The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-30
SALARIES TOO HIGH
ASSISTANT POSTMASTERS GOT
MORE THAN THEY SHOULD.
SOME CLERKS ALSO LUCKY.
But PAYNE CONDONES SUCH
FAULTS AS THESE.

POstOffice Department Gives PrOmi-
hence to Counter Charges Against
TulIOch. the Man Who Has Made
Statements About the Workings of
the Department That Have Caused
1t Trouble Minimizes Reports
That Show an Unlawful Expendi-
ture for Salaries.
Washington, May 29.-Postmaster
General Payne to-day made public the
reply of Postmaster Merritt of this city
to the Tulloch charges. The Merritt
response makes serious accusations
against ex-Cashier S. w. Tulloch of
the Washington postofice, alleging that
a transaction in which Mr.. Tulloch was
concerned in 1898 appears to compre-
bend the presentation of a false vouch-
er, which is made a crime by the stat
utes.''
Mr.. Merritt's reply further alleges
that receipts were signed in blank on
the payrolls during Mr.. Tullochs re-
gime as cashier, and that the files do
not indicate any complaint of irreg-
ularities against the Washington post
office filed by Mr.. Tulloch while he
was in office.
Says His Accounts Were Tangled.
Mr.. Merritt says the general prac-
tice of giving employees duties SEEM
ingly incompatible with their positions
is no abuse, and that the practice of
paying certain expenses of the Post
ton city postoffice funds always has
existed and is proper.
Mr.. Merritt says the removal of Mr..
Tulloch was no mistake; that the ac-
counts were in a tangled condition,
and that Mr.. Tulloch refused to
Merritt asserts that a number of the
Irregularities to which Mr.. Tulloch
called attention were due to Tulloch's
own neglect or ignorance. Merritt says
he had discretionary authority to re-
move Tulloch, whom he charges with
being arbitrary in manner, with oc-
cupying much of the time with i'm
portant private business, and with be-
ing a "venturesome man in the field
of speculation"
Concerning alleged Porto Rican
dpuStS, McIIlll says the Ilndl account
therefor was settled with the auditor
without material loss. He says that
what Mr. Tulloch says were disallow-
ances by the Controller of the Treas
ury in the Washington account for the
quarter ended Sept. 80, 1898, amounting
to some $4,000 or $40, 600 were not such
in reality. They were, he says, merely
demands made by him for explanation
as to certain items in the account
frl, SIC
doubt about, amounting to a very con-
siderable sum, and the objections were
finally withdrawn.
Irregularities Don't Worry Payne.
Postmaster General Payne to-day
announced the completion of the inves-
tigation of the salary rolls of all the
first and second class offices in the
country. The irregularities reported
he says, all of which have been ordered
to be corrected Immediately, were the
payment to fourteen assistant post
masters of a larger salary than they
should receive under the departments
policy; payments to a few clerks of
more than the law allows and the ex-
istence of designations unknown to the
law for positions in seventeen postof-
fees.
Mr.. Payne said that none of these
items indicated any wrong doing, and
he regards this net result of the over
hauling of the rolls of upwards of 1900
presidential postoffices as gratifying
He has directed that such of these
changes as involve corrections of viola
tons of the law shall take effect next
Monday, and changes made to conform
to the rules and practice of the de-
partment will be operative July 1, the
beginning of the next fiscal year
Most of these excessive allowances,
l,o a. j.
istration of George w. Beavers, who
suddenly resigned his position as super
intendent of salaries and allowances
Immediately after the investigation of
the affairs of the Postoffice Department
began.
S. b. Croft, who was arrested for
completely in the Machen bribery case,
appeared to-day before United States
Commissioner Taylor and renewed his
bond of $1,000 for his appearance June
8, when he and his brother will be
given hearing.