Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-12-03
Brief of Report by Fourth Assis
tant Postmaster General j.
L. Bristow.
1000 OFFICES EXAMINED
Corrupt officials Received hut Small
Proportion of the Money hi the
mends Changes I'm the Organ-
izntion of the Department.

i0'N = - W AaN
cral j. l.. Bristow to the President on
the postal Investigation is made public
to-day. Twenty-Five pages OF the report
are devoted to a brief statement of the
frauds that have been pcrpetrated OH the
government in the supply division under
Michael w. Louis, office OF assistant at
torney general under tho administration
OF Tyncr and Barrett, the money order
system under James T.. Metcali, the dt-
vision of free delivery under August w.
Machen and the division of salaries and
allowance, under George w. Beavers, in
which he shows a terrible record of fraud
by the postal officials. lie concludes the
brief as follows:
ror the purposes of this report, the
investigation ordered by you on March
has been completed. In the prepara-
ton of cases for trial where ind ctments
nave been found, information may be
secured which will necessitate further
investigation and possibly involve per-
sons not now implicated.
More than 40 inspectors have been
employed upon this work, some of them
continuously every day since the in
vestieation began. The records of L.
600 postofiices have been examined, and
the files Of many divisions of the de-
partment, covering d period of from six
to ten years. scrutinized.
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
tho total loss to the government. To
illustrate: There is nc evidence that
Louis received any compensation from
Ault & Wiborg, yet during the first
year of his administration the cxpendi-
ture for canceling ink increased over
| SO. 900.
1t does not appear that Kempner re-
ceived money from the manifold com
pany, yet the cost of manifold supplies
increased more than $4,000 a year.
Barrett received but $1,000 from Ar
mold, yet that company defrauded the
people out of over 5000, 900.
Machen probably did not receive more
than $26, 600 from the Croft fastener.
Yet the government has paid approXi-
mately $4,000 for that device. which
represents a 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
less than 10000 from the automatic
cashier. Yet the department expended
s74,275 for his wholly unnecessary
machine.
The total amount that the perpetra-
tors of these frauds themselves receiv-
ed can not he definitely learned. but II
will aggregate between $500, 900 and
$500. 900, while the loss to the govern
mcnt, considering the unnecessary sup
/ plies that have been purchased and the
: inferior quality of those furnished by
fraudulent contractors, can not be cs-
umatcd with any degree Of accuracy.
As the gross abuses have been
brought to light they have been
promptly corrected by the proper de-
) partmental officers. Contracts where
Il fraud has hapn 1iSFANpTal have hppu
|annulled.
As a result of the Investigation -four
p officers and employees Of the department
have resigned and 10 AVE been removed
I'orty-four indictments have been found
involving 81 persons, ten Of whom haV.
/ been connected with tho postal service.
( I cannot speak in too high praise OF
f the industry and intelligence of the in
s~pcctors and their LOYALTY TO the interest,
of the service. The success of IN" in
vestirItion is largely due to them. They
have sought the truth with cagcrneSS ant
skin. 80 accounts have been too intri
! cate for them to unravol. no labor toe
, hurlcLSomc to undertake.. Under the i'm
l mediate charge of Chief Inspector William
l.. Cochran they have worked in perfoc'
accord.
The results Of the Investigation demon
stratc that all travelling agents Of the dc
partm"nt-Such as assistant Supcrlnten
dents of salaries and liloNancos. of the
frcc-doliverN service. the railway mai
service, and tho registry system, ana in
Spectors-should be placed under one or
gani2ation.
l \ number of changes should he made
8 in The organization Of the department i
! order to provide a moro perfect check OF
tho operations of various divisions, ant
some restrictive legislation affecting thu
divisions of salaries and allowance, o.
rural free delivery, and possibly other.