The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-26
PAYMENT FOR THE
 CLOCKS HELD BACK
Still Investigating This PoStof-
 flee Department Matter
SOLUTION IS VERY CLEAR
Masten Now Seems Destined to Meet Further Difficulties Beginning With the Ordered Reinstatement of
 Clerk Charles B. Terry.

washington, D. C., July 25.--(special)- Why the payment of $3O,OoO which repre- sents the purchase price to the govern ment of 300 time clocks is being held up bv First Assistant Postmaster General Wynne is the question that now agitates the Bundy Manufacturing company, which concern holds the contract for furnishing the postoffice department with time clocks.
 The manner of awarding this contract is now being thoroughly investigated by Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bristow, who is determined that no fur ther payments shall be made to the com pany until he is satisfied with the legiti- macy of the contract. The price paid by the department is more than $12,00O in ex- cess of the market price of the same num- Der of clocks, and in this respect at least, the case seems singularly similar to that of the automatic cashiers. The investiga- ton by Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen. eral Bristow, of the affairs lately under MT Beavers control brought to light certain facts in connection with the pur- chase of automatic cashiers with the re- suit that Beavers and former Representa- tive Driggs, who had some connection with the company will be called upon to ex- plan before judge and jury their connec- ton with each other, and with the con- tract for these machines
 The government was required to pay S150 for these cashiers, which is SS more than their ordinary rental price and the problem naturally was "why?'
 The Solution.
 The solution is now palpably clear MT. Bristow unearthed the fact that the rule of simply proportion had prevailed and each man shared alike, Representative Driggs receiving $50 as his share $50 go- Ing to the agent of the company and the remainder to the manufacturers. Upon further investigation the department holds that a connection was clearly established between Beavers and Driggs with the re- suit mentioned. MT. Bristow finding himself so successful in locating the un- dercurrent in the automatic cashier case is now directing his energies to ascertain ing who will be benefited by the addi- tional $40 or $50 charged the government for the Bundy clocks. Both these com panies are New York concerns and have stockholders prominent republican poll tcans and among those most interested in the Bundy company being such men
 
 George W. Dunn. The contract for the time clocks was negotiated by John M. Masten, while he was chief clerk to the first assistant postmaster general, which position he is said to have procured through the influence of Beavers, while the contract for the cashiers was gotten through by Beavers himself The friend ship between Beavers and Masten was only short lived, however, for the three cornered combination of Beavers, Machen and Masten possessed no congeniality and great was the rejoicing of the first two when the latter fell from grace, only a short time, however, before like fate befell his former associates.
 Further Difficulties.
 Masten seems destined, however, to meet further difficulties beginning with the ordered reinstatement of Charles B. Terry to the place under civil service out of which President Roosevelt holds he was cheated by Masten. Terry was trans ferred by Masten from a temporary clerkship in the dead letter office to the city post office at time when 1t was ru- mored the President contemplated issu- Ing a civil service order covering such temporary help. By Terry's transfer he exchanged places with a woman in whom Masten was interested, and she it was who became protected by the civil ser vice and not Terry who was entitled to 1t. Terry protested to the city postmas- ter against the injustice and though the postmaster general was powerless to help him me took up the matter with Masten in an endeavor to obtain justice for Terry but Masten remained obdurate. The case was then carried to MT. Wynne for investigation and he recommended that Terry be classified by civil service. He was appointed to civil service position but again Masten and his friends Inter fered. MT. Wynne then wrote a strong letter to the civil service commission and they in turn referred 1t to the President, who decided in Tewys favor and he was classified on July 3rd. The influence which worked so persistently against Terry Is known to be the same that se- cured the Bundy clock contract. At that time an intimate friend of Masters was representing the Dey Time Register com pany of Syracuse, N. r., which firm was competing with the Bundy company for the contract and the representative of the Dey Time Register obtained a favorable report on this register from the post office officials but before the contract was passed upon, 1t is understood that he af- flliated himself with the Bundy company. The contracts for purchasing clocks up 10 that time run from year to year, hut Masten then being in temporary control, suddenly executed the Bundy contracs without the formality of adveigis ng or competition, for four years, thus obIlgat- ing the government to purchase Bundy clocks for that length of time and at an advance over the market price of SAG to $50 on each clock. That $30000 is being held up indicates a very large number indeed that the statement segardlng these has been drawn from the postmaster general to the effect that the number on hand is sufficient for several yearg
 The company has made several at. tempts to secure settlement and Mir Green has been active in writing to MT. Bristow but the latter wishes to be eat- isfied of the destination of the sl2,0o0 CT more in excess of the market price which the government has been called upon to pay before the money Is paid over.
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