Mexico Missouri message., 1903-12-03
BRIsTow TELLS OF FRAUDS.
Astounding Revelations Of Lons-ExIst-
inc Corruption.

Aetounotn1 Revelations OF Lon0-kNist-
Ing Corruption.
The report OF Fourth Assistant Post
master General ]. L. Bristow on the
postal investigation Is substantially as
follows:
He first takes up the case OF Michael
w. Louis Of Cincinnati, appointed in 1897
Acting Superintendent OF the Supply Di-
vision. His peculationB amounted to
many thousands Of dollars: He was re-
moved In October. 1908.
The administrative methods Of Tyner
and Barrett are clearly illustrated in a
number Of cases which we're passed upon
by them.
Mr.. Bristow shows how many fraudu-
lent schemes were accorded protection by
Barrett and allowed use OF the mails,
These include many small swindles in
the shape Of lottery Inducements. land
investment schemes, etc.
OF the "turf-investment' swindles Mr..
Bristow says:
+. j. Arnold & Co., of st. Louis Mo-,
were conducting what is known as a
turf Investment" scheme. On Novem-
Der 25. 1902, the inspectors, having inves-
tigated the company, recommended that
a fraud order be issued against II. In
the meantime the company had employed
Barrett as its attorney and paid him
fee OF $1,000 And instead OF issuing
fraud order Tyner gave the company
letter Of commentator. Two days after
Tyner wrote this letter Barrett received
a check Of $1,000 Us an additional fee.
The company failed I'm February. 1908
assets, $4,000: liabilities. SS.12O,776.
J. ]. Ryan & Col. j. Ryan & CO., Of
St. Louis. was kindred institution to
Arnold & Co. In October, 1909. the in
spectOrs recommended fraud order
against this company. The company was
given a hearing by the Assistant-AttOr-
ney Generals Office and another investi-
cation by the inspectors was requested.
In the meantime J. NJ. Johns, an attOr-
ney at Rockville, Ind, made a proposition
TO Ryan that for a fee OF $1,000 he could
help him. through his friend ID. V. Mil
Ter, Of the Assistant Attorney Generals
ONCE. After some negotiations It was
agreed that $4,000 would be paid to Johns
by Ryan II he would give him a "clean
bill' before the Post-Ofiice department.
This Johns agreed to do. and Miller Sc
cured a favorable ruling for Ryan & Co,
which he sent to Johns. AS a result Of
this transaction Miller and Johns were
Indicted.
Rifiing OF the safe.-On April Fl. 1903.
while the investigation OF the Assistant
Attorney Generals Office was I'm prog
ress, Mrs. J. N. Tyner, in a clandestIne
manner. admitted Mrs. Barrett and Mr..
Hammer. a safe expert. into a private
Ohice where he unlocked the safe and
took out all OF the contents, which Mrs.
Tyner carried on. What was in the safe
no one knows but the Tyners. Mrs.
Tyner stated that she went TO the office
and secured the contents of the safe UNI
der the direction of her husband. which
statement he confirmed. AS a result of
this episode Tyner was summarily re-
moved from the office of Assistant AttOr-
ney-General and Christiancy resigned.
For six years under Tyners admins
tTation certain favored frauds and lotter-
les were given free use Of the mails.
Barrett's scheme to resign and practice
before the Office. and Tyner's part In
that scheme. as set forth in the body OF
this report, was the climax OF official per-
hdy, more EVIL in its results and more
demoralizinE to the public conscience
than outright endorsement or open
theft.
Tyner and Barrett were indicted on
October by the grand jury for the Dis
trict OF Columbia for conspiracy to de-
fraud.
The frauds In money order forms, in,
which James T. Metcalf, superintendent
Of the money-order system. Is involved,
and for which he was removed from
ofiice, are next taken up.
A long list OF swindles carried out by
August w. Machen OF Ohio Is enumerat-
ed, and the charge Is made that he has
been guilty OF forgery. The schemes by
which the government was defrauded in
clude carriers satchels. the Gron fasten-
ers for letter boxes, painting OF street
letter boxes, carriers leather cases, the
contract for street letter boxes, package
boxes, the Montague Indicator, a device
attached to street letter boxes showing
the hours Of collection, and rural carriers
badges.
The report continues:
''In August, 1897 George w. Beavers
was appointed chief Of the salary and all
lowance division. Beavers methods have
been reckless and without rule or regu-
larity. Increases OF allowances for clerk
hire In pOst-ofiices were made as mat
tiers OF favor regardless OF the necessities
OF the service. Promotions were fire.
quently made without consideration OF
the merits OF the clerk promoted. Long
time leases for post-office premises were
Cancelled and the rent increased upon the
recommendation Of prominent political
leaders. sometimes without regard to the
rental value OF the premises"
In the list OF Beavers misdeeds are
included the sale OF promotions and the
padding Of pay rolls for clerk hire, oper-
ations which Melted Beavers many thou
sands Of dollars,
The report shows that the government
has been swindled out OF a vast amount
OF money by fraudulent leases. Twenty
cases are cited, in all Of which Beavers
was implicated, and which have been
fully proved. The revelations in this
connection. ana in the case OF the pur-
chasing OF large amounts Of Brandt
Automatic Cashier" are astounding.
Mr.. Bristow says.
Eliminating from consideration all In
dications OF fraud and passing Upon the
case wholly as question OF adminiBtra-
tive Judgment, 4 appears 20 me that this
transaction would have justified the sum-
\ mary removal from ONCE OF First Assist
ant Postmaster-0aner Heath and
George w. Beavers,
but the element OF fraud can not be
eliminated. Men Of ordinary intelligence
rarely waste the public revenues IN such
a manner without a personal motive. A
bride Of S12,Bo0 was paid Congressman
| Edmund II. briggs to secure the Ondel
for $50 machines. A part OF this money
has been traced 70 the bank account o.
Beavers.
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