The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-11-18

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Charles II. Dietrich and POST
master Jacob Fisher Of Hastings. Neb..
on charges Of bribery and conspiracy in
connection with the appointment of tho
latter as postmaster. was subject of
extreme interest inc Omaha today. AT
the federal building small groups OF
government Oficialsb employees and 9TH
ters gathered 20 discuss the subject.
United States District Attorney vs.. S.
Summers, who has conducted the case
for the government refuses to talk. and
even 20 see reporters. The details OF
the postmastership transaction at Hast
ings, as given out today by 1Ir. Fish
er's friends, are as follows
How They Explain.
'aThe postohice at Hastings up 20 two
years ago was located I'm a building
erected by the local post OF the Grand
Army Of the Republic. Previous 10 i'm
stallatiOu in this building 10 had been
i'm other quarters and successive post
masters had furnished the pOstofdce FIX
lures themselves. The Grand Army
Of the Republic bought the fixtures Tor
$500, and their use was included I'M the
government lease. About three years
ago considerable effort was made 20 Sc
cure better accommodations for the
postOffiCe business. the contention be-
coming one between the opposite ends
of the town. Senator Dietrich, who had
then just been elected governor, had
put up a new building near the c. A.
r. building and. anticipating the re-
moval OF the pOstOfdce, took up the
matter with the p0stOfiice authorities
during a visit to Washington. A lease
was agreed upon subject to more spe-
cihc terms. but the negotiations were
not concluded until after Governor Diet
rich had been elected United States
senator. In the meantime property
owners interested in The other section
Of the city made counter offers at re-
duced rentals. and ir order to- hold the
pOstOffice in the vicinity of his property
lease was finally drawn and signed at
a rental of 81 300, emitting the require
ment Of the owner TO furnish the fix
lures.
Difference to Be Made Up.
Believing that he was renting his
property FOR less than it was worth for
the purpose of holding the pOstOfdce for
the benefit of the surrounding property
owners, it was suggested that the dil-
ference I'm the rental be made up by a
subscription from the interested par
ties. The G. A. r. people also again
became involved with protest against
the removal from their building for fear
they would lose the money they had
put into The fixtures and possibly be-
tenantIess for some time
, AT this juncture the senator was
of postmaster one of the applicants.
the competition having narrowed down
to the mayor. Jacob Fisher and the ed
, itOr of the Hastings Tribune, Adam
Breede. An understanding was finally
reached by which Fisher was to receive
the appointment Of postmaster on COM
( ditiOn that he purchase the postOfiice
fixtures belonging to the c. A. R. post
at the price which it had paid for them.
and IL is said he also agreed to relm-
burse the senator for the difference by
which he had been compelled TO reduce
the rental from his original figure OF
S150O in order TO meet the offers that
had been made on behalf of a location
at the other end of the street
Paid For By Postmaster
This difference Of $500 it is said was
, to have been made up I'm equal por-
e tiOns by the postmaster and his deputy
and, it is alleged, that it was paid for
Z a few months ago, and when the SEN
ator discovered its questionable charac-
ter the money was refunded to Post
master Fisher and Deputy Francis
Postmaster Fisher today appeared in
Judge AIunger's court gave a bond for
$4,000 for his appearance later and was
released.
At the federal building it was stated
o that a United States senator is inn
mune from arrest on charges Of the ma
Do ture Of those named in the indictment
r. while congress is in session. AS a con-
sequence Senator Dietrich wiz not be
= apprehended at this time He VIII be
u notified OF his Indictment, however, and
Z it is expected he viii sppear in court
e when he cam conveniently do so.
Statement Of Attorney.
4 Charges have been made against Dis
r. trict Attorney Summers that ne had not
treated some of the witpesses fairly,
two of them, William DuttOn and FL
iiott Lowe, being mentioned. i'm particu-
Tar. These men are said 20 have asked
: the court for protection Attorney sum
: mers had this to say.
II have never bullied or browbeaten
2 a witness in my life, either before a
. grand jury or elsewhere. I never had
3 a conversation with AIr. DuttOu about
= his testifying until he came 20 me I'm
= person and said that he wanted 20 so
. before the grand jury and tell the truth
= and all the truth. Ar. Lowe came to
? me and said he did not know anything
= about the matters that were the sub
. ject of inquiry, and 7 answered that
9 that being the case. he was probably
. subpOenaed by mistake Alr- Lowe this
? morning denied any connection with
= the request for protection.
On the allegation that he was ani-
. mated by political differences against
. Senator Dietrich. AR Summers said
? 'I never asked him for endorsement.
AS to the charge that i have brought
this matter before the grand jury as a
means to compel the president to reap
: point me, there is absolutely nothing I'm
it. This investigation is made because
II believe it to be my duty as am officer
= and is made for no other purpose whal-
" ever"
- influence ct Work.
r. Senator Dietrich accompanied bv
"a Senator Hanna and Editor R0seuater
of the Omaha Bee, called on ATTORNEY
81 General Knox today and had q con-
% ference with him regarding the case o.
& District Attorney Summers. and Tho
al trial of the charge of conspiracy and
X bribery against the senator in c0nuec-
a ton with the appointment of Post
master Fisher. The senator said ne 5n-
tended to go to Nebraska TO stand
trial. but felt chat his case would bs
lprejudiced If District Attorney sam
mers had charge of the prosecution. Ae
be a result OF the talk with Che attorney
general. the latter win have "a consulta-
ton with the president about the case
r. and it Is probable that AIr. Summers
'v VIII be relieved from the conduct of th,
n Dietrich case and that Assistant Dis
b. trict Attorney Rush OF Nebraska o.
q some attorney from the Departments o.
justice at Washington win be detailed