Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-09
MACHEN SUSPENDED.
Postmaster General Acts on Bristow's
Recommendation.

Recommendation.
| The investigation of the affairs of the
| Post Office Department which has been
| dragging along for two months took n
! sensational turn late yesterday afternoon,
| when, by order of Postmaster General
| Payne Mr. August w. Machen, general
| superintendent of the free delivery system
| and one of the most widely known govern
ment officials in the United States, was
| relieved from his duties
Post Office Inspector NJ c. Fosnes was
| designated to take charge of that service.
| which, beginning with this morning was
transferred temporarily to the jurisdiction
of the fourth assistant postmaster general.
| Heretofore it has been under the jurisdic-
| ton of the first assistant
The action of the Postmaster Cen
eral was taken on the written recommen-
| dation of Fourth Assistant Postmaster
| General B-istow who is directing the in
vestigation of the affairs of the depart
ment, that the transfer of Mr.. Machen' 8
bureau to his jurisdiction and its admin
istration by post office inspector would
expedite the investigation.
In ordering the change recommended the
Postmaster General gave Mr.. Macher
leave of absence until the investigation
Is concluded
decision CT the Postmaster General, taxi
ing occasion to say in doing so that he
courted the fullest investigation of his OFF,
cial conduct.
Bris lows recommendation to Postmaster
General Payne. under date Of Thursday
was as follows:
I'm order to complete the departmental
Investigation now in progress q more
expeditions and satisfactory manner | beg
to request that the division of free delivery
Re temporarily assigned to the bureau OF
the fourth assistant postmaster general
"A no To
office inspector the acting genera. super
intendent of said division during the con-
tinuance of this Investigation
Payne's Letter to Machen.
The letter of the Postmaster General to
Mr. Machen follows:
Il am in receipt Of a request from Gen
Brlstow. fourth assistant postmaster gen.
eral, that the division of free delivery be
temporarily assigned to his bureau, and
that he be authorized to assign IL post office
inspector as the acting general superinten-
dent or said division during the contin-
uance OF the investigation now In progress
IN conformity with this request l have
! issued the following order. to take effect
at the commencement of business on the
9th instant:
The division of free delivery heretofore
under the general supervision of the first
assistant postmaster general Is hereby
transferred and assigned to the fourth as
SiStdHt postmaster general and the regula-
ions OF the department are amended in
conformity herewith
GU are hereby granted leave Of absence
until the investigation Is concluded and
VIII 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
Machen's Reply to Payne.
Mr. Machen replied.
Il 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 supervt-
sion or the first assistant postmaster gen
eral to that Of the fourth assistant post
master general.
Il also note that / have beef granted a
leave of absence until the investi ga ton now
IN progress Is concluded, and that during
my absence Mr.. NJ. c. Fosnes post office
| Inspector, Will be acting general superin-
tendent of the free delivery system
In conformity with your instructions |
will turn the division over to Mr. Fosnes
tomorrow morning. In this connection |
desire to state what | have said to you
heretofore, that / court the fullest inyesti-
CATION OF my official conduct and stand
ready at any time to aid in the investiga-
ton now in progress az | am conscious of
having done