Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-29
A FEW IRREGULARITIES
NO NEW DEVELOPMENTS BY MR..
BRIsToW TODAY.
Postmaster Merritt's Reply to Mr.
Tulloch's Charges Now Being Con-
sidered-S. A. Croft Renews Bond.

The salary tables of all hrSt ana Secoiio-
class post offices in the United States have
been thoroughly scanned and irregularities
to the extent of $500 only have been dis
covered. The Irregularities. Mr.. Payne says
are entirely due to clerical errors, and con-
sist of clerk here and there getting lit
tie more salary than the law or the prac-
tice of the department allows.
These errors are all to be corrected, some
Immediately, where violations of law have
been made and others on the list OF July,
where the regulations or practice or me
department have been disregarded. This
result has nothing to do with the large
number of promotions that were held up,
which were to go into effect on July next,
and which are now being investigated.
The report detailing the result of the in
vestigation was made by G. M. Waters, act
ing head of the salary ard allowance divl-
sion. continuance of the investigation is
in progress and will result in a report being
made regarding the salary list of the third
and fourth class officers.
Irregularities in Detail.
In detail the Irregularities found were
stated by Postmaster General Payne as fol-
lows: -. .$
In fourteen second-class Offices the salary
OF the assistant postmaster was found to
be in excess of 30 per cent of the salary
of the postmaster. This is violation of
the practice of the department, which is
based on the law regarding the salary of
the assistant postmaster in firSt-clasS Of
fees. In the latter case the law fixes the
salary of the assistant at 80 per cent OF
that of the postmaster, and. while this
law does not apply to second-class offices,
the same practice has obtained.
Beginning with the next fiscal year, the
fourteen assistant postmasters will have
their pay reduced to just half the amount
of their chief This condition prevailed at
the following ofices Cairo. H.; Clarinda.
Iowa. East st. Louis. ILL.,: Flushing. Ere
donna and Geneva. N. Y: Freehold, N. j.;
Warren. Pa: Hagerstown. Md. Ports
mouth. N. H.: Stamford. Conn; Stevens
Point. Wis: and Ponce and San Juan,
Porto Rico
He has found thirty-six officials in the
postal service who hold office under desig-
nations not authorized by law, and directed
that their positions be changed to conform
to the law governing them. They were in
the following offices: New Orleans. New
York. Washington, Chester, Pa; Los An
geles. Louisville. Louisville. Nashville,
Newburgh N. Y: Utica and Chicago.
Among these designations not authorized
by law are superintendent of stations
(although there Is a superintendent for
each separate station), auditor of sta
TONS" inspector of stations" etc. Viola
lions of the law which fix the maximum
salary of clerks in second-class post offices
at $1,000 year, except in the case of as
sistant postmasters. will be corrected at
rytOwn. N. Y. and San Juan. Porto Rico.
The investigation disclosed eight post Of
fees at which in all thirteen clerks receive
more than the salaries to which their des
ignated position as assistant super.ntend-
ents" entitle them, and in these cases the
Postmaster General has directed that the
salaries be accordingly reduced. This order
affects two positions in Louisville. KY.
two in New York city, one each in Brook
Ign. Philadelphia and Detroit. four in st.
Louis and two in Boston. The maximum
salary of these positions, by law, is a
stated percentage of the salary of the post
master.
The Postmaster General has directed that
such of these changes as involve correc-
lions of violations of the law shall take
effect next Monday. and changes made to
conform to the rules and practice of the
department will be operative July l. the be-
ginning of the next fiscal year. Most of
these excessive allowances were made dur
Ing the administration of George w. Beav
ers. who resigned his position superin-
tendent of salaries and allowances i'm
mediately after the investigation of affairs
OF the Post Office Department began
Mr.. Payne is confident that in none of the
cases mentioned Is there any Intentional IT.
regularity. and he considers the result of
the investigation as showing a remarkably
good condition. Especially when the large
number OF post offices coming under the
head of first and second class is taken into
account.
No New Developments.
While there were no developments in the
investigation which is being conducted by
Fourth Assistant Bristow. there are evil
dences of constant activity on the part OF
that official.
Assistant Attorney General Robb has left
the city for few days stay at his home
in Vermont, and the usual conferences be-
tween inspectors were all held in the office
of Mr.. Bristow today.
MIR. Bristow was frequent visitor to the
office of the Postmaster General, but re-
peated questioning of both officials resulted
In no hint regarding the next development.
Mr.. Payne was asked today regarding
his statement last night that there was one
charge against Mr.. Beavers duplicating
MIN In proht sharing in purchases made for
the postal service.
II did say that" replied Mr.. Payne but
IL was In answer to question which was
put to me. 1t is. however. no late news
as the statement was made in New York
paper over a month ago, and generally
commented on at the time"
Mr.. Payne replied, in answer to a uues-
tlon' that he was not in correspondence
with Mr.. Beavers. who is in Brooklyn and
that he had not requested mis- presence in
washington. 1t Is understood that the in
Vesugaion into the affairs of the bureau
over which Mr.. Beavers presided is pro-
crossing without abatement
was there any pressure brought to bear
on Mr.. Beavers to cause him to resign?''
Mr.. Payne was asked.
HE resigned while was on my SOUTH
ern trip" was the only reply Mr. Payne
would make.
Postmaster Merritt's Letter.
The second letter which Postmaster, Mer
ritt has prepared in reference to the Tul-
loch charges is now before the Postmaster
General. Mr.. Payne announced today that
he expected TO complete the reading of Mr..
Merritts statement this afternoon, and
would then make 1t public Mr. Merritt's
reply. he said was somewhat lengthy and
dealt in detail with matters relating to the
Washington city post office. but entirely
prior to the Merritt administration
s. A. Croft Renews His Bond.
Samuel A Croft appeared with his attor-
ney. Samuel Maddox. before United States
Commissioners Arson S. Taylor at his Of
nee. 1905 street, at 1920 o'clock this
morning and renewed his bond of 5000
for his appearance before the commissioner
on June o for a preliminary hearing
The 10000 bond OF Diller B. Groff was
renewed before Commissioner Taylor yes
terday. Attorney Maddox and Diller F.
Gron. a son of Diler B., went on the bond
OF the latter. and Alvin w. Chaplin acted
as surety for Samuel A. Croft