Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-03
End of the Postal Investiga-
tion in Sight.
WORK OF INSPECTORS
CRITICISM OF METHODS EN-
PLOYED IN TRYING CASES.
Officials Think They Should Be Con-
fronted by Their Ac-
cusers.

Every effort is being made at the Post
Office Department to shape up the report
that is to be made in the postal inyestisa-
ton.
Two rooms on the NTH floor that have
been set aside for the inspectors, in which
they work up their reports. have an ap-
pearance of desertion from the outside, but
are really scenes of activity. AS a rule
these Offices have the windows leading to
the corridors wide open in order to assist
the circulat ton of air. but they are now
generally closed up tight as bottles
In everything that Is being done In the
framing of these reports the greatest Sc
crecy Is maintained. 80 one knows when
the main report Is likely to be ready. No
one has the remotes. idea as to when the
invAstiagtion will be concluded. 1t is going
on with all the vigor that has ever char
acterized it. That is all that can be ascer-
tanned officially
An Unofficial View.
But unofticially and from sources that
cannot be quoted comes the intimation that
the investigation is nearing it's end and
that the chief work that is now to be done
is the completion of the report. 1t is point
ed out that every happening in the depart
ment indicates that efforts are being re-
doubled to bring the whole matter to con-
clusion IS rapidly as possible.
The preparation Of the report is said to
be a very great task indeed. First. there
are the reports of the inspectors who have
been assigned to special work. These are
to be embodied in the report or the chei
inspector and they will all go into the hands
Of the Fourth Assistant postmaster Ieh-
eral.
His report in turn will go to the POST
master General Lastly. there will be
report by the Postmaster General. and that.
accompanied by Mr.. Br!StOWS report, VIII
be sent to the President.
Criticism of Methods.
incidentally. a good many officials of the
department who are not involved In the de-
partment scandal criticise the manner in
which this whole investigation has been
carried on. and they say the method OF
ascertaining facts as pursued by the inspec-
tors could with great profit be improved.
In the first place. they look upon the secret
rooms in which testimony has been taken as
something in the nature of star chamber.
Witnesses are called there and qua s.
toned. Those whom they accuse are not
there to hear what they say. When mass
Of such testimony has been collected the
accused men are called in and asked certain
spec fc questions.
They do not know who has accused them
nor what has been testified to against them.
They reply to the questions asked them and
make such explanations they see fit.
Then they are excused and the inspectors
proceed to make up their minds whether
they are guilty or not guilty.
The next stage of the proceedings Is to
send this mass of testimony with the opin-
ions of the inspectors to the fourth assistant
postmaster general. He makes up his mind.
Then, if it is thought case has been made
out. the evidence is sent to the grand jury.
where. for the first time. proceedings in &C
cordance with legal requirements In trying
man pursued.
An official who IS thoroughly acquainted
with :he methods of the department. and
who is himself one of the strongest and
most active advocates of a thorough In
vestigation and the punishment of the
wrongdoers there. expressed the opinion
today that the method Of investigation
could be greatly improved without lessen
ing It's effectiveness so that greater justice
would be done men who are falsely accused
of misconduct.
He believed that men might be confronted
by their accusers, and. if they desired, be
represented by counsel so that the wit
neSses might be questioned at the time they
gave testimony and rebutting evidence if
necessary be brought in. He regarded the
present system as one that resembles pro-
ceedings under other forms of govern
ment rather than trials of citizens of a re-
public. He expressed confidence that a
more Just method could be secured without
causing unnecessary delay or in defeating
the ends of Justice.
personal enemy went before the inspectors
and made accusations that We're eventually
shown to be false and the accused man
was never able to discover the identity of
his accuser except by accident
An Effort for Reform.
If the feeling Of many of the officials of
the department is felt. after the present in
vestigation is over. there will be an effort
in the future to bring this subject up for
discussion with a view of obtaining some
notifications in the methods pursued by
the inspectors.
There are officials who would like to see
legal methods applied far as possible to
the trials of men in the service of the Post
Office Department.
While in criminal cases no ultimate injury
can be done an employee of the department
because his case Is tried in a court of law
yet 1t Is pointed out that these methods of
the inspectors In ascertaining the truth
or falsity of charges are final in deciding
cases that involve the removal Of employees
In the community
No Indictments Today.
No indictments were returned by the
federal grand jury today. and an adjourn
ment was taken at 80 o'clock this after
noon until tomorrow morning It Is be-
Neved that the grand jury Is about ready to
make report on one or more cases con-
nected with the Post Office Department in
vestigation. 1t is thought probable that
one or more indictments will be returned
tomorrow before the adfourn1nent fnr rho