The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-12-23
THE POSTAL FRAUDS.
Is Brought to the Front Again by
the Publication 2,
OF BRIsT0W's FULL REPORT.
How Trusted Government Officials
Worked the Post Offices Of
the Country For Their
Own Profit

Postmaster General Bristow was made
public Wednesday with the exception
Of the exhibits, which are withheld
becauseof pending criminal cases.
The report reveals many new facts.
brought out by the months OF inves-
tigation and not embodied In the off,.
cial abstract made public fortnight
ago.
The reporter speaks OF prohigates
expenditures for Bundy tine record
ers. It states that Hugh Nix. Ian:
con, secretary OF the Pneumatic Can:
ceiling Machine company, testified
during the Investigation that in this
city in 1902, where he came for or
ders, Beavers referred him to a clerk:
named H. Clayton Graft "as the man
to do business WITH and that in per-
sonal conversation Graf said, You.
know none Of US are here for our.
health. The government Is not Hbe-z
raj in the matter Of its salaries and it
costs much to live in Washington"
Edward S. Allen, now clerk at
the Cleveland, o., postof6ce, testified:
that reports be made on the merits OF
the Hampden cancelling machine:
were not satisfactory to First Assist:
ant Postmaster General Heath or to:
Beavers and says be was plainly adj:
vised that it was Mr.. Heath's desire
that these machines be Installed and
the desire Of Mr.. Beavers, and thes
general staff" that be do less talking;
derogatory to the machine. Thelma-s
chimes proved worthless. The report
says that b. J. Truesdale Of Bingham
ton, N. Y, of the cancel1ing machine
company, told the inspectors aaat be-
fore the order was given for 100 Dofe2s
mus cancelling machines, 200 shares:
$50, ,0OG WORTHY Of the stock Of the
company was transferred to the first
assistant postmaster general, Health,
Health promising to order not less:
than 800 machines at s225Zeach.
Truesdale said that the stock was:
later bought from Heath. The eyi-:
dence against Heath was submitted
to the grand jury, but the district att
.torney said it was not sufficient to-
warrant the Indictment.
The report describes the efforts of
r. II. Rand Of the postmaster gen-S
erals office to sell stock ina mining
company to postof1ce employees, and
gives evidence that Rand used gov
ernnent clerks in transacting private
business. $sS.s.s:
Regarding the sale of promotionsin
New York city and Jersey City the
report mentions Batonne, N. j., as.
also involved, and says that while
Otto A. Weis, the registery clerk at
New York, now dismissed, and an in-ss
innate friend Of Beavers says he col;
lected from $4,000 to $4,000 for the
Legislative fund.-" for the clerks,
Weise stated that he used about S3,-s
900 of this money for expenses and
that the balance, $4,000 or 81 900, he
paid to Benjamin Parkaurst, inti-
mate friend of Beavers"
These facts were submitted to the
grand jury here in May, but the dis
trict attorney recommended against
prosecution on the ground OF insuf-
6cient evidence and further effort to-
ward criminal process against Beavers
and Weis in this case vas dropped
when, on May 81, last, tae statute OF
limitations operated in Beavers case.
The report names number OF in-:
stances where clerks wee appointed
on the order of Beavers, against the
wishes Of the postma&ters. These
clerks performed but me;.gre services
Minerva Jeffrey, the report continues,
was $500 clerk at Fred 0nia,: N. Y.,E
for the first five months in 1899,
though she did no work. The post
master never saw her, he says; and he
payments we're sent by check to
Washington and deposited in Beavers
personal bank account.
Regarding contracts with congress
men for leases Of postofice premises,
the reporter says:
''There Isl evidence in the matter:
that Beavers reckless and high hand
ed proceeding in the matter OF leases
was the result Of any general scheme;
Of corruption or blackmail on his part.
His purpose seems to have been to
place members Of congress and in-
fuential politicians under personal
Oh1ioatiOns to him."