New-York tribune., 1903-06-09
NEW NAMES IN SCANDAL
TALK OF PAYNE'S CLERK.
The Postmaster General, HozceUer,
Has Implicit Confidence IN Rand.
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE ]

Washington, June 8.-The meshes of the post
office investigation have enveloped II. H. Rand,
of Wisconsin, confidential clerk TO Postmaster
General Payne chairman of the committee which
awards all postoffice contracts for the Post
master General and vice president of the Ma
tional Capital Copper Mining Company, of
which August W. Machen is president.
Because of the decacy of investigation Of
the confidential clerk of the Postmaster General
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General BristOW
has heretofore refrained from going into what
might be regarded as an inquiry into the Post
master General himself but Mr.. Payne said to-
day it was his wish that Mr.. Bristow should
probe the scandals which impliCate Rand to the
bottom Moreover. Mr.. Payne himself viii make
a thorough examination of Rand's relations with
Machen, Lorenz and others. Mr.. Payne is not
prepared TO believe that anything discreditable
to Rand will result from this investigation. He
has the utmost confidence in Rand. whom he
has known for years, and whom he brought
here from Milwaukee with him, but it is re
garded as probable that the President has sug-
gested to Mr. Payne that complete dissipation
of the persistent rumors involving the name Of
his confidential clerk might not only serve as an
evidence Of the absolute good faith with which
the current investigation must be conducted,
but might further relieve Mr.. Bristow from any
embarrassment resulting from uncertainty as to
and the Machen crowd.
In addition 20 Rand. who is vice-president of
the Machen mining company. ]. D. King, also
of Wisconsin, chief of division OF rural free
delivery and Machens right hand man. is the
secretary: David H. Fenton. of Indiana, law
clerk in the office of Captain Castle auditor for
the Postoffice Department, is a director, is
also George Z. Lorenz. whose relations with
Croft Brothers and Machen yet underlined.
The Postmaster General was not prepared this
afternoon TO say how far the phase of the
investigation would go. but said that he would
be In a position to speak more comprehensively
when he returned from Ohio.
BRIsTOw's REPLY STILL HELD BACK.
Referring to the Bristow reply TO the Tuoch
charges the Postmaster General said that the
subject of making that reply public was still
under consideration. He felt that it hardly
fair TO the present officials of the Washington
postofffce to make public the inspectors reports
which Mr. Bristow inclosed. and which showed
a condition of affairs which. il would he shown
bv subsequent report. had been corrected. ex-
cept simultaneously with the publication of the
latter
When it was pointed out to the Postmaster
General that by his own admission the Bristow
reply would evidently assist Mr.. Tulloch in the
task Mr.. Payne has set him of making good"
Mr. Payne replied that in his estimation alto
gether too much Importance had been attached
to the Tulloch charges, anyway.
The announcement that the Croft brothers
had been indicted by the grand jury to-day with
out the taking Of further evidence and that this
course was determined on soon the Machen
evidence was heard. added source Of
qualification to the men whom rests the re-
sponsibility of prosecuting the governments 5
case The course pursued by the inspectors un-
der Mr. Bristow to secure the conclusive evi-
dence on which the Machen and Croft indict-
u1ents have been secured is regarded as re
rnarkable demonstration of the potency of an
investigation conducted by the federal govern
ment II is said that when the inspectors had
arrived at a position where they were sure that
discriminating checks were to be found in
tain banks they called in the national bank
examiners and through their examinat tions veri-
aed their belief and secured from the officers OF
the hanks the testimony required The remark
able detective work being done under Mr.. Bris-
tow's supervision. revealed by developments.
,s regarded as marvellous. Throughout the in
vestigation Mr.. Bristow is keeping his coun-
sci and only the remarkab BILE results he at
tains become known do even officials of the
Continued on fourth page.