The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-23
WNNE AND WATERS ARE
EXAMINED BY N CAll'S
COMMITTEE OF PROBERS
Congressman Learn How Their
Names Were Put in the I'm
f1uence" Report.
OVERSTREET GETS LIST
And Detailed Information After
Writing Twice to the Post
office Department.

committee continued its investigation of
the indictment of members of the House
by the Postofice Department" First AS
sistant Postmaster General Wynne and
Charles " Waters, superintendent of sal
aries and allowance division. were before
the committee
Mr.. Wynne was the first to be heard.
After calling his attention to the printed
list of names of congressman in the special
report Mr.. Mccall asked Mr.. Wynne what
knowledge he had of this report. In reply
Mr.. wynne said: The first knowledge the
committee on postoffices ana postroads had
of the existence cf such list was in a
statement made by Mr.. Waters before the
committee in explanation of appropriations
for separating service. When this service
was reached in the hearing the chairman or
some member of the committee asked Mr..
Waters how many of these allowances had
been discontinued He said there had been
about 100. My recollection Is that another
question asked was if there was a list OF
these discontinued allowances and he an
swered that there was
This, Mr.. Wynne said, on Jan. IL. Mr..
Wynne said the next time the list came 10
his attention was on Jan. %. when the post
master general showed him a letter from
Chairman OVerStreet. This letter requested
all information which could be communl-
Gated by the fourth assistant postmaster
general with reference 10 allowances Tor
clerk hire and leases which had been mace
to members of Congress.
SENT TO OVERSTREET.
The postmaster general instructed Mr..
Wynne to procure the list. Mr.. Waters was
sent for by Mr.. Wynne He produced the
list, and Mr.. Wynne said he noticed that 1T
contained the names of senators. members
led n
the attention of the postmaster general,
said Mr.. Wynne. "and on my statement
that it would not be right to couple the
names of these gentlemen with Beavers
and Machen, he agreed with me-" The
names were eliminated and the list sent TO
Mr.. Overstreet without them.
The next day the postmaster general In
formed Mr. Wynne that this was not satls-
factory, and a letter from Mr.. Overstreet
asking for tie detailed information, was
read TO the committee. Acting under orders
from the postmaster general, the prepara-
ton of the printed list was begun. AS 10
making the record complete by copying
each letter in every case in full would
make a large document Mr.. Wynne sug-
gested TO the postmaster general an aDpre-
Waited statement. This was assented 10,
and when a number OF cases had been pre-
pared they were submitted 10 the post
master general and by him to Mr.. over
he was told. The work was completed Feb.
and transmitted TO Mr.. Overstreet the
next day This list contained the names
of members and was the list published In
the report.
Mr. Wynne stated that he had nothing TO
do with that part of the report concerning
leases; that when the request Tor the III
formation was received the letter was ci-
vided that part of ii which referred 10 clerk
hire was given to him. and that part re-
ferring to leases to the fourth assistant.
He had nothing to do with this part OF the
Mr.. Bartlett asked if this list was orig
inally prepared at the instance or the
postoffice committee.
Mr. Wynne answered that the list was
not so prepared, 1t was in existence. lie
added that Mr.. Waters might answer
that.
WAITRESS TESTIMONY.
Mr. Waters was then questioned He is
the successor of Mr.. Beavers as chief of
the salary and allowance disivion. He was
asked by Mr.. Mccall about the history of
the list.
Mr. Waters said that on the 1st of No
vember, 1903, the chief postoff1ce inspector.
Mr. Cochran, sent for him and told him
that on account of statements that would
be made in the Bristow report he wanted
to know how much work 1t would be to get
UP a list from the files of all matters relat-
ing to reductions for separating allow
ances He asked to have the statement
show whether the allowance when made
was excessive. Mr.. Cochran was told this
would entail large amount of. work. Mr..
Cochran asked ii il was safe TO say there
were a hundred such cases. The answer
was that about 200 reductions had been
made Mr.. Cochran said if Mr.. Waters did
not want to volunteer the information
he would have the fourth assistant write
letter asking for the information. Mr..
letter reCOl-
lection was that the letter was later re-
ceived, although he put his clerks at WORK
to prepare the list at once. The letter,
however, is not on file in his papers and
he concluded that IL was never received.
The list was prepared UP TO Nov. 10, 1903.
Mr. Richardson, of Alabama, questioned
Mr.. Waters to know if the impression made
on his mind by Mr.. Cochran was that 100
cases were wanted where members of Con-
gress were mentioned.
That was the impression, although Mr..
Waters said Mr.. Cochran was a fair man
and he did not get the impression that he
wanted at least a hundred cases This
did not bear date. There was an addi-
ton made 20 il the request of the chief
inspector, which ran 1T up to $40 cases.
Still another addition was made and the
not about through Mr.. Waters replied to
him that the record was constantly &C
cumulating.
At the request of Mr.. Bartlett the origi-
nal list was produced and retained by the
committee.
Mr.. Bartlett went over the ground again
with Mr. Waters to get his impression of
the reason Inspector Cochran wanted the
list in the first instance. and asked: did
he give you any reason?"
II inferred from the conversation that
statement had been made or he was called
upon TO make statement about the num-
Der of such cases and he wanted to know
III il was safe 10 say that no one could tell
without referring TO each and every case?'
Mr.. Waters told of taking the uncom-
pleted report to the Arlington Hotel about
$50 o. m. about Jan. 80 to submit IL TO
Postmaster General Payne. Mr.. Payne was
not there and he left it in a sealed envelope.
When the whole list was completed he had
given the remainder 10 Mr.. Whitney Mr.
Payne's private secretary. and had not
seen it since.
Mr.. Wynne stated that il was trans
mitted TO Chairman Overstreet through the
postmaster generals office The hearing
adjourned and the committee went into ex-
ecutive session. Ii is understood the COM
mittee is DESTROYS of hearing from Post
master General Payne. Inspector Cochran
and Chairman Overstreet.