The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-09
SHAKE.UP IN POSTAL SERVICE.
ORDER 81 SPENDING SUPERIN-
TENDENT MACHEN.
The Free Delivery Division Transferred
TO the Bureau Of the Fourth Assistant
Postmast er.(eneral. and Post Once
Inspector FOsnes Placed nj It's Head.

| Inspector FOsnes Placed At it, Head.
WASHINGTON, May s-Thcre were i'm
portant developments in the Post Of
nee situation to-day, At the request
! OF Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow Post master-General Payne late
this afternoon issued an order suspend
ing Supt, August W. Machen Of the
free delivery division pending the com
pletion of the investigation into his
| official conduct, transferring the bureau
of which he has been the head from tn /,
control Of the First Assistant TO the juris :
dction of the Fourth Assistant. and APP
pointing NJ. c. Fosnes. who had charge OF
the entire Cubin postal service follow :
ing the arrest of Estes c. Rathbone and
is now an inspector in the Depart ment
acting superintendent of the free de-
livery division. This important step tow =
ard clearing up the alleged scandals In
the department was decided upon only
last night. Mr.. Payne took action In ac-
cordancc with the following request from
Mr.. Brstow:
May :, 1905.
lion. n, c. Po"a.. Postmaster General.
SIR Iii order To complete the Departments
Investigation now in progress in more expe-
ditious and satisfactory manner. beg To re-
quest that the division Of free delivery be
temporarily assigned to the b reau of the
Fourth Assistant Postmlst ar Gen sral and that
be authorized to assign post on 70 inspector
as the acting general superintendent OF said
division during the continuance of this In
vestigaton Very respectfully,
J L. BRIsrow.
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Mr.. Payne has stat ed on a number of
occasions 10 newspaper men that il Supt
Machens removal was requested by Mr.
Bristow, the investigating officer, he would
take action in accordance with the sug-
gestion. This morning he sent the fol-
lowing letter to Mr.. Machcn:
Mr.. a " Mochcr. General Surtrintendert
FREQ Pe'r6ru Sys'er,,
DEAR SIR: ! am in receipt OF request
from Gen, Bristow. Fourth Assistant Post
master General. that the division OF free
delivery be temporarily assigned to his bu-
reau and that he be authorized to assign a
post office inspector as the acting general
superintendent Of said division during the
continuance Of the Investigation now in
progress. In conformity with this request,
] have issued the following order. to take
eHcct at the commencement Of business on
the 9th inst:
THE division OF free delivery, hereto
forc under the general super vision OF the First
Assistant Postmaster-General. is hereby
transferred and assigned 10 the Fourth Assist
ant Postmaster General. and the regulations
Of the Department are amended In con-
formity Herewith.
you are hereby granted leave OF absence
until the investigation is-ronriuted and will
turn over the division OF free delivery to the
control OF NJ. c. Fosnes. post office inspector.
who has been designated as the acting general
superintendent of the free delivery system.
Respectfully yours. He. PAYNE,
Postmaster General.
Supt Machen, who has borne up wonder
fully well under the fire of accusation to
which he has been subjected during the past
six months, broke down yesterday and
was unable to attend to his duties at the
Department. He was at his desk this morn
ing however. and upon receipt Of Mr.
Payne's letter dictated the following
answer
MAY g. 1903
Hon. II. c. Payne. Postmaster General.
DEAR SIR am in receipt OF your letter OF
this date. advising me of your order. TO take
effect on the 9th instant. transferring the
division of free delivery from the super
vision OF the First Assistant Postmaster
General to that of the Fourth Assistant Post
master General. l also note that have been
granted leave OF absence until the investi-
gStiOn now in progress is concluded, and
that during my absence Mr.. NJ. c. Fosnes.
post office inspector. will be acting general
superintendent OF the free delivery system.
In conformity with your instructions. !
will turn the division over to Mr. Fosnes to
morrow morning. In this connection desir.
10 state what have said to YOU heretofore,
that court the fullest investigation OF my
official conduct. and stand ready at any time
to aid in the investigation now in progress,
as am conscious Of having done no wrong
Yours very res oeotfully.
AuGUsT ". MAcHRN.
General Superintendent
Ever since Postmaster-G General Payne's
entrance into office, and long before the
present investigation was thought OF, hr
has been considering the advisability OF
transferring the free delivery division
from the control of the First Assistant
Postmaster General to that Of the Fourth
Assistant. The latter has the smallest
bureau In the Department. the most i'm
portant feature of which ls the inspectors
corps The First Assistant has the largest
bureau in the Department, hence 1t may
be stated on authority that the transfer
OF the free delivery division from tho oon-
troll OF the First Assistant to that Of The
Fourth Assistant is a permanent change.
While Supt. Machen has technically
"a leave OF absence, he has. as before stated,
been actually suspended. The fact cannot
be denied that Mr. Machen's connection
with the free delivery service has como
to an end, for it is conceded that whatever
the manner Of his leaving the postal service,
whether by resignation or summary dis
missal, he will not again take up his duties
as chief OF the free delivery division.
Martin c. Fosnes, who succeeds Mr.,
Machen, has splendid record In tho postal
service. Prior to the Cuban postal fraud
he was an inspector under the Fourth A.
sistant Postmaster General and because
Of his excellent work up to that time was
selected to act az the head OF the Cuban
postal administration following the arrest
Of Rathbone, Nicely and Rves. He made
an excellent record in this once and was
highly commended BY his superior.. Sine
tho Inauguration Of tho Cuban rSpublio
Mr.. Fosnes has been stationed ct ChAtta-
nooga, and came to the Department month
or more ago to aid II the present ipvesti.
cations. Il u quite probable that b will
Be retained - superintendent OF ths Tree
delivery division.
One Of the highest officers Of the postal
servios said to-day In dlec,assing ths transfer
Of the free delivery division and the other
prospective results Of the present general
Investigation, that - result Of the modern
method to b introduced and the como
miss TO b praoeioed In the future the postal
service would within . year BE- absolutely
nAlf-nr1afa ininR and have mt lees than n