The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-01-10
FISK TO FACE
A MORE RIGID
INVESTIGATION
Hitchcock May Be Called Upon
TO Explain Burial of
Serious Charges
incompetence and Violation OF
Civil Service Rules Are
Among Allegations
Employees of POstOffice Given
Plenty of Time to Conduct
Large Businesses

Postmaster Arthur Fisk viii be
called upon to answer charges in
volving neglect of duty. inoompe-
tence both on the part of himself and
of favorite subordinstes; the use of
his official position for the benefit of
the Southern Pacific political bureau;
violation of civil service regulations,
employment of postoface employees in
precinct politics and an explanation
OF the private commercial enterprises
Of favorite postofice employees.
Neither the burial of charges by
First Assistant Postmaster General
Frank Hitchcock. Willingly or unwit-
tingly assisted by John A. Holmes.
private secretary to Postmaster Gen
ersl Meyer, nor yet an investigation
OF the charges alleged TO have been
made BY Assistant superintendent of
salary and Allowance Hall viii serve to
keep mass of unsavory accusations
against the San Francisco postmaster
from President Roosevelt.
Charges Of Incompetence and neglect
Of duty made by Major General Greedy
In the summer of 1906, and charges
preferred in May. 1907. have been hid
den. thanks to Fisk's political friends
in Washington. from Postmaster Gen
erai Meyer and President Roosevelt
Hitchcock had announced that his
friend Fisk had made a splendid Of
fciaT' and Fisk's resppointment under
false colors was about TO be completed
when the character of the charges
made against Fisk months ago was
brought TO the presidents attention
through the efforts OF Congressman
Kahn and Hayes. The president has
ordered Risks nomination withheld. A
genuine investigation is to be made
and as a result OF that investiga ton
First Assistant Postmaster General
Hitchcock. Assistant superintendent OF
Salary and Allowance Harry Hall and
Private Secretary Holmes may be COM
PEELED to join Fisk in making explana-
tions, if in nothing more.
FISK MUST EXPLAIN
-Inonensive nepotism." which ac-
icording 10 Hitchcock was the basis of
the charges made by the unidentified
and 'insuhordinate7 clerk. will be the
feast OF the explanations Fisk will be
called upon TO make. The appointment
Of his law partner. Hull McCloughry.
~ deputy postmaster; his brother in
law, Ike Wertheimer, as cashier, and
one Of his uncles rs an extra Iaborer.
~hose labors consist Of assisting J. j.
Gallagher in guarding the postmastcr's
door, while other extra men do actual
labor in the divisions, viii all pass
muster. The same may be true OF
another uncle, named Gale. appointed
rs a Il borer or messenger in the regis
try division. where he discharged the
duties theoretically imposed on him
by snoozing in the office chairs. On
several occasions, overcome by his ex-
ertions on behalf of q soulless govern
snent. he had TO be carried out Of sight
OF patrons OF the Office by clerks en-
ployed in the division
The results OF Fisk's friendship for
several subordinates may not be so
easily explained as the harmless"
nepotism referred to by Hitchcock. a
postoflce inspector may be curious
about the private commercial enter
prises carried on by favorite employees
sn The San Francisco postofice. The
case Of Roger Reynolds, superinten-
dent Of the general service branch,
might attract attention.
JUST SUITS REYNOLDS
The post Of superintendent Of the
general service branch is peculiar to
the san Francisco Office. Tt is an ad-
5unct OF the executive branch of the
postofice and was created apparently
10 give Fisk's friend, Reynolds. a good
Job that would ht in nicely with HIS
private business, which from its magni-
tude should naturally enough claim the
major portion of Reynolds time and
attention.
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