The St. Louis Republic., 1903-04-24

Continued From Page One.
to the Attorney General OF the United
States for such action in the premises as
he may deem proper.
VERY respectfully.
H c. PAYNE. Postmaster General"
Mrs Tyner came to the office OF the As
sistant Attorney General, on the fifth floor
Of the Post Office building. at 3:45 O'Clock
Tuesday afternoon, and remained there an
hour.
MRS. TIMER SAID SHE ACTED
UNDER HUSBANDS INSTRUCTIONS.
When she arrived. Acting Assistant At
torney General Christiancy, who has had
charge OF the office for months past in
the absence Of General Tyner. who has
been In poor health for a long period, was
in the Office. The clerks were at their
desks. Airs. Tyner passed from the public
room into the private office and closed the
door behind her. Being alone in the ofice.
she stepped to the door opening into the
public corridor and. by previous arrange
ment. admitted Mrs. Barrett. mother OF
Harrison J. Barrett The former law clerk
of the Post Office Department. and G. G.
Hammer. n safe expert
Mr.. christiancy reported the presence Of
Mrs. Tyner in the office to two inspectors
and to Postmaster General Payne An in
spector also reported the matter to Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General Bristow. Mr.
Bristow asked to have Mrs. Tyner elected
from the ONCE.
The authority came too late. When the
inspector returned Mrs. Tyner had left The
safe, on being examined, was found to be
empty.
The affair created great excitement
among the department officials. but the
news was concealed carefully from the pub
lie. Two inspectors were dispatched TO the
Tyner residence to recover the papers. Mrs.
Tyner refused to give them up. saying she
was acting under the direction OF her hus-
band.
She told the inspectors, so they reported.
that they had no right to the papers. as
Mr. Tyner was still Assistant Attorney
General. and. moreover. insisted that the
papers were all OF a private character.
The inspectors reported that Mrs Tyner
declared the papers belonged solely to them,
and she announced emphatIcally that she
did not propose to have her papers sub
mitted to the scrutiny OF the inspectors.
other pressure, II is understood. was
brought to bear. both on Mr.. and Mrs
Tyner. but both unequivocally refused TO
deliver the papers or even TO show them
or indicate their nature
1t Is suspected at the department that the
papers have some connection with the re-
cent conduct Of the Office Some weeks ago
a turf-investment concern. whose affairs
were aired in court. alleged that its opera
tions and working methods had been sane
toned by the Assistant Attorney General
for the Post-office Department. The
| charges. involving the Office Of the Assist
l0v.- for
meriy connected with that office. were venti-
lated at that time and an investigation
was ordered Dy the Postmaster General.
This was really the inception OF the inves
| tigation that has sprung into every part
! OF the department The complaints crystal
lized into formal request for Mr.. Tyner's
| resignation. signed by Postmaster General
\ Payne. on March last.
Mr.. Tyner had been in exceedingly bad
| health for long time and had visited the
office at only rare intervals. leaving the
| Office entirely in charge of his assistant for
I months at time. He is suffering from an
unusually severe case Of paralysis. and. in
consideration OF this fact. the request for
his resignation was based on his I'll health.
TYNER ONE OF BEsT-KNOwN
| OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON.
Mr.. Tyner. at the time the papers were
torney General, and this fact will figure in
consideration of the question by the De-
partment OF Justice.
1t is pointed out. however. that. although
Mr.. Tyner still held the office. his -esigna-
tion not having yet become operative. the
acceptance OF the resignation was with the
strict understanding. specifically stated in
| the letter OF acceptance. that he would not
attempt to administer the duties OF his
| office.
1t is fully realized by the Postmaster Gen.
eral that the case presents a delicate sit
uatlon. and for that reason he declined to-
\ day to enter into a discussion of the facts
Mr.. Tyner has been in the Government
service in various important capacities for
/ many years. He is from Indiana. He
served as Assistant Attorney General for
the Post Office Department. and later was
First Assistant Postmaster General Subse-
quently he became Postmaster General and
(, later he again assumed office in the de-
| partment.
He Is one OF the best-known men IN Of
ficlal life in Washington. Hr. and Mrs.
| Tyner and President and Mrs. Grant were
| intimate friends During the universal pos
/ tai congress. which met here In lsH, be