Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-18

monthly to the treasurer of the State
organization.
We found upon examination of the
records and from the Cancelled re-
turned checks and the stubs of
the check books, that the money so
collected, or the greater portion thereof,
was distributed as salary and travelling
expenses. We also found that these pay
ments and this policy had been con-
tinued back to the time when Henry
Lincoln Johnson was national commit
teeman from that State. The records
showed, that he received the sum of
$500 per month. with various travelling
expenses added thereto. Ben Davis and
John w. Martin received salaries of
$3.50 per month, with many expense
items added to this salary.
Made $500 Payment.
The committee found that the post
mistress at Conyers, Ga, had secured
her appointment as postmlstresS at that
place through the payment OF $500 by
party whose name they would not
divulge. When the term of this post
mistress expired she was advised to see
Mr.. Martin, the Republican State treas
urer, at Atlanta and it had been in
timated to her that it would be well to
contribute another $500 to the State
treasurer The poStmistress had an in
terview with L. H. Crawford, the United
States marshal, and he advised her
not to contribute one cent; that she
had an excellent record and there
was no question of her reappointment.
Following this advice. she returned TO
her work feeling that she was safe and
would receive another appointment.
afterwards a
notice was received at the post office
at Conyers calling for an examination
to fill the Office of postmaster. Be-
coming alarmed, the poStmistreSS then
communicated with Mr.. Roscoe Pickett,
chairman of the Republican State CEN
trail committee of Georgia, and arrange
ments were made of a satisfactory ma
ture and the examination was called
off by telegraph. In private con-
acknowledged that $500 had been paid
in order to receive this reappointment.
She made the following statement to
the Department of Justice:
"a man, now dead, whose name / do
not want to disclose, went to see Mr..
Martin and gave him $500. to the best
of my knowledge and belief this money
being per cent of my salary for four
years. This was given as free-will
contribution This money was paid in
cash AS far. as know no receipt was
given by Mr.. Martin for this money.
/ believe this money was given to Mr..
Martin around the first Of December,
1926"
There are other similar cases. The
following is quoted from a statement
of Senator George of Georgia:
Thousands of dollars have been ex-
acted from the victims of this vicious
policy, not for party purposes, but for
the personal benefit, use, and enrich
ment of a few grafters. Not one cent
collected from postal employees in
Georgia has gone to support the Re-
publican ticket, State or national, but
all of it has been appropriated to the
private use of the officials of the Re-
publican party in Georgia except so
much as may have been necessary for
actual Office expenses of the Republican
State committee"
In South Carolina the committee
found as follows:
Testimony taken by the committee
and summing up of the affidavits sub
mitted with other testimony, it would
indicate beyond reasonable doubt that
practically all the Federal Offices were
placed on sale.
James H. McCord, postmaster at
I'm 1924 was called on by r. r.
Tolbert, brother of j. w. Tolbert, when
my reappointment was pending, who
stated that the expenses connected with
maintaining the Republican organiza-
ton and assisting with the political
campaign were too heavy for us to
bear alone and that we believed
postmasters who held their positions
should assist in paying these expenses
1t was insinuated that those who con-
tributed would retain their positions
and the impression was given me that
I would meet opposition for reappoint-
ment and retention If failed to con-
tribute :"
Continued in Office.
This man did contribute and was
continued in Office.
In one instance a United States at
torney in South Carolina and a mayor
of a large city recommended a man
known as king of the bootleggers" for
| appointment as a prohibition agent. He
| was given the place.
In reference to the patronage situa-
| ton in Mississippi, the committee found
most unusual condition existing rela-
| tive to the, barter and sale of Federal
patronage. This was carried on by
| the Washington referee for all patron
| age in Mississippi
In testifying before the committee
| Millar McGilchrist special assistant to
! the Attorney General Of the Depart
ment Of Justice who prosecuted these
cases for the department in, Mississippi
| gave some very interesting testimony
Mr.. McGilchrist told of a party leader
who had deposited about 5000 ir
a fV, iVa hi
| own name and that of his secretary. II
was evident he had obtained the money
| by selling public offices.
The records from the Department OF
! Justice produced by Mr.. McGilchrist
| further show that one man re-
! ceived a check from the Pullman Co
in the sum of $4,000 and from the cor
reSpondence in the files of the depart
ment it would indicate that he had re-
ceived this money to combat the
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters ir
their efforts to secure better wage
from the Pullman Co.
In Texas the committee found as fol-
| lows:
! In the case of Lloyd E. Hill of Fort
Worth, Tex, who served in the Span
ish-American War, on the Texas Dor
der and in the World War, and wa:
| gassed on the battlefields of France
the committee found that he signed 9
note for $1,000, payable to r. B
| Creager, at a meeting held at Fort
Worth, Tex, in the month of May. 1921
Mr.. Creager addressed this meeting and
Mr.. Henry zwiefel also was one of the
| spokesman, he later on being appointed
| United States attorney for the Dallas
district. Mr.. Hill informed the COM
nittee that he had discussed the mat
ter Of securing the appointment as