Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-22
MACHEN CALLED ON
Asked to Explain His De-
ficiency Estimate.
WILL END IN CONGRESS
REQUEST FOR FUNDS WILL BRING
INVESTIGATION
End Not in sight-Delay Causing
Politicians UEeasiness-Replie
to Tulloch Being Prepared.

600 estimate of deficit in view of the
mucr larger amount that has been discov-
cred since Mr.. Machen was relieved from
duty.
1t develops today that the letter Of First
Assistant Wynne to Mr.. Machen, asking for
a statement of the condition of the finances
In his bureau was dated May last. Previ-
to this Mr.. Machen had reported that
the appropria ton of $40 600 for the making
Of maps of the rural free delivery routes
had been exhausted. 1t was this report
that brought the letter of May from Mr..
Wynne. In it Mr.. Machen was requested
to state the condition of other items In the
current fiscal year. Mr.. Wynne also asked
to know if any item of appropriation was
likely to become exhausted And then a
final sweeping request was made to know
the probable condition of all funds to the
end of the fiscal year. 1t to this let
ter that Mr.. Machen reported $40, 600 def
icit, and it is Of this report that the Post
master General desires further information.
Up to Congress.
The deficit disclosures in the free deliv-
cry branch of the Post Office Department
yesterday, it is declared, will throw the
whole investigation up to Congress as
soon that body convenes. The Postmas-
ter General will be under the necessity of
asking an immediate emergency appropri-
alton. He has already indicated that this
will be his course of action. This will give
Congress an immediate opportunity to call
for the result of the investigation and to
institute, If it DESIRES an independent
investigation into the administration of the
post Office by specially appointed commit
tees of it's own members for that purpose.
This result is looked upon politically
hurtful by republican politicians who have
been urging speedy conclusion of the
whole matter that the mind of the Ameri-
can voter might not be disturbed by any
suspicion of scandal in any portion OF the
present administration.
1t is suggested by the opponents of Mr..
Machen that had he been relieved from
duty at the instant an investigation of his
bureau was decided upon the present large
deficit would not now be staring the de-
partment in the face Mr.. Machen states
that the $50 eco; deficit reported by him in
April covered the whole deficit at that
time. The added deficit of more than $1O0.-
600 since that time Is caused, according
to his statement, by the establishment of
additional rural free delivery routes. Most
of these additional routes were inaugurated
on the LIST of May. Still others were
scheduled for the 1st of June. and num-
Der of others were to be opened on the
18th of June. At the ratio the deficit in
creased from April to May, it is figured
out that by the end of the fiscal year it
would have amounted to between three
and four hundred thousand dollars.
Investigation Drags.
Fourth Assistant Bristow states today
that the completion of his report is not yet
in sight He declares it to be absolutely
impossible for him to fix any definite time
as the probable end of the investigation.
Some days ago Postmaster General Payne
stated that Mr.. Bristows final report
would be in by the 1st of June, and would
be the first official document to be placed
in the hands of the President upon his re-
turn to Washington. From what Mr. Bris-
tow says today, however the inference is
that the report will be much later than
this. At the audience with newspaper men
this afternoon, Mr.. Payne stated that aside
from settling the Tennessee incident, there
were no new developments of any character
in the investigation. The reports from off,
cials requested to make reply to the Tulloch
charges, are looked for in the immediate
future. Auditor Castle has completed his
reply and laid it before the Postmaster
General tomorrow. The answer of Con-
troller Tracewell is understood to be well
under way.
The Gallatin Incident Closed.
Postmaster General Payne today accepted
the resignation of John c. Allgood, the
colored rural free delivery carrier on the
Gallatn, Tenn, route, ordered the service
to be continued. and applied to the civil
service commission to certify list of eligi-
bles from which a carrier may be selected
The formal announcement of the settling
of the Gallatin incident is contained in the
following statement, which the Postmaster
General made public this afternoon
'In the case of John c. Allgood, rural
free delivery carrier. who reported that he
was held up by masked men while in the
discharge of his duties. on the 9Th instant
an investigation was made by Inspectors
Conger and Baine. From their repart 1t
appears that the carrier was stopped by
two men and warned not to continue in
the service. The papers in the case show
M n Ny0d nr
sustained by the people living on route
No. 1, or by the people in that vicinity. and
that the persons guilty of the act are alone |
responsible.
1T is believed by the inspectors that |
carrier AllgOod can safely resume the de-
livery Of the mail on this route. and as
evidence of that fact 1t appears that a |
Ie;ghbOring route is now, and has been
since the installation of the free delivery |
service, served by a colored man.
Under all the circumstances the Depart
ment is not disposed to hold the people on
route No. 1 responsible for the act Of the |
two men referred to, who were guilty of |
the threatened assault upon the letter car
rier, and 1t would be unjust to deprive them |
Therefore, ordered, that the resignation |
of John c. Aligood rural letter carrier be |
accepted. and that service on the route be |
resumed at once"
inspectors. at Work in Colorado.
PUEBLO, Colo. May 22-Inspectors
Doran and Smithers of the Post Office De-
partment, are here investigating alleged |
violations of the postal laws. Several per-
sons here have received circulars adver-
tising a lottery (at Hamburg. Germany
The report of the inspectors will be sent
to Washington and the matter will be TAX
en- up with the German government.
What Mr.. Machen Says.
When the matter of the large deficit in
the rural free delivery service was called
to the attention of Mr.. Machen ha had this |
to say:
II forwarded to Mr.. Wynne at the close
Of April statement of the deficit then ex-
isung. Those figures were on routes al
ready established. The figures for routes |
to be established May 1 and May Is and
June / and June 15 had not then been put
on tile books by the bookkeeper. There
fore. the deficit of $4,000 was not mis-