Year: 1876

CHARGES AGAINST HoLBRooK AND oBRIEN-


THE WITNESSES AGAINST THE POST OFFICE


DEPARTMENT.


FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.


WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 10, 1915


Since the Post once Committee OF the House have
begun to examine into the management Of the Post
once Department they have como upon some volun-
tarY witnesses, against whom the Post Office authori
ties bring serious charges which the Department does
not hesitate TO make public. The following Is
tract from letter dated Chicago February II, 1876
and 1le in the Post ONCE Department and fur
nshed by an officer for publication.


The charges against Mr. Hobrook (while
clerk in the Chicago Post Ofce) include drunkenness
gambling and dishonesty


OF the first two there appears 10 be so much proof
that reference to particular instances seem hardly nee
essary


Upon the charge of dishonesty certain specific in
stances are stated, as follows:-Mr. r. A Gilmore,
Postmaster 1867, had reason to think that the
counts of Mr.. Hobrook were not right Holbrook was
then Superintendent of the Money order Department.
Mr.. Gilmore watched him, and evening him go
TO the safe and take out some money He then caused
him to be followed. Holbrook went to gambling
house and that evening los. $500. An examination OF
his accounts was made, and was found that he was
deauter to the extent of 81, AGO. Hobrook admitted
that he had taken the money and had lost it at the
gambling table, The proprietor of the gambling house
was forced TO refund the money.


The letter quotes i've or six similar cases, giving
Of all the parties, and signed by responsible
gentleman who states that all the charges are suscep-
tibe of proof all the parties concerned now living,
cept Mr.. Gilmore.


o'BRIEH's CHARACTER


Concerning OBrien, another witness, the following
is furnished on the same authority


Edward II. O'Brien until quite recently clerk
IN the contract office of the Post Office Department.
His attempt to implicate the Postmaster General and
the Second Assistant Mr.. Pyner in the alleged frauds
connected with the postal service makes il necessary
to state the circumstances attending his dsconnection
with the Post ONCE Department He inspection
clerk and such was charged with the duty of certi
tying to the performance Of service on steamboat
line between Evansville Ind, and Cairo, Ill. During
last summer Mr. Pyner accidentally discovered that in
certifying to tho service of this company OBrien had
for period of consecutive quarters failed to
make any reductions impose any fines against
said company, although the ordinary evidence
on file from postmasters ON the route showed
conclusively that deductions to the amount OF
$2307 "a should have been made during said period
These deductions did not all accrue in quarter but
extended over the entire period Of seven quarters
that it impossible TO reconcile the omission with
the theory that it was simply mistake. On inquiry
Mr. Pyner found that Brien had previously spent
siderable time at Evansville, Ind, and had ridden
without charge on the steamboats, of the company be-
tween that point and Cairo; that he the guest of
the company in Evansville his hotel bills having been
paid by them thus anording ample reason for the be-
lief that improper motives had influenced HIM in max
ing up the accounts of the company. He was at
called upon for explanation, when he responded
that he had received instructions TO certify the service
from John L. Routt who at the time was the Assistant
Postmaster General Failing TO produce the written
authority for it, he was, at his request allowed
about thirty days of time to write Governor Routt,
IN Colorado and obtain from him state
ment of the facts Mr. Pyner, without tho
knowledge Of o,Brien, wrote to Governor
stating the facts they appeared OF record in the do
partment and asking him for Information concerning
the instructions he had given O'Brien Under date of


the 29th of July Governor Routt responded to this letter
by saying that he did not remember to have made any
orders in the referred that he had recoleo,
tion of any interview between himself and any officer
of the company referring thereto and that his
tom had been uniform IN regard TO such cases he
thought IT impossible that he could have given any in
structions that could have been misconstrued
OBrien confronted with this letter. and in reply
then asked further produce other testimony to
exculpate himself Instead of presenting the proofs
he got United States Senator to ntercede in his be-
half whose defence of tho clerk earnest as to
induce the Postmaster General to withhold any positive
action the until the latter part of October hav
ing thus granted 0'Bren about ninety days from the
beginning to show cause why his connection with the
department should not be severed. AS he had lost
leg in the military service of the country very great
charity felt for him in the department, and every
effort was made TO explain his conduct the theory
that he had not acted dishonesty. His resignation
was at last demanded, which was act Of leniency
toward him, and was adopted instead OF dismissal In
consideration OF his crippled condition. From the
time oBrien left the department he became a common
sanderer OF almost everybody holding a position
therein and his fasehoods concerning the Official con-
duct of the head of the department and his assistants
have been repeated almost daily since.


In addition TO the misdongs above referred TO II was
also ascertained that O'Brien in making up the state
ment Of service on the same route for tbe quarter
ended March 80 1872 had on the Sd OF May, 1872.
made deduction thereon for failure 10 perform 1t in
accordance with contract in the of $496 Cd On
the 9Th october, 1873 seventeen months alter
the deduction was made, 0Brien made up another
case the route In which he RENTED the deduction
OF $496 80, without receiving any additional evidence
thereon.


After attention had been called to his conduct
the papers in this latter exam
inod when 1t was discovered that the de-
duction and the subsequent remission nearly
year and a half aiterward we're made upon pre-
cisely the same proofs; and il is significant fact that
during the interval OF the officers of the Company
visited Washington and had consultation with Bricn
on the subject From that day until oBriens omis-
IpHta
nnes imposed upon said company. although the
show that scarcely month elapsed in which such fines
and deductions should not have been made.


DAMAGING PACTs.


Other facts have recently come to light to show
something OF the character Of this willing witness On
the 2jth OF January last communication appeared in
the daily Washington Tribune signed IAN Ex-Clerk OF
tha Post Office Department." which was said TO have
been written by OBrien, and which was, doubtless
written, in which the statement was made that
firm Of mail contractors, known as "fhe
Southwestern Stage Company composed in part OF
Kerens Root and Colin held about 900 fraudulent


mail contracts in the State Of Texas alone and others in
Arkansas and that Mcssrs Jewell and Pyne were both
aware Of the fact and yet did not take any steps TO
annu them. The communication also suggested that
the matter was being worked up by special agents of
the department, who could neither be scared out OF
the performance OF their duty or bought up, and
warned said contractors that their rascaities would
soon be brought to light. On the next day after the
appearance Of this communication O'Bren wrote a
letter David A. Coffin OF The contractors referred
10, in which he addressed HIM IN the anectionato
phrase of my Dear Collin" although he bad ac-
quantance with him, In whicn he represented that he
had in bank for $3.50 TO pay in few days, and
that he desired Colin and Kerens TO raise and loan him
the money 10 meet IT, No reply being made 10 this
letter. he addressed another note 10 Coffin three days
aiterward calling his attention TO the nrst and say
ing that he had been informed few evenings before
that they would be glad to loan him this money This
is Of the badest and boldest attempts al black
mailing that has recently come TO light and shows this
man U BTien up Ia his true character


Various other facts connected with the shameful his
tory Of this witness have recently poured in upon the
Post Office Department 70 which 10 Is not necessary
refer. The statements here given sufficient to
vince the public that II the Integrity OF any executive
officer OF high standing Ia TO be successfully assaed
must be upon the statement Of some more truthful
witness.


JERSEY CITYS PUBLIC PARK.