The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-08
TO SUCCEED MACHEN
Rumor Has It That Martin G. Eos
mes May Get the Position
Now Vacant.
He Is a Minnesota Man and Is Now
Investigating Matchens
Work.
From The Journal Bureau, Room as, Post Build

From The Journal Bureau, Room 45, Post Build
ing, Washington,
Washington June S.-For upward of
month a low-voiced. quiet-nlannered man
has sat at desk in the big room In the
northwest corner of the fourth floor of
the postoffice department building. That
desk was formerly presided over by Au-
gust W. Machen. recently arrested
charged with having accepted brlbe IN
connection with contract for supplying
articles for the use Of the free delivery
division of the postoffice department Inc
quiet man who has directed the business
of that branch of the service since Machen
was suspended, a month before his ar
rest, is Martin G. Fosnes, postotflce in
spector, with a dozen years of service to
his credit.
Mr.. Fosnes is Enthusiastically Nor
wegian. He is of medium height and
rather spare build, with the thin face,
] high cheek bones and square jaw of men
Of his race He has a shock OF light
brown hair tinged with gray, thick,
reddish mustache covering a firm mouth,
and blue eyes deep-set under bushy eye
brows. He is So years old. but doesn't
look 1t by ten years. He was born in Nor
way and came to this country with his
parents when he was 16. His parents
settled near Winona. Mimi, where he lived
on a farm until he entered the govern
ment service at the age OF 80.
Protege Of Window.
The young Norwegian attracted the at
tention of William Window, thru whose
influence he was appointed special agent
in the pension bureau. He served IN
this capacity for ten years, nearly all the
time in the middle west He was then
transferred to the postoffice department
as an inspector, in which capacity he has
done about everything postoffice inspec-
tor has to do in the course OF his regular
duty. He has spied on letter carriers
and clerks suspected of rifling mail pass
ing thru their hands. He has chased
train robbers and postoffice burglars, and
has followed the more peaceful pursuit
of checking accounts of postmasters. 1t
Is said of him that in all his service he
never asked for an assignment; never re-
fused one; nor even suggested that task
to which he was assigned was not to his
liking.
At the beginning Of the first Mckinley
administration, back in 1897, Joseph L..
Bristow Of Kansas was made fourth as
sistant postmaster general. The lnspec-
ton division was under his jurisdiction,
and the reports of the fifty or more in
spectors passed thru his hands. Among
them were those Of Inspector Fosnes.
There was a certain quality about them
that Bristow liked. They were direct and
to the point and there was nothing in
any case he investigated that was left to
the Imagination. He had a way of get
ting at facts without allowing his mind
or his reports to be hampered by a mass
of irrelevant detail. With characteristic
determination he stuck to a, case until he
had cleared up any mystery there might
be connected with it. And his conclu-
sions were about right in every case, SO
his superior officers say. Yet Mr.. Fosnes)
work cannot be said to have been char
acterzed by brilliancy. but more by a
clear power of analysis and ability to
.bone" on a case and study it in every
phase in the endeavor to reach solu-
ton.
Tried Him Out.
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow was attracted by Fosnes' meth
DDS They were like Lis own in many re-
spects and he therefore pushed him to
the front in order to test his ability In an
executive capacity. During the Spanish
American war Bristow assigned him to
temporary charge of the Chicago division
Then he was sent to Philadelphia in per
.manent charge of that division. While in
the Quaker city he was given several
important and complicated cases to in
vestigate and did his work so well thai
Mr. Bristow knew he had a man on whom
he could depend and who could be trusted
with almost any duty in connection with
postal investiga tions.
Just about this time the investigation
OF CUBAN postal accounts WAS OTueTSC
and Bristow was assigned to take charge
of it. Inspector Fosnes was the first mar
selected to assist him. The history o
the Cuban frauds is well known and neet
not be repeated here. At the conclusion
of the Investigation it became necessar.
to name some one as acting director o
posts, and Inspector Fosnes was assigned
to that duty, which he discharged witt
his usual ability and faithfulness.
Returns From. Cuba.
Mr.. Fosnes returned from Cuba some
what broken in health, the result of an at
tack Of yellow, fever, and was ordered b.
his, doctors to a bracing climate. He di
not want to loaf and asked for an assign
nent that might meet the requirement
of his health. and he was therefore sen
to st. Paul, in charge of the Northwestern
division. He stayed there until about tw
months ago, when he was called to Wash
ington to again assist his chief in un
earthing frauds. He was put in charg
of. the Investigation of the free deliver
service, over which August w. Mache
had supervision. For time Machen wa
allowed to continue in service. The
Fosnes asked that Machen be relieved
order that he might have. full control
all the papers and documents in the bu
reau. Machen was suspended indefinitel,
and within month was arrested on
charge of bribery, the case having bee
worked up by Inspector Mayer, acting ur
der Fosnes' orders.
One thing that strikes a person who al
tempts to interview Mr.. Fosnes is his e.
IRENE modesty. At no time has he elaine
any credit for his work in Cuba, nor
the present investigation. He prefers
let that speak for itself. Neither does /
give out any more information than /
intends to. He is courteous and willir
to answer questions, but when he al
swers them one finds that there is vel
little information conveyed that migl
make a sensation. AS matter of fac
he would rather keep in the backgrour
and let others give out the informatic
which he gathers so diligently and quietl
May Be Promoted.
Since Mr.. Machens arrest there h;
been considerable talk about Fosnes b
ing made chief of the free delivery Sc
u. vice, but that appointment has been d
ferred by common consent until the COZ
clusion of the work he is now doing, al
doing well.
w. w. Jermane
Guide for Fishermen
Just issued by 500 line Obtain a copy
g