Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-18

them in addition TO the gigantic task OF
directing the investigation.
BriStow appointee of Mckinley.
He has brought upon himself the enmty
of number of senator's representatives
and men in public life, some of whom have
sought to have him removed
Representative Sibley is one of them, and
now BrStow is investigating a contract
that the government has with a carbon
paper manufacturing company of Frank
lin. Pa. in which Sibiey is interested
Gen. Robb and Chief Cochran.
| Assistant Attorney General Robb. who
succeeded Tyner. is a native of Vermont.
! He an attorney in the Department of
| Justice when called to his present position
Robb is a young man. but he has made an
| excellent reputation for himself He was
| states attorney for his county in Vermont
| before he came to the Department OF Jus
| tice.
Attorney General Knox took strong Ik-
| ing to the young Nermonter and it was on
| the formers recommendation that Post
| master General Payne appointed him as
| the legal advisor to the Post Office Depart
ment. Robb has TT iined legal mind. is
| affable and has maze many friends in the
| department.
Chief Inspector Cochran has had years of
| experience i'll the postal service lie is a
| painstaking official and has accomplished
| great good in ferreting out abuses and ir-
| Irregularities in the service. Fourth Assis-
| tant Bristow has an able assistant in Chief
Cochran. They are in constant touch
Chef Cochran directs the movements OF
| the thirty or more inspectors and reports
| on their work to the fourth assistant
| postmaster general
| Cochran is perhaps fIfty-five years old.
| There is complete absence from his ma
| ture of vindictiveneSS. characteristic
| sometimes found in officers of the law. He
| has manner that iS attractive, and one
feels good to be in his presence. He is
one of tie most popular officials in the
department.
NJ. c. Fosnes. who is in charge of the
| free delivery service as Mlchen's successor,
| is an important factor in the inveStiga-
| ton. He is a Norwegian by birth. He
| used to be special examiner of the PEN
sion bure where he performed work
| that brought to him the iaudation of his
| Superiors. FoSneS is Chief Cochran's right
hand man. He has done Invaluable service
| in tie investigation.
| Confidence in Payne.
| Postmaster General Payne was away
| from Washington cruising in the West
Indies when the investigation was set on
| foot AS soon as he returned and found
| that there were suggestions of irregulari-
| ties. he threw himself into the harness
| and has since given personal attention
to the work of purifying the department.
| The Postmaster General has the conf
| denCe of President Roosevelt. Some news
| papers in the country have sought to Gre
| ate the impression that the President was
! dissatisfied with Mr.. Payne's conduct of the
! investigation. the head of the depart
| ment. and have intmated that Mr.. Payne
would leave the cabinet
| The President has never refrained from
| emphasizing his complete satisfaction re-
| CARDS the Postmaster Generals attitude.
i Mr.. Roosevelt regards Mr. Payne
| of the most careful and able members of
| his administration.
| The investigation is regarded by the
| newspaper men detailed upon it as their
bette noir. Day after day they have haunt
| ed the department for anything that might
have a bearing on the investigation and
which might be Of interest to the public.
| In the early weeks of the investig ton
after Postmaster General Payne's return
| from the south. he gave the newspa per men
| an audience at noon and again at clock
| in the afternoon. These little 'confer-
enceS. they were called were produc-
| tive of some amusement well as inter-
| est
At times many fifty or more news
paper men would gather in the corridors
| and wait for the Postmaster General to
| send word that he was ready to see them
Particularly the interest accentuated
| at the time Of the arrest of Machen, the
| removal of Metcalf from the ,sition of
| superintendent of the money % der sys-
| TEN.
And now it has been accentuated by the
| Indictment of Beavers.
The Postmaster General before leaving
Washington on his ocean journey said the
end of the investigation was in sight 1t
| Is safe to predict. however that it will
| extend into the autumn