The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-01-06
From Tuesdays Daily.

John L. May and Eugene Coy, rurai
route mail carriers, have been dismissed
from the government service. They were
charged with having displayed too much
"pernicious activity" in politics. But
the milk of the cocoanut is that these
two gentlemen were not doing regular
stunts for Congressman James L. Nc
Cleary during the pre-primary campaign
last fall. Because these faithful servants
of the government did not sound the
praises of Congressman McCleary, they
have been given their ticket of leave"
Some weeks ago Postoffice Inspector
III. O. Smith came to Nankato and pro
ceeded to investigate the so-called poll
teal conduct of the letter carriers who
had fallen under the displeasure of Con-
gresham McCleary. These were May
Coy and Bates, but Bates remains in the
service. while the other two men are dis
+ missed.
Both carriers were notified of their
desapitition last night by special de-
livery letters from Washington.
Mr.. Coy is president of the local
branch of the Rural Mail Carriers as
ISOLATION.
The following is the correspondence
which passed between the government
and the carriers.
" The first letter purports to be the no.
tiication to Mr.. May of the charges
against him:
Nlankato, Mimi, December 3, 1904
Mr.. John T. May, r. +. D. Carrier No.
3, Mankato, MINI. Sir: 1 have to adj
wise that certain charges have been
made to the postoffice department rela-
tive to your conduct in the official posi-
tion which you hold.
1t is claimed that, during the recent
contest in this district for the repub-
lican nomination to congress between
Hon. j. T. McCleary and Hon. H. j.
Miller, you were an active supporter of
the latter.
That you based your opposition to Mr.
McCleary largely on the fact that you
had not done all that he ought in sup
port of measures affecting the interests
of rural carriers.
1t is charged that you were PERM
ciously active in your opposition
the candidacy of Mr.. McCleary, during
the time prior to the primary election on
September 20, 1904
That you engaged in conversation
with many persons relative to his can
didacy, this with the intent and in the
endeavor to influence votes against him.
1t is charged that you did this not
only when off duty, but also while en-
gagged in serving your route, making it
your business to talk with patrons gem
orally, and others whom you met on the
road, in opposition to Mr.. McCleary,
thus delaying the delivery of mail and
endeavoring to gain votes for his oppon
ent by the use of your official influence.
while serving your route, you distributed
a certain circular bearing the heading
Lumber Trust Fight Miller" both hand
ing them to patrons, whom you met and
engaged in political conversation, and
leaving them in mail boxes, the same
bearing no postage and not having been
received by you as part of the mail
enclose, for your information, copy of
the circular which it is alleged that you
ask for its return.
1t is charged that your activity in OPP
position to Mr.. McCleary was not only
unsuitable and did not indicate sense
of property in an employee of the clas-
sified civil service of the United States,
but that it was in positive violation of
section No. ZIG of the Postal Laws and
Regulations and of the order of the post
master general, bearing date October l.
l'OA, ItIdIiuS W poiIliodi dCtiNlIy oh tuc
part of employees of the postoffice de-
partment.
| would be pleased to have your writ
ten reply to these charges at your ear.
lest convenience and in any event prior
to the Sth instant. Address me here
Very respectfully,
H. 0. SMITH,
Postoffice Inspector.
The following are the answers filed by
Messrs. May and Coy:
Mankato, Mimi, Dec. 18th, l0O4.-IIon
III. O. Smith, Postoffice Inspector, Man
kato, MINI. Dear Sir: Yours of the
Sd inst. in regard to the charges that
have been made to the postoffice de-
partment relative to my conduct in the
congressional campaign in the second
congressional district, state of Minneso-
ia, at hand.
In reply thereto would say, that !
deny that in the recent contest in this
district for the republican nomination to