The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-16
POSTAL FRAUD REPORT
Government Robbed Of Millions by
Conspiracy.
PRESIDENT APPROVES REPORT

Profits Of the Conspirators Estimated at
Between s30o.oO0 and S4oO. 900
Tyner. Mschen and Beavers Named as
Chief Offenders - President in Memo
randu1n Urges Punishment.
Washington, D. C.-The report OF
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow on the postal investigation,
given out, shows that in 1898 great
conspiracy to loot the Government was
started in the Postof1ce Department.
1t shows that that conspiracy spread
into division after division, until whole
sale robbery Of the people became
regular and recognized feature of the
letting Of contracts.
Attached to the report Of Fourth AS
sistant Postmaster General Bristow was
a memorandum written by President
Roosevelt, in which the President
stated that he approved of Mr.. Bris-
tow's findings and in which he declared
that the prosecution Of those officials
found guilty Of corruption must be
pushed with the utmost vigor.
Perhaps the most amazing feature OF
General Bristow's report Is the diSclos.
ure that while the Government was de.
frauded out Of millions on single deal,
the aggregate amount received by all
the official conspiratOrs combined did
not amount to over 100000 or $4O0.'
900. In other words, the public money
was thrown away in so reckless o fash.
ion that the robbers themselves did not
get more than a small percentage of
the golden stream.
A striking illustration Of this Is the
fact, cited by Mr.. Bristow, that Harri'
son J. Barrett received only $4,000 from
the Arnold Turf Investment scheme,
"yet that company defrauded the peo'
pie out Of over $3,000,000."
The President expresses no opinion
as to the guilt or innocence of Perry
S. Heath, formerly First Assistant
Postmaster General. contenting him.
self with calling attention to the fact
set forth in the Brlstow report that
Beavers. the former Chief of the Sal
aries and Allowance Division Of the
Fourth Assistant Postmaster-Generars
office, who is now under indictment.
made a direct charge that in at least
one instance he was compelled to share
bribe money with Heath, statement
that, it is admitted in the report, Heath
denies. and the evidence in support OF
which was not regarded by the District
Attorney as sufficient to warrant his
Indictment.
The President expresses regret that
the statute of limitations expires at
the expiration of three years from the
time Of the wrongdoing Of officials, and
urges that the time limit be extended
to at least FIVE years. as recommended
by the Attorney General.
One somewhat surprising feature OF
the Presidents memorandum is his
accusation against General Tyner, who
was summarily removed from the
office Of Attorney for the Postoffice De
partment and who the public has here
tofore believed was the victim Of dis
honest and designing subordinates.
The President, however. says TyneI
was knowingly and wilfully corrupt
He promises to use every endeayor tc
convict the indicted men. and in clos
ing his memorandum uses this phrase;
"The liberation Of the wrong, not the
exposure of the wrong. Is the real Of
fense."
The so-called Tulloch charges. relat'
Ing chiefly to the lax methods employed
in the Department when Heath was
First Assistant Postmaster-General,
are not referred to in the report now
made public.