The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-29
GREATER SCANDALS TO COME.
MACHEN'S GRAFT SMALL IN COM
PARISON.
Post mast or. General Says It's . Small Thing
Compared With Probable Future de.
Observation-Disclosures for Letter
Boxes Are Being Investigated-Sai.
aries OF Assistant Postmasters
and Clerks Raised by Beavers.

Boxes Are Being Investigated-Sai.
aries Of Assistant Postmasters
and Clerks Raised by Beavers.
WASHINGTON, May 2s.-Postmaster-Ge Gen.
eral Payne to-day issued an order reducing
the salaries of assistant postmasters,
financial clerks and bookkeepers in post
Offices all over the country, who by fav or
Of George W. Beavers, former Superin-
tendent Of the Salary and Allowance Divis-
ion, now under surveillance in Brooklyn I.
have drawn larger salaries than they were
entitled TO by law. This Is an entirely new
feature of the postal scandals. and Is a
result of the scheme unearthed some time
ago whereby clerks in post Offices all over
the country had been illegally promoted.
Postmaster-General Payne will make public
tomorrow the full list Of those assistant
postmasters, financial clerks and book
keepers who have profited by violations of
the law and whose salaries have been re-
duced t o the proper figure.
The other feature Of interest in to-day
developments was the declaration by Post
master-General Payne to The Sun reporter
this afternoon that the specific charge
against Machen that he accepted S22, 900
bride was "a small thing, thing Of relative
unimportance. compared with the probable
developments Of the future"
The general investigation ordered by Mr..
Payne many months ago showed that many
assistant postmasters were receiving two
thirds, and in some cases three-fourths,
AZ much salary as the postmaster at the
came Office, and there were one or two cases
in which there was only $500 difference
between the compensations of the post
master and his assistant. In one in
stance in New York State the salary Of
postmaster was 81 400 year and his assist
ant received 81 800. The latter was to-
day notified that his salary had been re-
duced to 81 200 year.
1t is impossible to say at this time just
how many have received compensation in
excess of the legal rate. Postmaster
General Payne says that the list has not
been prepared, and until it Is made public
he does not wish to discuss the matter
The Postmaster General up to few
days ago viewed the Post Office scandals
through the big end of a magnifying glass
and while it was his order that inaugurated
the investigation into all branches Of the
postal service. he has intinated on a num-
Der Of occasions that he thought there was
a great deal of smoke and very little fire.
But since the arrest on Monday OF Assist
ant Attorney Miller Of the Office OF the As
slstant Attorney General for the Post Office
Department and the arrest Yesterday Of
Supt. Machen on what Mr.. Payne speak
of as complete and conclusive evidence Of
guilt" the Postmaster General has come
believe that criminalitv has existed in
the Post Office Department for years
vat ha told
Mr.. Payne asserts that the time has not
vet come to take the public into full con-
fdence. as such a course might very prob
ably result in defeating the ends Of Justice
But he made one other significant state
ment which is considered of importance.
He said that "the contracts bv which the
postal service was furnished with street and
rural letter boxes are big affairs, and are
now being carefully investigated to de-
termine il they are also enmeshed in the
tangled skein Of scandal"
1t is easily apparent from the Postmaster
Generals utterances that he is bitter toward
Mr.. Machen. High officials Of the Post
Office Department say that this is because
Machen completely pulled the wool over
Mr.. Payne's eyes and placed him in false
and awkward position before the public.
has consistently defended Mr.. Machen
during the six months or more that he has
been under fire. 1t is well known at the
Department that long time ago the Post.
master General sent for Mr.. Machen and
irregularities and criminality in the ad-
ministration OF his bureau. Machen looked
Mr.. Payne square in the eye, and with his
voice trembling with emotion declared:
AS God is my Judge, am an innocent
man. / court the fullest investigation OF
my official acts, and I swear to you on my
honor that there has been no wrongdoing
on my part. No evidence Of anything ont
of the way will be found in the records, for
it is not there to he found.
Mr.. Payne was go impressed with
Machen's apparent sincerity that he re-
fused to believe in his guilt until over
whelming evidence had been presented to
him by Fourth Assistant Postmaster-Gen-
eral Brstow.