Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1903-06-26
POSTOFFICE
PuTREEAcT|OH
Inspector Tells Of Wholesale Stealing
by Attaches Of Washington
Office.
CLERKS SINECURE sign TWOPAYROLL
Got Fat Salaries and Did Nothing.
Former PostmasterG General
Charles Emory Smith Tries To
Explain Matters.

Explain Matters.
Postmaster-Gener Payne has made
public the reply of Fourth Assistant
Postmaster-G General Bristow, to the
former cashier of the Washington city
postofice, regarding the Irregularities
in the postal administration, and also
reports of inspection and investigation
of the Washington postofice by inspec-
tors between June &c. 1899, and July
81, 1900, together with the transcript
of the Tulloch charges made some years
ago and the conclusions thereon then
reached by Postmaster General Charles
Emory Smith. These papers consti
tute by far the most significant docu-
ments yet made public as result of
the sweeping postal investigation. The
reports show the existence of many ir-
Irregularities during the period involved.
The inspector who investigated the
irregularities reports that the files of
the postoffice cashier show direct or
ders from superior authorities for the
disbursement of all questionable items
cited. The inspector urged "that the
responsibility for the many illegal APP
pointments, the payment of two salar-
les to one and the same person and the
disbursement of thousands of dollars
for which practically no service was
performed, should be placed where it
properly belongs and the many abuses
corrected"
the acknowledgement says:
"The charge of Mr.. Tulloch is in it's
essence against President Mckinley
and Postmaster-G General Smith. Presi-
dent Mckinley is no longer living;
Postmaster General Smith, who car
ried out President McKinley's policy
has answered for himself. With re-
Washington postoffice and the conduct
gard to the present management OF the
of any and all men charged with wrong
doing who have been in the postal SER
vice under the present administration
a thorough and searching investigation
is now being made"
The postmaster general also says:
at will be seen that the whole sub
ject was taken up by Postmaster-Gen-
INV INV him
All expenditure referred to were allow
ed by the auditor and controller, with
the exception of $140."
The documents made public show
that on May /, last, Mr. Payne wrote
a letter to Mr.. Bristow calling atten-
ton to the published interview with
Mr.. Tul1och, and asked Mr.. Bristow
what truth if any there is in the
statements"
Mr. Bristow's reply dated three days
later transmits reports of thu three in
spectors relating to the Washingt ~
postoffice.
Mr.. Brstow says that after the in
spec;srs rad reported Irregularities lie
directe.s that reports be made in the
regular way.
During the progress of the inspcc-
ton was advised by the chief in
spector that George W. Beavers. chict
OF the sslary and allowance division
lad .lggested to enc Of the Inspectors
that when he came to certain appoint
ments in some Mf the stations that al
pearod irregular he had bette" make
he referene to them as they had been
ordred .ersonally by the postmaster
general. ! told the chief inspector te
instruct the inspectors to repors the
facts as they would in any other il
spectiop that did not bsdeva tn.
postmast general had knowingly all
thorized any Irregularities.
Captain William B. Smith, inspec
tor in charge. submitted special re-
port. This report disclosed what seem
ed to me glaring irregularities, and
submitted it personally to the postmas
ter-general, suggesting to him at TIN
time that it contained matters to whicl
| thought he would want to give hi
personal attention.
"The third report sets forth mum
Der of Irregularities that prevailed a
that time in the Washington post office
| was informed by the chief inspecto