The San Francisco call., 1908-11-20
TOPUT CHARGE
OF MISCONDUCT
AGAINST FISK
Ford Is Finally Discharged and
Viii Press Case Against
Local Postmaster
Declares He Will Ask ROOse-
Welt for Square Deal" in
Probing Alleged Felony

Serious charges against Postmaster
Arthur Fisk. Inspector James o'Connen
and Clerk J. J. Gallagher of the San
Francisco postofice will be filed with
President Roosevelt as the immediate
result of the dismissal yesterday of
Thomas J. Ford, superintendent of
mails at the Oakland postofice.
Fords charges. which will be filed
directly with President Roosevelt will
anege that Postmaster Fisk, Inspector
O'Conneu and J. J. Gallagher emascu-
lated and suppressed evidence against
Gallagher, who was charged by Ford
before the federal grand jury with
the commission of felony. The
grand jury failed to indict Gallagher.
Fisk, through his relations with Frank
Hitchcock, was enabled to secure Ford's
transfer from the San Francisco post
Office to Oakland. The man who had
made crooked work in the San Fran
cisco Office difficult was put out of the
way temporarily. The job which his
enemies did not dare finish before
election was completed yesterday. when
Ford was dismissed from the depart
ment. after "a years service.
The charges, which have been in
preparation for several months, were
merely hastened by the dismissal of
Ford. which followed Frank Hitch
cocks release from the duties of cam
paign manager, with characteristic ex-
petition. The charges, which Ford will
not intrust to the postofHce channels.
where former charges were buried by
Hitchcock, then first assistant post
master general, will be based upon a
grand jury investigation of a felony
charge which Ford brought against
Gallagher. one Of Fisks handy men,
who has been used as a messenger In
district machine politics.
SAYS HE CAUGHT HIM IN ACT
Ford alleged in April that he had
caught Gallagher in the act of using
Cancelled stamps. He says that when
he presented the evidence to Inspector
O'Connen. the usual practice of max
ing an immediate arrest or confront
According to Ford, O'Connell and other
postoffice employees to whom the can
celed stamps. on a package addressed
by Gallagher, were shown, recognized
the character of the offense at once,
but that Gallagher was given ample
time and notice to prepare a deefnse,
and that when grand jury investiga-
tion was forced O'Connen and Fisk as
sisted in twisting the evidence to make
it appear that Ford had put the worth
less stamps on Gallagher's packag ge.
Ford had previously filed charges
against both Fisk and O'Conneu. and
to discredit his charges against their
man Gallagher was to discredit his
charges against them.
Supported at Washington by Frank
Hitchcock, who had concealed the
charges against Fisk for months, Fisk
managed TO have Ford transferred to
the Oakland Office. That transfer was
not based on any allegation of crooked
work on the part of Ford, but upon
the allegation that he had discussed
his charges with newspapermen and
that he was responsible for the pub
licity given those charges.
AS a result of that publicity Fisk and
Hitchcock were forced to exercise every
power of the state and federal political
machine to save Fisk from official de-
capitation. With his larger duties as
campaign manager out of the way,
Frank Hitchcock promptly resumed the
job of vindicating his friend Fisk.
WHAT FORD SAYS
Postmaster Schafer of Oakland was
ordered yesterday to dismiss Ford on
the ground that the grand jury which
had failed to indict Gallagher had rec
commended that Ford be dismissed as
soon as it should be convenient for
the department to do so. Ford said
yesterday:
There are no departmental strings
on me now. am free to take charges
where they will receive honest atten-
ton. caught Gallagher red handed
in the commission of an offense which.
in the case of a postofice employe. is
felony. 1 presented a complete case
TO O'Connel and ample evidence of the
most conclusive character. Instead Of
confronting Gallagher. as is the almost
unbroken custom in the postofice,
OConnen gave him time to prepare a
defense.
The entire ring was employed to dis
credit and throw suspicion upon evil
dence that was as clear as day and
when the case came before the grand
jury was made to defend myself
against charge of investigating a
charge Of felony against a friend of
FISK and OConnell, whom 1 had seen
smudging the used stamps, which I
had in the possession of the inspectors
within a few minutes after Gallagher
gave the package to a clerk to mail
make no charges against the mem
bers Of the grand jury or against
the assistant district attorney. They
were deceived. / was a postoffice en-
ploye then. 1 could not go out of
postofice channels to protect mvseIf
! can now and 1 am going to President
Roosevelt for Square DEAL"
MRS. BBIGHTON INDIsPOSED
When the case of Mrs. f. n RIieb-
S9n; S9inl; whose business name is Miss Ida E