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Show FEDERAL REPORT CHARGES GLOVE WITHSHOR-TAGE Says Irregularity in Handling Han-dling Funds Is Cause of Provo Postmaster's Removal. THOROUGH CHECKS MADE BY INSPECTORS Case May Be Presented to Federal Grand Jury by United States Attorney. At-torney. Shortage in funds and irregularities in tiie method of handling accounts of the Provo postofflce not politics were the basis for the summary removal of James Clove from the position of postmaster of the Provo office by the postmaster gen-tral gen-tral of the United States. Sure are the facts in the case as reported re-ported after thorough investigation made by local postoffice Inspectors, who in their reports submitted to the United States district attorney for this district and their report to tho postmaster general of the United States, recommended that Mr. Clove be removed from the postmastership because of alleged irregularities found. The inspection which disclosed the conditions con-ditions existing In the Provo postoffice was made July 3, 1916, by Inspectors W. M. Hughes, Prank T. Fiawley, C. M. Christiansen and Ralph Smith. Their report re-port of this Inspection states that they found a shortage In the funds of the office of-fice of $157 and that Postmaster Clove was carrying as cash in the accounts ac-counts of the office undated checks of his son, who had no bank account, but which had been cashed out of the funds of the postoffice. Made to Show Hand. The report also states that while the inspectors were examining the accounts of the office they detected Mr. Clove in the act of attempting to slip into the cash drawer a handful of gold, presumably presum-ably in an effort to make up the shortage, but an inspector saw his move and made him show his hand. The inspectors immediately filed their report with the postmaster general of the United States, It is learned, and with it filed a recommendation that Mr. Clove be removed from the position of postmaster. post-master. About the same time the report of conditions found In the Provo postoffice postof-fice was laid before W. W. Ray, LTnited States district attorney for this district. Mr. Ray stated yesterday that a report on the conditions found in the office had been placed in his hands at the time, but he declined to discuss the report. He declined de-clined to state yesterday whether or not the facts submitted to him would be laid before the federal grand jury, which will meet on the second Monday of November. Novem-ber. Investigation Not Over. It is learned from an authoritative source that the Provo office is still under investigation from a standpoint of efficiency effi-ciency of service and clerical competency. Reports on the Investigations along this line already made are now in the hands of the department at Washington, It is learned, and while no one here is in a position to guess what the department may do. It Is intimated that there my be still further changes in the personnel of the postoffice force in the Provo office. 1 After the report of the postoffice inspectors in-spectors of their inspection on July 3 was submitted to the postmaster general, It is learned, the inspectors expected that their recommendation for removal of Mr. Clove, because of the alleged irregularities found, would be carried out at once. Some time later they were surprised to receive information from the department at Washington that "the matter had been closed." But, as inspectors do when they receive instructions from headquarters like this, thev simply wondered and considered con-sidered the matter a closed incident, it is stated. Another Surprise. Last Saturday Inspector M. M. Warren went to Provo to make further investigations investiga-tions along the line of competency and ei flclencv of tiie clerical service in the office. When lie got there he was shown a telegram which Mr. Clove had received from the department at Washington, removing re-moving him from office and placing the office in the hands of his bondsmen. This was another surprise to the inspectors, but as C. K. Loose, one of the bondsmen, was on hand to take charge of the office, the inspector followed out his regular duties by making a check on the office at once "to ascertain its condition before turnine: it over to the bondsmen. It was found that Clove was entitled to salary amounting to $48.77 for his time no to October 21. which he had not already al-ready drawn. An examination of this fund disclosed that it was S?.07 short of the amount necessary to pay him the salarv due. But, it is explained, a check of the fund known as the key fund, which is supposed to be made up of moncv from key deposits, contained S12v;0. or just 530 in excess of the amount called for by the government records rec-ords as being the total that should be credited in that fund. Another Irregularity. , Ilem-e. tiie S6.&7 shortage in the Faiary fund was deducted from the excess in the kev fund to balance that, but this 6 till left an excess of $.'!. 03 in the key fund on whir-h the covemment had no t laim and which was classed as "personal "per-sonal funds" of the postmaster, it is explained. ex-plained. This constituted another Irregularity in (Continued on Page Two.) REMOVAL Of CiJE j (Continued from Page Oca.) t'1'- handling of socprr. rr.enr fuiids, it j f -. iain-d bv tl;e postal a u ' bor:t i-'S, for j t !,; pusi ofHce regulat ions for uid t he , i i ; t f : n i i i n 1 in of personal ainl y u v c-r n j iiM-nt funds. The inspector fo:jnd that the key fund I has been a sort of dumping p'aco for ! odd.s and ends of funds, iri'ii-'a ted by Ihe faci that of O.'.o lotHl nmmmf In the. : Mind t i ; e re was 5 In p-j n n i e s , it is ' siatM. 1 Noi iii 11 g was lost by t tie -'o er:i :-:en t . 1 it Is explained, as tilt; ammiiU of B-iort-! at;e. tiic. an.o'.r.t icprcs n t cd by wnith- I'-ss r-l if.'k and the 01 p-rrepij ni"' m the ; salary fund c.-r-1 all made cud or ad-1 ad-1 j is'cd, hat it is ep'aind ti:e ttan ! a 'lions wi'i a rreMila i 1 1 as. t v a plat1 on t or' i );(- lau-, suiji'Ciing t 'ie person re-spoiiihif re-spoiiihif to removal from oiin-e and ' lo p: oso'.'iition. jNo Politics, Says Ray. '"I'liere i-iT!;; i nly whs n politics in t hp rfnnal from office of Mr. i'lo'o." nid . W. V'. Kay, t'nlted States district nuor-i nuor-i ntt.v, "for if l here bad been he would i have been removed in July last. Tt is iruo that a report on conditions found in Ids office was made to me at the tint ihf inspection was made in .luly and if there had been any politics in the removal re-moval of riove I coutrt have filed a complaint com-plaint against him then and automatically be would have one out of ofiice. 1-iut. in fairness to him, I decided to leave the matter up to the department at Washington, Wash-ington, feeling assured that the dpart-iru'nt dpart-iru'nt would take Just and proper action in the matter. The posimasier general has removed him." Mr. Ray was asked if he knew any-thine any-thine about a communication from Washington Wash-ington after the inspectors had filed their report stating that tho "matter had hen dosed." He said he understood that Mr. i Hove had received such a communication, communica-tion, but thai he had not received any sudi communication and knew nothing' more about it. Asked if the- fads as found by the inspectors in-spectors would be laid before the federal grand jury. Mr. Ray said, "f cannot make any statement on that at this time." Statement of Clove. Tn a statement issued by Mr. Clove relative rel-ative to his removal he declares there were no shortages or irregularities. "All I know concerning my removal." be states, "is that a telegram was received a few days ago notifying me of an order for my removal. I wired back that the office was ready to be turned over to my bondsmen. Colonel Ijoose. one of the bondsmen, wanted to consult with Lafayette Lafay-ette Holbroak, the other bondsman, before be-fore the office was turned over, and this was done. Colonel Loose was selected as acting postmaster and the office was turned over to him. "Without any knowledge of the order for removal inspectors checked the office of-fice lust Saturday and found everything in excellent condition, with ample funds in every department and only a dis-crppaney dis-crppaney of $6.07 in a postal stock of ?4 2. OSS. 41,' There was only lhat much disagreement between the stock and the books. The office was. therefore, turned over to the bondsmen in good shape." |