The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-18
BRIsTow,s REPLY TO TULLOCH.
Final Chapter of the story Started by
Ex-Cashfer TuIIOch.

Final Chapter of the story Started by
Ex-Cashfer TuIIOch.
WASHINGTON, June 1I~-Postmaster
General Payne to-day made public the re
ply OF Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen.
eral Bristow to the charges of Seymour w.
Tulloch, former cashier of the Washington
city postoffice regarding the irregularities
I'm the postal administration and also re-
ports of inspection and investigation of the
Washington postofice by inspectors be-
tween June 80, 1899, and July 81, 1900, to-
gether with the transcript OF the Tulloch
charges made some years ago and the con-
illusions thereon then reached by Post
master General Charles Emory Smith.
These papers constitute by far the most
significant documents yet made public as
a result of the sweeping postal investiga-
ton. The reports show the existence of
many Irregularities during the period in
volved. The inspector who investigated the
Irregularities reports that the files Of the
postofice cashier show direct orders from
superior authority for the disbursement
of all the questionable items cited. TIL in
spector urged that the responsibility for
the many illegal appointments, the pay
ment of two salaries to one and the same
person and the disbursement of thousands
of dollars for which practically no service
was performed, should be placed where 1t
properly belongs and the many abuses
corrected.
In a summary of the several reports the
postmaster general says: 1.-THE charge of
Mr.. Tulloch is, in its essence, against Pres
ident Mckinley and Postmaster General
Smith. President Mckinley is no longer
living, Postmaster General smith, who
carried out President McKinley's policy,
has answered for himself. With regard to
the present management of the Washing
ton postoffice and the conduct of any and
all men charged with wrongdoing who nave
been in the postal service under the present
administration, a thorough and searching
investigation is now being made and when
1T Is ended all the facts in the case will be
made public as also whatever action may be
taken In view Of such facts"
The postmaster general also says: ut will
be seen that the whole subject was taken
vestigated by him. AT the same time all
matters referred to in the charges affecting
the payment of bills, accounts and financial
dealings generally were under Investigation
by the controller of the treasury, and all
the expenditures referred to were allowed
by the auditor and controller with the ex-
ception of $780,"
Mr.. Payne quotes from the recently pub
lished reply of Mr.. Smith and adds that
these papers are now published 'in order to
complete the public understanding of a
matter, a large part of which has already
been published. The papers are filed with
out action, for the reason that they relate
to the business of a prior administration.
The subject matter of complaint is four
years old and all action hereunder was
closed over two years ago."
The documents made public to-day show
that on May last Mr.. Payne wrote a letter
to Mr.. Bristow calling attention to the pub
lished interview with Mr.. Tulloch and asked
Mr.. Bristow what truth. If any, there is in
part which speaks of your connection and
that OF the postoffice inspectors?"
Mr.. Bristow's reply: dated three days
inquiry of May 1, 1903, as to the truth or
falsity of the assertions of Mr.. 8. w. Tul-
loch that appeared in an interview by him
in the Washington Post Of that date. / beg
to hand you herewith an abstract of three
reports made by the inspectors on the con-
dition of the Washington postofice. The
transfer of the postoffice to Hon. John A.
Merritt, incoming postmaster, by Mr.. James
z. Willett, retiring postmaster, which oc-
CURED June 30, 1899. At the time this in
spection was in progress, as nearly as 1 can
remember, Chief Inspector Cochran and In
spector in Charge Smith called upon me and
advised me that the inspectors in the in
vestigation of the postofice had discovered
many Irregularities of a serious nature
which seemed to be authorized by the de-
| partment. AFTER DISCUSSING the matter at
some length with them / directed that a
report relating in general to the transfer be
submitted In the regular way and copies
of the same referred to the various divisions
or bureaus of the department, as followed
in other similar cases, and that a special
report affecting the Irregularities that
seemed to be authorized by the department
be submitted.
During the progress of the inspection
I was advised by the chief inspector that
Mr.. George w. Beavers, chief of the salary
on1 ollnuvanoa division bod
one of the inspectors that when he came
to certain appointments In some of the
stations that appeared irregular he had bet
ter make no reference to them, as they
had been ordered personally by the most
master general. L told the chief Inspector to
instruct the inspectors to report the facts
as they would in any other Inspections; that
/ did not believe the postmaster general
had knowingly authorized any Irregular
tiles.
Captain w. B. Smith. inspector In
charge. submitted a special report on July
6 as directed, an abstract of which is here
with submitted, marked Exhibit B. This
ing Irregularities, and l submitted it per-
sonally to the postmaster general, suggest
ing to him at the time that 1T contained
matters to which L thought he would want
to give his personal attention.
referring to the statement that I had
demanded a thorough investigation of the
Office Of the first assistant postmaster gen.
eral, L beg to state that Inspector in
Charge Smith, in his special report, hereto
fore mentioned as Exhibit B. stated that
he had discovered a condition of affairs
which in his judgment required an i'm
mediate, thorough and exhaustive investi-
cation. / submitted this report to the post
master general with my approval. but i
did not consider such approval as a de-
mand on my part that the office of the
first assistant postmaster general be inves-
tigated.
''The third report, dated July 81, 1900, an
abstract of which is herewith submitted,
marked Exhibit c. sets forth a number OF
Irregularities that prevailed at that time
in the Washington postofflce. This inspec-
ton was begun when L was absent from
the department. When 1 returned L was
informed by the chief inspector that CON-
plant was made to the postmaster general
that Inspector Little. who was engaged or
the work. was asking unnecessary Ques-
tons and seeking information which was
him TO instruct Inspector Little to make
the same kind Of an investigation of the
Washington postoffice that he would make
of any other office under similar circum-
stances, and to submit in a special report
anything which he thought should be called
to the personal attention of the postmaster
general. This he did, and l submitted the
special report TO the postmaster general
stating TO him that L understood from the
chief inspector that complaint had beer
made; that Inspector Little was asking
unnecessary questions with the possible
view OF embarrassing the department will
regard TO certain conditions In the Wash
ington postoffce. but that after inquiry
/ was clearly convinced that the question:
asked were not unnecessary or improper
and that l believed he would hold ths
same view after he had read his report"
The three abstracts of reports-Exhibit.
A. q and C-submitted by Mr.. Bristow ar,