The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-02
HEATH DECLARES
TULLOCH LIED
Former Assistant Postmaster General
Writes a Peppery Letter to
IN General Payne.
he Gives Tulloch the Lie Direct and
Makes Highly Interesting
Ill Revelations.
Accuses Friends of the Deposed Cash
= der of Attempting to Black
S,tE mail Him.

Eral Payne to-day made public the letter
of former First Assistant Postmaster Gem
eral F. W s. Heath, In reply to the
charges qade by S. w. Tulloch of this
city, formerly cashier of the Washington
city postoffice. The letter follows:
Salt Lake City, Utah. May %, 1908.
Hon. H. c. Payne, Washington, D. C.
My Dear Mr.. Payne:--
thank you for your courteous letters Of
a9th and goth inst, calling my attention to
certain assertions of one S. w. Tulloch,
ex-cashier of the Washington postoffice,
and also the statement of a Mrs. Winans,
formerly Of Ohio. who is quoted as saying
that she was carried upon the rolls of the
Washington postoffice with the under
standing that she was not to render serv-'
ice to the government. If Mrs. Winans
did not render services equivalent to the
compensation she received, her superior
officers were deceived. I did not know the
woman when she was appointed and had
no personal interest In her. Her name
was amongst the large number always on
my desk and I recall that she was we'll
recommended for position. I did not
and could not attempt to personally ascer-
tain whether persons appointed to posi-
tons In postoffices rendered satisfactory
service. I do remember that this woman
became a nuisance about the postoffice
department and that refused to see her
She was reported to me by my chief clerk
as being persistent IN her demands for pro-
motion, or more desirable work She at
least pretended to my chief clerk, so he
ranting promotion, or better compensa-
tion.
Doesn't shIrk Responsibility,
BY the same token. upon the same line
OF comment employed by Tul1och, nearly
II not quite all Of the transactions of the
executive departments In Washington
could be called into question and improper
1nfI ~
could not follow the details Of the work
OF postoffice clerks; was compelled to
trust my subordinates. and to. rely upon
postmasters. We had change of ad-
Ininistra tion.a war; the Americanizing of
immense foreign service and the taking
over OF vast expenses of new territory
But mastered as many details as posi-
BILE and proudly hold myself responsible
for all that did, for the humble part
took in the work of the department
never appointed any person to- any
position or retained any one In any posi-
lion at any time with any sort of notion
pr idea. that he or she was not to render
full and honest service to the government
z for the pay received. The iltimation that
there was an honorary rolf upon which
persons were placed for political Or per-
tsonal or other purposes than good. serv-
Ice, Is q, pure invention.
Gives TuIIooh the Lie. set
1t Is a, lie out OF whole cloth, as are
most Of the inputations of Tulloch. II
any persons were so appointed or retained,
1t was thru their own dishonest designs.
There was period extending over many
months when many more men were de-
4 manded for service in Cuba, Porto Rico
and at military camps in our country thar
we could supply. We drew thru the lar
ger postoffices for men for the classified
service, receiving many; but when re-
sponses from postoffices ceased to be suf
lficient, we drew names from applicants
:. outside the classified service and consci-
entiously selected those whose capability
and character we deemed best established
In this hurried work of appointments, hur.
ried dispatch Of men and materials tt
scenes Of action, some mistakes were
made, some condolences as to integrity
blasted but these things occur and will
so long as men live.
Visit to Porto Rico.
I made a visit to Porto Rico when the
Spanish form Of postal service was taker
over and placed under our system. I die
not seek the trip and never made more
disagreeable one or one where rendered
better service or made more sacrifice. Fol
every dollar expended, vouchers were rem
dered and accounting made. made 6
trip to the Pacific slope, believe In the
spring of 1893, in connection with condi
lions existing in postoffces at Portland
ding of the Alaskan mails and local con
gestions. for which a strict accounting
was made. Possibly Tulloch did not deem
these trips necessary, but I doubt if HI
had the slightest conception for what the.
were made or what was done upon them.
There are two personal references to M
in the Tulloch assertions that I desire t.
mention briefly, and the others I will pas
over as unworthy of mention or for repl,
from those who have had later access t.
the official records, for these incidents oc
Cured four or five years ago.
The GiImer Incident.
Complaints were made to me by clerk
in the postoffce department, or to officer
of the auditor for the treasury, that a.
employee Of the latter named Gilmer FIRE
quently entered their rooms and In
surly, offensive and peremptory name
demanded the records and carried Their
away without leaving any receipt, or sim
ply helped himself. and when a receip
was requested, snubbed the clerk maxim
the request. I was asked by our clerk
to request, and did request, of the treas
ury officials, that Gilmer be instructed t
act like a gentleman and to protect clerk
In the postoffice department by leaving re
ceipts for all records taken by him by tn
department.
A displaced document would naturall
subject the responsible clerk to censure
II not, indeed, a charge of dishonesty
What purpose Gelmer had in carryin
these records from the department d
not pretend to say. This incident had n
connection with Gilmer's work as auditor.
Tuloch's Threat.
The other reference relates to Tulloch'
displacement from the position Of cashie
in the Washington postoffioe The frs
distinct recollection have of Tulloch wa
i shortly after the induction Of Postmaste
Merritt and the appointment Of a ne'
cashier A numebr Of Tullochs friend
called upon me singly and asked me
intercede for his reinstatement. After
had steadily declined to make any inter
cession, one or two or more men Gale
and advised me as a matter Of polite
and prudence, to have him reinstated.
was advised that Tulloch had been CO
lecting evidence of improprieties in til
postoffice, and that If he were not reir
stated he would expose them; that
would be made to suffer, and Mckinley
administration would be scandalized.
remember to have stated to one
these irnportunate friends that coul
not conceive how an honest and conscier
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