Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-25

Payne had just reacneo the oepdr r'iheh|
from the station, after spending Sunday at
Gettysburg with Secretary Shaw. Mr.
Payne said he had not received any reports
from Fourth Assistant Bristow or other
officials working on the investigation, but
expected to before night.
The Postmaster General was enthusiastic
over the trip to Gettysburg. He has spent
the most interesting day of his life, he de-
clared, in going over the old battle ground
Neither he nor the Secretary OF the Treas
ury had eyer visited Gettysburg before. The
work of the commission in erecting monu-
ments as markers Of the points Of interest
on the battlefield was warmly commended
by Mr.. Payne.
Mr.. Christiancy Examined.
George A. c. Christiancy. law clerk of the
Post Office Department, who was given an
indefinite leave of absence as the result of
the abstraction by Mrs Tyner of papers
from the safe in the office of the assistant
attorney general, was at the department
today, and was examined as to matters
in the Office. Inspectors engaged IN the IN
vestigation of the department have been
very busy recently in the assistant attor-
ney generals office, and there have been
number of secret conferences between
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Brls-
tow, Assistant Attorney GeHerdl Ftopp anu
the inspectors.
Mr.. Tulloch's Comments.
Seymour W. Tulloch, former cashier Of
the Washington post Office, sees some weak
ness in the replies of Controller Tracewell
and Auditor Castle to his criticism of the
administration of postal affairs. Mr.. "rul-
loch'S comments made yesterday are as foi-
lows:
No doubt Mr.. Heath will appreciate be-
ing relieved of the responsibility of causing
the removal of Mr. Gilmer," said he. The
charge that he did not leave receipts for
accounts is recent and very lame. All such
papers should have been charged to Mr..
Gilmer by the file clerks, as they doubtless
were. They could only be obtained upon
regular file orders, and were usually deliv-
cred to him in bulk by the controllers own
messenger. There could have been no mo-
tive at all for Mr. Gilmer to obtain papers
in an irregular manner In all Mr.. Trace
wells public interviews heretofore upon this
subject he has never referred to such
charge 1t is plainly an after-thought.
But Mr.. TracewelPs reply is far from
being complete. He omits to state that as
result of the examination of the quarter
ended September 80, 1898, it was we'll known
that it was the intention of Mr.. Gilmer to
complete a thorough investigation of the
succeeding accounts of the Washington Of
flee; that he had already commenced upon
the account of December 81, 1855; that while
so engaged Mr.. Lawshe of Indiana, the
deputy auditor, came to the treasury build
ing and personally removed the bulky ac-
count, stating to Mr.. Gilmer that Mr.. Trace
well had agreed there should be no further
investigation; that Mr.. TraceweIl, who was
absent at the time, confirmed Mr.. Lawshe's
statement upon his return; that Mr.. Gilmer
afterward, for his personal protec-
ton, wrote out the verbal instruction to
leave New York and Washington alone and
had it signed by Mr.. Tracewell.
Mr.. Tracewell, instead of condemning
Mr.. Gilmer, should really take some credit
for the effect of his revision. 1t produced
ctGrp ion ir,f ha off nfE Eirct 1,,t
Postmaster General Heath. Persons upon
the complimentary roll were hurriediy Or
dered to report somewhere for duty; one
was told to dust the postmaster's inkstand
every morning, and it took some time for
matters to quiet down.
Reply Of Auditor Castle.
LAS regards the reply of Auditor Cas-
tie, 1 want to say that at the time of the
revision by Mr.. Gilmer he was an entire
stranger to me. l afforded him no as
sistance in his work, except that 1 would
not lie to protect prominent officials wheh
asked direct questions.
Mr.. Castle states that the whole result
of the revision was the disallowance of
exactly 81. That was something, for one
quarter at least, after every effort to pass
the account had been made by both the
Treasury and Post Office Departments.
controller which he could not approve,
upon the proviso that the irregular prac-
tees should be discontinued, and also after
salaries had been increased to offset other
disallowances.
But was the dsallowance of 81 the only
result? In spite of the statement by Mr..
Castle that Mr.. Gilmer's objections were
abandoned or overruled by the controller:
In spite of the fact that Mr.. Gilmer was
new to postal work and raised irrelevant
questions and in spite of the fact that the
accounts had been previously passed by
the auditor, were not the following results
wit do
by the Post Office Department? Were not all
postmasters directed to submit their office
pay rolls in the manner suggested, showing
the official designation of the employe an
nual salary and dates of service; have not
payments to physicians since been declared
illegal; did it not follow that all contracts
for rental of post office buildings and sta
tions were ordered filed with the auditor;
that proper vouchers were ordered printed
for official advertising: that payments on
account of the complimentary rolls had
to be transferred to other appropriations,
and were not disallowed on the ground of
service performed; that street car tickets
were ordered to be purchased from the COM
panieS and issued as required instead OF
cash allowances for same to employees; that
vouchers for kilograms were ordered to be
accompanied by copies of the messages ex-
cept when officially certified that the miss
ing messages were confidential; that pay
rolls correct In form were ordered printed
for railway postal clerks also for letter
carriers; that affidavits with regard to sery-
ices performed were required from parties
who found 1t convenient to furnish same
and that some of them never did?
Payment Of Double Salaries.
Among the incidental expenses of the
free delivery service suspended were for
salaries to certain employees who were also
paid for the same services for the same
period by the Department of Justice. and
the treasury officials were aware of the
fact.
with regard to the payments of trav-
cling expenses of officials and expenditures
on account of the Post Office Department
the auditor himself states: although not
Illegal this custom sometimes violates rules
of correct accounting Hence the auditor
frequently suggests to the department that
certain expenditures should not be order
ed paid by postmasters.' 1t was just the
absence of more vigorous suggestions of
this sort from the auditor. to which re-
ferred
Nor does Mr.. Castle altogether make