-
planned it would be all right and that
he needed the money. | declined to pay
| unless some responsible official would
| acknowledge the receipt of the goods,
| Whcrcupon Mr.. Livingston became con-
| fidontial and told me his company
did not have very much capt.
tai; that work had not yet been
even begun upon the furniture, but
that George had agreed to advance
him the money in payment. 1t is need
less to add that no payment was made"
Mr.. Tulloch says payments were au-
thoriZcd to Mr.. Livingston amounting
to about $500, on May 5, June and
June 49, 1899. That on June 10, was
for $172I for Porto Rico and was rem
dercd in Il lump sum. An intimate
friend of Iieath's NJ. ID. Helm, was the
vice president of the company. 1t is
stated that the company shipped $4,000
to $4,000 worth of supplies to cuba
on the order of MesSrS Rathbonc and
Nicely and fitted up the American post
office at the Paris Exposition. Mr.. Liv-
ingston was also in charge of the
| Washington office of the Keyless Lock
| Co.
Mr. Tulloch says that the post office
inspector in charge VIM. Il. Smith of
this city, made an inspection of the
H Washington post office and during that
inspection received warning from an
associate OF the first assistant post
\ master general that he had better be
careful or he might lose his own head.
II Mr.. Tulloch adds:
u was crcditably informed at that
time that the matter prepared with
| perhaps other evidence was laid before
Postmaster General Smith by Fourth
| Assistant BarstoW, who requested the
II appointment of a commission to in
vestigate the Office of assistant post
master. This was refused by Mr.. Smith,
who looked upon it as another mani
festaton of the relations existing be-
tween Perry S. Heath and MI Bris-
/ tow"
Mr.. Tulloch says: