Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-24
POST OFFICE SCANDAL
The Tyner Removal the Latest
Incident in the Matter.
R [ LII NG A SA FE
Papers All Sent to Attorney General
for Opinion.
Question Of Jurisdiction to Be Settled
Mr.. Tyner's Counsel at Depart
ment og Justice.
R I F LII NC A SAFE

The summary removal by Postmaster
| General Payne of James NJ. Tyner as as
sistant United States attorney general for
| the Post Office Department. following the
sensational disclosure that Mrs. Tyner, as
| sisted by safe expert and accompanied
| by her sister, had rifed the safe in the
assistant attorney generals office and re-
| moved It's contents, was the sole topic of
| conversation today in the departments,
| business houses and homes In fact. in ev-
| cry place where persons are wont to con-
| gregate the sensational actions of Mrs.
| Tyner were discussed
| The work Was done so boldly as to cause
| the officials of the Post Office Department
| to marvel. Two whole days elapsed from
| the time it was known that the safe in
| the assistant attorney generals office had
| been ransacked before the matter was
| given to the public.
| Postmaster General Payne was in any
] thing but pleasant frame of mind when
| he was notified of what had occurred. That
| there should be no miscarriage Of justice
| and that the investigat ton might not be
| hampered In any way, 1t was deemed pru-
| dent to keep the information from the pub
| lie until he was able to communicate with
| Attorney General Knox, Fourth Assistant
| Postmaster General Bristow and other
| members of his official family, and to get
| tIle dIuudNltS OI SHTlStlaUCy, tne dct-
| ing assistant attorney general and the
| clerks and others in the assistant attor-
| ney generals office.
Began Investigation at Once.
AS soon as Mr.. Payne learned that Mrs.
| Tyner and a safe expert had been in the
| private Office formerly occupied by Gen.
| Tyner he Immediately set an investigation
! on foot.
| Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
| Bristow called to his aid Mr.. Cochran, the
| chief of inspectors of the department, and
| the latter placed the work of trying to re-
| cover the papers that had been removed in
| men.
One of the inspectors was dispatched af-
| ter Anderson Hogan, the colored messen-
| ger of the office, to whom Mrs. Tyner had
intrusted the package of papers taken from
| the safe, and who had left the building
| with it, under instructions from Mrs. Ty-
ner.
| This inspector went to the home of Mrs.
| Barrett, Mrs Tyner's sister, while another
! went to General Tyner's home The pack
age had been delivered to the Tyner home
| before an inspector reached there.
The Postmaster General first learned of
| Mrs. Tyner's presence in the post office
| building from Mr.. Christiancy, at about
| 4:40 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, who re-
/ ported that she was then in the private
| Office Of the assistant attorney general
| The matter had previously been reported
| to two inspectors, who We're also in the as
| sfstant attorney generals office.
Mr.. Payne Acted Quickly.
| The Postmaster General directed that Mr.
! Chrstiancy go back to the room and not
| permit her to remain other than in the
| company of himself or some official of the
| department.
| When Mr.. Christiancy and an inspector
| reached the room they found it vacant.
| Mrs. Tyner had departed by the main door
| with the messenger carrying the papers
| while the inspectors were watching the pri-
| Vate entrance.
| Following this the investigation was be-
| gun in earnest. The inspectors We're de-
| tailed to get sworn affidavits from Mr..
| Christiancy and all others attached to the
| assistant attorney generals office who were
| there during the time Mrs. Tyner and her
| flee.
| These affidavits were submitted to Attor-
ney General Payne, and it was acting upon
| the evidence thus placed before him that he
| wrote the letter removing Gen. Tyner from
| office and giving the reasons therefor
| At 1 o'clock this afternoon Postmaster
| General Payne certified to Attorney Gen
| eral Knox for such action he may deem
| necessary in the cases of the persons In
| volved in the abstraction of the papers
| from the safe. The Postmaster Generals
letter accompanying the papers made no
| recommendations beyond submitting the
|
/ Justice might consider eXpedient.
Mr.. Perry Calls to See Mr.. Knox.
The officials of the Department of Justice
will give most careful consideration to the
| papers in the Tyner case before action of
any kind is taken. Officially, at noon to-
day. the Department of Justice essayed to
| know nothing Of the merits of the case
| and all the officials there declined to ex-
press even a personal opinion, saying that
| both personal and official judgment would
| be suspended until the papers were re-
| ceived and the whole case was gone over
| Mr.. r. Ross Perry visited the Department
| Of Justice early this morning as a friend of
| Mrs. Tyner and family. Attorney General
! Knox did not see him and referred him to
| Solicitor General Hoyt, who will evidently
| handle the case from now on for the Attor-
| ney General.
Mr.. Perry, it is stated made about the
same statement to Mr.. Hoyt that was given
| out last night by Mr.. Perry and Gen. Louis
| r. Michener. The understanding is that Mr.
| Perry informed Mr.. Hoyt that the few Of
| hcfal papers that were taken by Mrs. Tyner
| are at the disposal Of the government and
| may be returned there anyhow, even if the
| government shows no willingness to accept
! them.
Mr.. Hoyt declined to indicate what Mr.
| Perry had suggested or proposed, admitting
| only that Mr.. Perry had made substan-
| TALLY the same statement that was an
| nounced last night on behalf of the family
Talk With District Attorney Beach.
Following the visit of Mr.. Perry, Mr.
Hoyt was in conference for a brief time
with District Attorney Beach, through
whose instrumentality prosecutions, If in
! stituted, will be pushed. Mr.. Hoyt indi-
Gated that Mr.. Beach had not been to the
| department in connection with the Tyner
case, saying that Mr.. Beach made almost
/ daily visits to the department relative to
| legal business in the District.
Others also declared that Mr.. Beach's
| visit was by means in connection with
| the Tyner case No one would admit that
| Mr.. Beach had been instructed to place
| any one under surveillance by officers of
! the District. The only thing definitely GER
| tain about Mr.. Beach is that If warrants
] are issued for anybody the prosecutions
| will be under his direction.
| Attorney General Knox said that he was
| not familiar with the facts, and knew lit
| tie except what he had seen in the papers