Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-19
AUDITOR h. A. CASTLE
Makes Statement as to Tul-
loch's Allegations.
RECKLESS AND FALSE
HIS CHARACTERIzATIo OF SOME
OF THEM.
Postmaster General Does Not Now
Know When the Investigation
Will Be Completed.

/,
been the means, it would seem, OF stirring
up all kinds of trouble.
Postmaster General Payne's comments on
Mr.. Tulloch's statement, which have been
given considerable space in the newspapers.
| were the sole topic of discussion in circles
down town today.
Friends of the Postmaster General who
realize and declare that he is placed In an
| embarrassing position by having to invest-
gate abuses or Irregularities that are alleS-
| ed to have taken place under former ad-
ministrations. say that he was right in re-
| ferring to Mr.. Tulloch's letter as stump
speech"
| Mr.. Tulloch has many friends in Wash
| ington where he has lived for years. nearly
a score of which he was an official of the
city post Office and they do not hesitate
to say that his letter to the Postmaster
General was dignified one and that 1t IS
| document that is worthy of courteous
consideration, inasmuch as 1t was asked
for by the Postmaster General.
Mr.. Payne said this afternoon that he
had not received answers to any of the
letters he sent to persons whose names
We're mentioned in Mr.. TullochS statement.
He said he had written for further in
formation but it was too early to ex-
pect replies.
Auditor Castles Statement.
Mr.. Henry A. Castle, auditor for the Post
Office Department when asked IL he had
anything to say regarding the Postmaster
Generals statement concerning the Tul-
loch charges, given to the press yesterday
afternoon, said he had not received any
communication from the Postmaster Gen.
eral. He said he was looking for letter
from Mr.. Payne, and he would answer il in
detail.
IF you will call around little later"
Mr.. Castle told representative OF The
Evening Star, II think I will have some
thing to give you on the subject
When The Evening Star reporter return
ed. an hour later, Mr.. Castle gave to him
this typewriter statement:
II have not yet received the Postmaster
Generals letter transmitting abstracts OF
Mr. Tulloch's complaints referring to this
office, but my reply will be brief, prompt
and think conclusive.
Il shall welcome the opportunity for 4
have had special satisfaction in the record
of this bureau in settling the accounts OF
the Spanish war period We now have six
hundred employees. of whom more than
four hundred are themselves auditors. set
ting an average of more than two thou
sand accounts every working day
Il see but few Of these accounts but I
did carefully review the, work which iu-
vowed the Spanish war episodes and
assumed the responsibility for the settle
mentS finally made
Under a decision of the Supreme Court
of the United States accounting officers ara
not judges of the necessity the extrava-
gance of an expenditure. They are only
concerned with its legality under some
available appropriation and the sufficiency
of the vouchers.
Some of Mr. Tulloch's statements are
reckless and others absurdy false
THE controller never disallowed $4,000
that had been approved by this office. Ny
recollection now is that less than 81 600 was
finally disapproved. and hat of that
amount considerable portion was simply
charged under another head.
Il will however. refresh my recollection
by going over the official files before
answering the Postmaster Generals let
ter
Mr.. Castles attention was specifically
called to the comment of Postmaster Gen.
eral Payne yesterday. in which the latter
stated that to his mind the most serious
part of Mr.. Tulloch's charges Ielated to
the auditor of the Post Office Department
and the controller of the treasury-the
charge being that they suppressed an in
vestigatfon at moment when pay dirt"
to use the Postmaster Generals words, was
about to be turned over.
IF what is alleged is true, those officers
ought to be impeached," the Postmaster
General is quoted as having said
Mr.. Castle said he had nothing to say at
this time other than what was contained
in his statement printed above.
No Time for Investigation to End
No one seems to know when the general
investigation of affairs in the Post Once
Department will be completed. Several
weeks ago Mr.. Bristow. the fourth assist
ant postmaster general. who has general
supervision and direction of the investiga-
ton, said he thought he would be able to
submit a report to his chief by June l.
Mr. Bristow admitted today that he made
a wrong calculation. He said IT was out
of the question to be able to complete the
investigation by the first of the coming
month.
''Can you give any idea as to how much
longer it will take?' he was asked
II confess that 1 am unable to say just
when 1 shall be ready to submit report"
rs 1t likely to be month or two months
longer?"
That can't say
''Is 1t due to more charges that are being
filed from time to time, or Is 1t due to the
ramfcations of the charges that have been
under investigation up to this timer"
II don't know that can give the desired
on that subject"
Postmaster General Payne said he had
been informed by Mr.. Bristow that 1t
would require more time than the latter
had anticipated.
noon that the investigation of the Washing
ton post office by inspectors detailed by the
civil service commission had been com
pleted He did not impart any information
that would shed light on what the investi-
cation may have disclosed.
The newspaper men who gathered in tho
Postmaster Generals private office this af-
far a postmaster may violate with impunity
the rules of the civil service commission
which are promulgated by the President OK
the United States.
Mr.. Payne explained that ii was custom
ary. when his attention was called by tho
civil service commission to violation or
the civil service rules in post Office, to de-
tail an inspector on the case and If II wero
found to be really violation of the rules
a correction of the abuse was ordered
What Mr.. Tracewell Says.
Mr. r. ]. Tracewell. controller of thu
said at noon today that he had
not received any further communication
from Postmaster General Payne relative to
the charges of Mr.. Tulloch. former cashier
Of the Washington post Office. but II be
did receive such a communication he would
send prompt answer. Mr.. Trace'Relrs
first letter to the Postmaster General in
response to request has never boer made