The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-06-03
Former First Asst Postmaster
General Answers Charges
MAKES A GENERAL DENIAL
Remembers TuIIooh Quite Well and
Says He Wanted to Get ReInstated
as Pay for Not DlvuIgina
Alleged WrongdoIna.

8ashinBeon, June 2-1he investigation
of affairs at the postoffice department Is
proceeding as rapidly as possible, and the
investigation officials hope to close their
Inquiries by August l. Postmaster Gem
eral Payne said today that all the saiant
points of the investigation probably would
be disposed of by the end of this month.
but that the rest Of the work might con-
tinue for a considerable time. The only
development announced at the depart-
ment today was the promulgation of Tho
letter of former First Assistant Postmas-
ter General Heath, who enters a denial
of the Tulloch charges.
The go-between who. it is a -ad fig
ured In transactions which led
rest of August w. Machen, Il
general superintendent of the
cry system, are understood to
bers of firm in Toledo, Ohio, the :
home of Machen. Although 1t is known
authoritatively that there are several
parties whose arrests may be decided on
at any time, Postmaster General Pavne
said tonight that so far as he is advised
no immediate arrests are In contempla-
tion.
Preliminary May Be Unnecessary.
The preliminary hearing of Mr.. Maehen
before United States Commissioners.
which is scheduled for next Friday, may
be rendered unnecessary in case the grand
jury should report an Indictment against
him. The case will be presented to that
body tomorrow, when a number of wit
nesses subpoenaed by the government will
sf4a alra baf.-
would relieve the government from the
necessity of disclosing its evidence prior
| to the trial Of the case in court, and
would require the re-arrest of Machen on
bench warrant, and the furnishing of
| fresh bonds. Assistant United States dis
trict Attorney Taggert and Postoffice In
spector Mayer OF Chicago, who worked
up most of the evidence, are In close con-
sultation arranging for the presentation
J of the case to the grand jury.
Postmaster General Payne soon after
the Presidents return to Washington will
report to him informally on the work that
has been done.
Postmaster General Payne today made
public the letter of former First Assistant
Postmaster General Perry S. Heath, in
reply to the charges made by S. w. Tul-
loch of this city, formerly cashier OF the
Washington city postoffice. The letter
follows:
Washington. June 2.-Postmaster Gem
eral Payne today made public the letter
of former First Assistant Postmaster
General Perry S. Heath. In reply to the
charges made by s. W. Tulloch of this
city, formerly cashier of the Washington
city postofflce. The letter follows:
Salt Lake City, Utah May 15 1903
''Hon. II. c. Payne, Washington. d. c..
MY Dear Mr.. Payne Il thank you
for your courteous letter OF the 18th and
Goth Inst. calling my attention to certain
assertions of one s. w. 'Tnlloch. ex-cash-
Ter of the Washington postofflce, and also
the statement of a Mrs Wnans, former
ly of Ohio, who Is quoted as saying she
was carried upon the rolls of the Wash
| ington postoffice with the understanding
that she was not to render service to
the government.
Superiors Were Deceived.
"If Mrs. Winans did not render SER
vices equivalent TO the compensation she
| received her superior officers were de-
! ceaved. | did not know the woman when
| she was appointed, and had no personal
interest in her. Her name was amongst
the large number always on my desk and
/ recall that she was well recommended
| for a certain position. did not and could
not attempt to personally ascertain
whether persons appointed to positions
! In postoffices rendered satisfactory SER
vice. do remember that this woman be-
came a nuisance about the postoffice de-
partment and that refused to see her.
She was reported to me by my chief clerk
| as being persistent In her demands for
promotion OF more desirable work. She
at last pretended to my chief clerk. so
he reported to me. to perform services
warranting promotion or better eompen-
sation.
The Job Was Too Big.
aBy the same token upon the same
line of comment employed by Tulloch
nearly. II not quite ALL of the transac-
tions of the executive departments in
Washington could be called into question
and improper motives could be assigned.
Necessarily / could not follow the de-
tails of the work of postoffice clerks; [
was compelled to trust to my subordi-
mates. and TO rely upon postmasters. We
| had change of administration; war;
the Amerlcanizing of an immense foreign
service and the taking over of vast ex-
panses of new territory. But | mastered
| as many details as possible and | proudly
hold myself responsible for all that did,
! for the humble part l took in the work
of the department
| Defends His Course.
II never appointed any persons to any
position or retained any one in any po-
/
| tion or idea that he or she was not to
| render full and honest service to the gov
| ernment for the nay received. The inti-
nation that there was an honorary roll
upon which persons were placed for po-
| litical or personal or other purposes than
good services, is a pure inveltion. 1t is a
| lie out Of the whole CLOTH sas are most
of the imputations Of Tulloch. If any
| such persons were so appointed and re-
tained 1t was through their dishonest de-
signs
"There was a period extending over
! many months when many more men were
demanded for service In Cuba, Porto Rica
and at military camps in our country
| than we could supply. We drew through
| larger postoffices for men from the class
| flied service. receiving many. but when
responses from postoffices ceased to be
SUFFICIENT we drew names from applicants
| from outside the classified service and
conscientiousiy selected those whose ca-
pability and character we deemed best