The Washington herald., 1910-06-17

ment's Agent-Attorney Issues IA
Statement Denying Accusation.
Following an investigation by the Fed
eral grand jury of an alleged attempt 10
bride post-offiee inspector In the matter
of furnishing the stock for the new pos
tai cards, q statement was made last
night by high government official that
the next twenty-four hours would prob
ably develop some further interesting
things IN connection with this question
between the Post-0fffce Department and
the Government Printing ONCE.
II cannot say anything now" he said
''but II this matter is fully aired there
may be time to talk
cit is a question which 1 believe VIII
reach the proportions OF a Congressional
inquiry"
Claim Attempted Bride.
/ Post-office INSPECTORS are reported to
/ have discovered what they claim was an
attempt to bribe w. P. Zantzinger. the
Post-ofAce Departments agent In the
Government Printing Office.
/ The evidence was placed before, the
grand jury, ard officials Of the Post
office Department say that an indictment
was returned
Peter C. Thompson, Of Hamilton. Ohio,
is president OF the Champion Coated Pa
per Company, and is charged with at
| tempting To bride Zantzinger
r. Golden Donaldson, attorney for the
| accused man, says he viii appear imme-
diately when wanted. Mr.. Donaldson SO
Informed the authorities.
Although MIR. Thompson's whereabouts
could not be located. the following state
ment was given 10 the press as coming
/ from him:
! Statement of Attorney.
There is 10 truth whatever in the report Of the
attempted bribery of the government e0ipioye r.
feTTed To- This man came 70 our mill % suggest
improvements ia the writing surface Of the new
post cards
While there he Voluntarily gave me information
regarding certain actions q a former ezaploye who
had lately represented Us "a Washington and who
had brought suit against Us claiming large com
mission this Contract 20 which he Is nCt entitled
and he agFsed with me TO keep me posted as 10 ans
further actions by this former enFloye Tor which
agreed 10 uag him. and ] did send hiIn 500 and
nothing moTs f0T this service but for no other con
sldeTztiOns Whatever,
The facts arc exactly as stated above ard that /.
sll there is 70 the case, ard absolutely limo
cent Of any WTOugdong. either intentional OF in
Piled
Mr.. Thompson. it is said. came &c
Washington at once when he heard OF
the accusation and prepared to meet hi.
accusers.
Passes ON Quality.
Zantzinger as postal card agent Is re-
quired to pass upon the quality OF the
paper used. and the inspectors say ID
] 4.
stantial sum TO make a certain report.
Complaints began to pour into ths
Post-ofice Department about two week:
ago that though the new postal card:
which were being gradually distributed
were different from the old ones Their,
was ne improvement
Postmaster General Hitchcock. who ba,
taken a personal interest in getting tn
new cards. Immediately ordered the sail
of the inferior cards stopped. and ha,
an inves Jgation started to discover how
the inferior stock came to be passed.
First, he ascertG!ned that ZantZinge
was the only one who passed on tn
} stock. He then had an extra man de
tailed on the inspection to check up Zant
ginger. Inspector Beach. OF the Chemi
cal division OF the Bureau Of Standards
was named.
Was NrOngfuIIy Approached.
Then, according 10 an official OF tn
department. it developed that Zantzinge
had been wrongfully approached in re
gard TO passing certain stock for IN
cards. Upon his report the matter wa
, promptly turned over 10 the legal de
partment of the government
Zantzinger absolutely refused last nigh
, to speak of the investigation or of hi
experiences.
Pursuant to the efforts Of Postmaste
Z General Hitchcock to remedy the man,
complaints of the poor quality Of posta
; cards, number of investigations an,
experiments were made.
) This resulted in the selection OF
} stock that was both attractive and dur
| able. as well as lighter and in ever.
way superior to the buff cards so lOnl
= In use. Upon the recommendations o
the Post-ofice Department the Publi
Printers office closed a contract wit
the Champion Coated Paper Company.
Considerable Amount Distributed
The various locations and wide rang
of the complaints indicated that a con
9 siderable amount OF stock had been dis
c tributed and an order was dispatched Z
= the Public Printer to furnish only tn
d quality specified in the contract. All o
c the cards of inferior stock sent out vii
c be destroyed.
Who win stand the expense. the gov
eminent of the contractor, could not
determined last night. Apparently IN
!. action Of the government in acceptin
1 the stock, and cutting and printing II, re
8 lieves the contractor. II il is shown the
inferior stock was wrongfully passe
: upon, II probably viii mean the eancells
ton Of the contract and a strict criming
/. prosecution Of some one.
The expense of the loss has not bee
estimated, bat it VIII run into thousand
of dollars.
e Further bearing on the card contrae
d Il was stated at the Government Print
ing Office that il had been found in
! perative a number Of times to bar som
" of the stock furnished on the contrac
:. The total of these reflections, It wa
3 authoritatvely stated. was close 70 1000
:, pounds.
The postal contract. according to a
official Of the government, whose name
withheld, is pointed TO as the most cost
6 blunder of the printing Office, and is eV
= IDENTIFY going to cause the Public Printe
= a severe jar.
Aside from his reported inability
keep up with the contract through h
:. failure properly TO prepare for getting
Is out before the work commenced. he he
= been handicapped oy the rejection Of
= majority Of the paper rolls
= Then when he has had sufficient stoc
= he has been compelled to run the press,
day and night at extra cost, and it
&c said that he is now behind on the col