Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1910 — WOE FOR CRUMPACKER. [ARTICLE]

WOE FOR CRUMPACKER.

ImpQrts Men to Run Gary P. O. —■Our F. B. Meyer Is Let Out. Ex- Post ma ster Frank B. Meyer of Rensselaer, who for the past two or three years has been assistant, postmaster at Gary, both under Tom Knotts and Mr. Knotts’ successor, with others has been "let out” and a gentleman from EFwood takes his place. * The Gary Evening Post of Friday contains the following lengthy article of the changes rpade: - ■ "Frank B. Meyer was to-day relieved of his position of assistant postmaster in the Gary postofflce by W. F. Kidwell of Elwood, Indiana, who has been appointed to the position filled by Mr. Meyer under the administration of Postmaster John W. Call. "The substitution of an outside man for a citizen of Gary as assistant postmaster created a good deal of comment to-day among citizens to the effect that Congressman Crumpacker must have a poor opinion of the ability of Lake county citizens, when he goes' outside of the county to make a postofflce appointment.

"Mr. Kidwell has been connected with the postoffice at Elwood for many years and is said to be excelently well qualified for the position to which he has been assigned. It is reported that he will bring with him to Gary two or three trained clerks who will! be given places in the local office. "Some weeks ago the postoffice authorities at Washington sent two inspectors to Gary who made a thorough investigation of the workings of the local office, as announced exclusively in The Evening Post at that time. It is reported upon good authority that their report recommended the dismissal of four persons connected with the office—Postmaster Call, Assistant Postmaster Meyer and two clerks in the office whose work has not been found satisfactory. As soon as Congressman Crumpacker learned of the nature of the report he foresaw a political storm and proceeded to exert Lis “pull” with the postoffice department, such effect that Meyer alone suffers decapitation. •

"There is a general feeling that Meyer is being made a scapegoat in the Gary postoffice matter, and that Crumpacker in his desperate effort to save himself from criticism, and from the enmity of the G. A. R. element in the Tenth district which would follow the dismissal of Postmaster Call, who is a veteran of the civil war, may discover that he has not entirely ridden himself of a burden which may prove to be a heavy one before the present campaign is over. “At any rate, Postmaster Call will be retained through the influence of Crumpaqker, despite the recommendation for a sweeping change in the official staff following complaints of Gary citizens foir several months, and which resulted in a rigid government investigation last January. ‘‘About two weeks ago Postmaster John W. Call, accompanied by his son, Harry V. Call,,went to Washington, carrying with them the books of the Gary postoffice. It was current gossip at that lime that the government investigation had revealed a shortage in the office accounts aggregating several hundred dollars, but it is presumed that the postmaster made a satisfactory explanation of the seeming discrepancies, which are alleged to have been the result of incompetent bookkeeping on the part of certain subordinates.

“Postmaster Call is well along ip years and it is alleged he is physically unable to give that attention to office details which the growing magnitude of the Gary office warrants. “During the last year inany complaints have been registered at Washington by citizens of Gary, alleging carelllessness and Inefficiency

in handling the mails at this place and four different investigations have been made, it is said, each resulting in a recommendation for a change in the official staff of the local office. "Assistant Postmaster Kidwell took charge of the postofflce this morning and contemplates making many radical changes and improvements in the method of handling mail at this place.”