The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-09
washington Correspondence New
York SUM-

~ ANSW
York SUM-
Further developments are expected
when Congress re-assembles after the
holidays in the interesting North
Carolina Republican political row.
which. as told in a Washington dis
patch printed in The Sun of Thursday,
involves a lawsuit over the failure OF
a party worker in that state 10 &C.
a federal Office and his allegation that
United States Judge Jeter c. Pritch-
ard, formerly United States Senator,
and Thomas S. Rollins. his son-in-law.
chairman Of the Republican state ex-
ecutive committee. have more that so
relatives by blood or marriage who
hold positions of profit under the gov
eminent.
The nomination of Major W. w.
Rollins, father of the state chairman,
as postmaster at Asheville, has been
made, and if the matter Of alleged
| nepotism in North Carolina is not air
ed in the Senate when Major Rollins
name comes up for confirmation a res
olution calling on the postofice de-
partment for certain information re-
| garding the Asheville postoffice will,
it is understood, be introduced in eth
er the Senate or the House.
H. S. Anderson, who Is mainly re-
sponsible for the present aspect OF
the factional trouble among Republic
can Tar Heels through his unique suit
| at law to recover damages from sew
eral prominent North Carolinians, in
GLIDING Chairman Rollins and three
! federal Office holders, for failure to
| carry out an alleged written agree
ment to get a federal Office for him,
wrote a letter the other day to VIII
liam H. Moody, the attorney general
of the United States, giving notice that
| Mr.. Moody would be called as a
witness in the suit to testify whether
| he had said that AnderSOn's allega-
tons against Rollins and others were
"a tissue of lies" Anderson said in
| the letter that more than so relatives
of Judge Pritchard and Chairman Roll
Inns were drawing salaries from the
United States government. and he al
SO charged that Jacob L. Ray, a step
son of Judge Pritchard, had been ap-
pointed to the postal service in VIOLA
ton of law and regulation. 1t is the
case of Rays appointment that will
form the basis for the inquiry which
one of the houses of Congress will be
asked to make.
That the charges made by Anderson
of irregularity in Rays appointment
will be borne out by the official rec
ords. there seems to be no question.
He was appointed a clerk in the
fourth class postoffice at West Ashe-
Vile at $500 a year, without the know
ledge of the postmaster, who. in fact,
wrote, to the p~ostofice department that
he did not need any assistance. The
postmaster was receiving only $500 a
year. and the from his office
we're only about 500 a year.
The allowance for Rays pay was
made by George W. Beavers. ormerl
chief of the salaries and allowances
division of the p~ostofice department
who will soon be brought to trial fol-
completely in the postoffice fraud
Through whose influences the allow
ance was made it is impossible to as
certain officially, but Ray secured the
appointment upon the recommendation
of his s%tep-father, Senator Pritchard.
The object of the allowance ami ap'
pointment was soon apparent, 1o'
within two months the West Ashevllle
Dostof6ce was consolidated with the
Asheville, which was in the classified
service, thus bringing Ray under TIE
protection of the civil service and en-
abling him to be promoted to a more
lucrative position in the postofice de
partment.
The case is similar TON fact al
most Identical with-one Of the cases
which formed the basis of charge:
against Justice Hooker, OF the New
York bench, who secured unnecessary
allowances for clerks in postofhces II
what was then his Congressional dis
trict. in order to provide places 10
, relatives and friends at the expense o
the government.