New-York tribune., 1900-01-20
CASE OF UTAH POSTN4STERS.
CHARGES THAT KNOWN POT,ycz ANTrsTs
WERE APPOINTED TO OFFICE
EXPLODED.

washington, Jan 19.-The investigation as 10 the
alleged polygamous status of certain Federal an
polntees in Utah was resumed to-day BY the House
committee on Postofices and Postroads In view
Oi statements made at the last session by Mr.
Lentz, Of Ohio author Of the resolution of tnvas+t
cation the committee had requested Pos+n,asra-
General smith, J. Addison Porter secretary 10 the
PRESIDENT, and Representative Grosvenor TO he
present. " O
Mr.. Grosvenor made fat denial Of the sta+ar,er+
made by Mr.. Lentz as 10 the use Of the zvo-5s
we have not let the grass grow under our Co. >,
IN reference to the charges. Mr. Grosvenor said
ms statement 70 Mr. Lentz was in substance that
the investigation would fail, there was nothing in
the charges, and that he had taken steps 10 Jearn
lhe Iacts at the time Of denying them on the floor
OF the House His denial was based on his knou-I-
edge OF the character Of the President He also
said TO Mr.. Lentz that search would show thar
mere was not scrap Of evidence TO sustain the
charges. When he called at the White House on
another matter the President remarked m those
present that ne had never had a suspicion that
he was appointing any one guilty of polyganly. as
ne mad never heard Of the charge until it was
made in the House
Postmaster-GeneraI Smith related the cfrrun,
stances as far as they had come to his knowledge
although the two appointments under consderat ton
were made before his administra ton. He had
found. however, that attention had not been dt-
recJed 10 any charges before the appoin tnent al
though afterward papers which had been SUBJ
mitted were brought to the attention of the higher
officials
Mr. Smith presented the following letter from
Secretary Porter. dated yesterday:
In reply TO your inquiry concerning anv letters
petitions protests received here in relation 10
the appointment Of John c. Graham and Orson
Smith, postmasters respectively at Provo CITY and
Logan, Utah, l have the honor TO state thar there
is in this office no record of the receipt OF anv
letters. petitions or protests concerning the ar-
pointment Of John Graham as postmaster at Provo
City Utah
A letter addressed to the President under date
Of Logan, Cache County, Utah November p 1897
by y. E ClemensOn, pastor Presbyterian Church
referred TO your Department, and an acknowl-
edgment from this office made 10 the writer
Logan. Utah December 6. 1897. signed z " Nei-
son, John NJ Boyle William Braugham and others
relating 10 the same subject received and
acknowledged December q 1897. This petition was
"a 1897 Very respectfully yours,
JOHN ADDISON PORTER
Secretary 10 the President.
To the Hon Charles Emory Smith Postmaster
General
Mr. Br1stow. Assistant Postmaster-Genera said
that he made up a brief relative 10 Presidential
appointments TO postmastershps and when these
Utah cases were briefed he had no knowledge Of
Ciemenson letter had not at that time come TO his
attention. did IL get before the Postmaster
General the clerks who handled IL did not 50
brief II as 10 call special attention TO II
Mr. I,entZ and Mr.. GrOsVenOr again explained the
talk between them. showing that the difference
mainly as words and thar did
nor seek place any inference on them. The
hearing went until next Tuesday whsn DIR.
Rrfstow viii be heard again.