The evening times., 1896-02-24
Still PUSHING THE llsf
Charges Against Postoff -ce Off
cials u5deI Investigation.
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
Statement That Criminal Prosecutions
Were Recommended Is Denied BY
President PrOcter-The Senate VIII
Probably Look Into the Matter-P
O. d. Free Delivery Scandal.

1t is expected that this week there will
be Introduced in the Senate proposal to
call for the report OF the Civil Service
Commission on the Postoffice Department
imbroglio involving Messrs. W. w. Hill,
william A. Sullivan, Samuel Beight, August
Machen and william N. Bellman.
Last week Senator Reffer offered q
resolution asking that an investigation he
instituted to determine the merits OF the
quarrel which resulte: some time ago In
the dismissal from the department of the
first three gentlemen named. A report
has gained currency since he took this ac-
ton that the Civil Service Commission has
completed the investigation that was be-
gun some weeks ago.
The result. it was stated. had been to
sustain the charges made by Mr.. Hill at
the time of his discharge, and to recon-
mend to the Attorney General the criminal
prosecution of Messrs. Machen and Bell
man. Mr.. Maehen, however. the story
ran, had brought to bear sufficient iDflu-
eDce to cause the recommendation of crimi-
nal proceedings to be ignored. He is from
Ohio. and his strength in his State. backed
by Assistant Postmaster General Maxwell,
his ''backer," was said to be sufficient to
induce Attorney General Harmon to pigeon
hole the papers suggesting his Indictment
under the Federal statutes forbidding a
government employe to engage in the col
lection of campaign funds.
Mr.. PROCTER's STATEMENT.
A Times reporter called on President
Proctor to learn whether report had been
made, and IL SO why 1t had not been made
hr cold ot NM hot
report had been sent to the President; I'm
fact. the case was not yet ready to re-
port upon. Furtherthan that he would make
no statement in regard to the matter.
The fight grew out OF the campaign In
which Campbell was defeated In Ohio last
fall Both Hill and Machen, the leaders in
it, were from Ohio. Mr.. Hill was assist
ant superintendent OF the free delivery
system and Mr.. Machen is the superinten dent
and his immediate superior in office.
In the mail that passed through Mr. Hills
hands when the contest in Ohio was at its
hottest came letter from one of the
subordinates in this division of the post
office service making vehement protest
against paying a $50 assessment to help
out Mr.. Campbell In Ohio. This was about
the same time that Mr.. Ril Baker, Congress
man LaytOn's clerk. was collecting from the
Government Printing Office employees for
Mr.. Campbell's benefit, as published in The
Times OF last summer.
Mr.. Hill says positively that this letter
showed plainly that Mr.. Machen was en-
gagged in levying tribute of $50 apiece
on the fifty nine men who are employed by
the free delivery system as secret service
agents. They are paid the comfortable
salary of Sc a day and expenses, and are
directly dependent on Mr.. Nachen for their
positions. Accordingly his will is usually
law with them. Their business is mainly
tracking pilferers 0f the mail in cities.
Mr.. Hin says as soon as he got the letter
duplicating Machen he took II to Assistant
Postmaster General Frank Jones. He re-
ceived a severe rebuke for his trouble, and
later was removed from office on the
pretext that he was holding two positions
in the service contrary to law. He was a
special attorney OF the Department of JUS
tice in addition to his place in the Post
office.