The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-05-02

U1ASHINGTON, May 1.--Postmaster
w General Payne today addressed
letters to Former Postmaster
General Smith, Fourth Assistant Post
master General Bristow, Postmaster
Merritt of this city, and Comptroller
TraceweH OF the treasury. calling at
tention to a published interview with
w. Tulloch, for many years, up TO three
years ago, cashier Of the Washington
pOstoffice.
The interview quotes Mr.. Tulloch as
saying that the whole tendency of the
pOstoffice department is to convert the
Washington city postOffice into mere
bureau Of the department. -diSburse its
funds and appropriate and promote its
employees; that an investigation Of the
management of the Washington post
office was begun by an expert of the
ccmptroller's Office. but was stopped,
and the expert reduced, presumably
as warning to others
Threats Were Made.
Postofice inspectors who were aware
of the existing conditions, the inter
view says, were threatened with re
moval if they presumed TOO much, but
Mr.. BTistOw stood by his men and de
manded an investigation of the first
assistants office. which was refused
/ Mr.. Payne has asked for complete re
port from Postmaster Merritt, includ-
( ing a list of all changes made m the
! Washington office during his incum-
bsncy and upon whose order they were
made.
/ The letter TO Comptroller TraceweI
! says that the publication is a direct re-
! Election on his office and asks if any
! truth exists in the charges. Mr. Bris'
I tow is directed especially to report OF
any connection of himself and OF the
/ postOfffce inspectors with the charges
Mr. Smith is asked for information OF
+ the subject as d matter of courtesy.
Tracewell's Statement.
Comptroller Tracewell said tonigh
/ that it was in the spring Of 1900 tina
he decided to look into the affairs o
/ the Washington city pOstOfice- An eX
pert from his office was put to worl
and the papers in the case were brough
/ 10 his office. They We're there perhap
two months. The investigation led t
! the conviction on his part. Mr.. Trace
I well said. that there had been mai.
+ Irregularities. he would not say frauds
IA the expenses of the local pOStOfiiCt
He called the attention of the post
/ master to them and disallowed man
items. Matters eventually wer
Strengthened out. and on promise froT
the postal OfnClalS IOdl the lHApiOpC
disbursements would not be continue
he informed them he said. that h
should refrain from falling back on tn
disbursing officers.
THAT is exactly what was done. n
continued. No political or persona
pressure was Brought 70 hear upon m
If such pressure had been brought
would have accomplished nOthin:
There were irregularities which too
steps to check. as papers on file in m
office viii show
Expert Was Reduced
WAS the expert who investigate
the postofFice accounts made an exam
ole of?' Mr.. Tracewell was asked.
He was transferred from my oft1C
to the sixth auditors Office, WhiC
amounted to a reduction" was the n
ply. That was brought about for otl
er reasons as well as his manner
J investigating the postofice account
T He was very efficient and performe
I his work in a satisfactory manner, e.
{ cept that he was not sufficiently tao
! ful IN approaching people and makiT
requests for helpers.
Fist Assistant Postmaster Gener
Heath, he added, had complained tn