Sunday morning globe., 1901-08-25
RUN TO earth!
The Superintendent of the Free
Delivery HOled.
THE FULL HISTORY At LAST
or That $500 Note Which Mr. GaChen In
dosed and His Relatives Borrowed, Prom
lslng and Securing Position iOr The LOaner
Of tho Same-Ths Lady Tells Mr. Masten
tho Story

"A long time he ran and long time
he fought.
In the darkness of night he was cap
tured at last.
For the Fox must sleep times, the wild
deer must rest
And treachery prey on the blood of the
best"
This verse from shamus OBrien
came jingling to our ears in an inter
nal and internal repetition while we
listened to the story which follows
Augsut W. Machen, superintendent
of the Free Delivery, endorsed a note
for $500 which his relatives borrowed
from a lady who was promised a posi-
ton in the Department by both Mr..
Machen himself and by the relatives
who borrowed the money. The note
was for one year, and was duly pro
testeu, and the evidence of the protest,
loan, ETC., is in our possession. Yet
strange to say, this whole history puts
August w. Machen Superintendent of
Free Delivery in a better light, from
our personal point Of view whatever
may be officially thought of it, tnan
we anticipated or than we have here
tofore regarded him as a servant Of the
people.
In this history Mr. Machen has
proven himself loyal son and an at-
fectiOnate brother, whatever else may
be said Of him. We respect these at
tributes so much in the man that our
conscience pricke us in criticising the
official. These qualities in a son and
brother redeems in our eyes the black
est and most reprehensible official acts
and but that we have a duty 10 per
form, this history would remain un-
written, or at least unpublished.
Mr.. Machen deserves the love and af
fection Of his relatives, for he has been
indefatigable in advancing their for
tunes. His energy and unselhshness in
this respect are truly admirable and
shows the real nature Of the man, In
that nature we recognize some affinity
to our own "pGSt," and if fate in his
case, as in ours, has made him the
"Duffer" upon which all blows must be
delivered before reaching those for
whom he stands, 1t is his privilege and
pride no doubt tC. stand up like man
and take his medicine.
But, to the story. The Globe viii
narrate il as succiently as its nature
will allow. The lady as stated had
some money left her as the residue OF
her husbands estate, and coming to
Washington to secure employment. in
some of the Departments Of the Gov
ernment, made the acquaintance Of Mr..
Machen's relatives They became inti-
81. -, nd ~ fhn WrinnW
of the brave Union officer made con-
fidant OF her new found acquaintances.
They praised their relative August;
told the widow of his influence, and
promised her to interest him i'm her
behalf. Just like relatives will do, by
the way. pile on the burden on the only
bread-winner or man of parts I'm the
family. So Mr.. Machen was saddled
with an extra charge, and another APP
plicant had to be provided for Mean
while. however, these relatives, and
not Superintendent Machen, it will be
noted, borrowed S100 from the widow
Being friends and co-religionists, she
aoanel 1t unhesitaungly And it as |
all very proper that she should do so, |
Things went along and drifted for |
about a year, the refined and sensitive |
widow trying every Department for a |
iCb. What she suffered nobody knows |
but herself, and nobody can imagine |
except some person who has made the !
rounds like herself of chief and ap- |
pointment clerk. Her recommendations |
and letters were of the very highest |
and most unexceptional character, but |
she. herself, was chaste and she had |
neither Senator nor Congressman to !
back ner up. Besides, Grover Cleve- /
land was President Of the United /
States She tried to see that plated 1
god. but got no further than the col |
ored individual with the expansive abb
domen who sits in the outer Office and |
is a bigger man than the President OF
San Domingo.
Again the relatives Of Mr.. Machen
made another touch" This time 5000
was asked for, but the widow hesitated
and said she would think about It. The
relatives pressed for the loan, with the
assurances that Gus would land her in
a nice Job. The widow consulted a
friend. a lady who moved In the very
best circles, and who understood husi-
ness. Acting on her advice the widow
informed tue relatives Of Mr.. Machen
that she would loan the money on q
note endorsed by Gus and ON his prom
Use to herself Of a position. These
terms we're accepted and the evening
appointed to deliver the money. Mr..
Machen was confined to his room with
illness. but the widow and her lady
friend saw him and explained matters.
He thanked the widow for her kind
ness to his relatives, and promised to
find her a situation. Whereupun the
widow turned over to the relatives the
5000 and received the $500 note duly
endorsed by August W. Machen.
Mr.. Machen had a perfect right to
endorse a note for his relatives. We
are not so clear that he was justified
in promising job, but such a promise
is not at least criminal However, the
bargain was made, and the widow felt
correspondingly happy.
Things again drlfted, drifted quite
too much to suit the widow; drifted,
in fact, until the note fell due at per
cent, although the relatives offered to
make IL per cent, but the widow was
satisfied with 6. Then she consulted
her friend and the cashier or teller Of
the bank, and was asked ~ she would
waive protest This she did not under
stand. and so informed Mr.. Machen's
messenger. "A hurry-up message was
g,nt 10 her TO come to Mr.. Machen's
mo se He was i'll again. Her friend and
beraelf appeared. She was then prom