The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-24
AN EMPTY SAFE.
Wife Of Assistant Attorney Gen.
eral J. N. Tyner
Enters His Office and Removes
All the Records.
SUMMARY DISMISSAL.
Postmaster General Payne Had
Told Him to Go.
Bristow Asked Permission to
Put Her Out.
SUMMARY DISMISSAL.

Washington. April "A most .sensa-
tional development of the Investigation
Of postonice department affairs occurred
just before the department closed last
night. when Postmaster General Payne
announced the summary dismissal of
James n Tyner, assistant attorney
general for the postoffice department.
coupling with the announcement the
startling charge that all the papers and
records in the safe of the latter's office
had been distracted by Mrs. Tyner.
wife Of the discharged official, with the
assistance of others
The postmaster general says that
Mrs. Tyner has refused the demand of
the government for the return of the
papers taken. and that circumstances
IN the case will be submitted by him
to the department of justice. Other
sensat ionaI developments are expected.
The question of arrest will be passed
on Immediately by Attorney General
Knox
Mrs. Tyner went to the office of the
assistant attorney general on the fifth
floor Of the postofice building at S:45
o'clock Tuesday afternoon and remain
ed there an hour When she arrived the
acting assistant attorney general Mr..
\ ~ 4otiftAA($s " III lAE1c 41c1Q charge OIL tie
office for months past. in the absence
of General Tyner. who has been in poor
health for long period, was In the Of
flee. The clerks were at their desks.
Mrs. Tyner passed from the public room
into the private office and closed the
door behind her.
Being alone in the office, she stepped
to the door opening INTO the public cor
ridor and by previous arrangement ad-
mitted Mrs. Barrett, mother Of Harri-
the postoffice department, and c. c.
Hammer, a safe expert.
/ Mr.. Christiancy reported the pres
ence Of Mrs. Tyner in the Office to two
/ inspectors and to Postmaster General
t Payne. An inspector also reported the
matter to Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Bristow.
Mr.. Bristov asked authority to have
Mrs. Tyner elected from the Office. The
authority came too late. When the in
spector returned Mrs. Tyner had left.
The safe on being examined was
found to be empty. The affair created
much excitement among the investigat-
/ ing officials, but the news was con-
cealed carefully from the public.
Two inspectors were despatched 10
/ the Tyner residence to recover the pa
pers Mrs. Tyner refused to give them
up saying she was acting under the di-
rection of her husband She told the
/ inspectors, so they reported, that they
was assistant attorney general. and
moreover. insisted that the papers were
all of a private character. The inspec-
tors reported that Mrs. Tyner declared
the papers belonged solely to them ano
she announced emphatically that she
did not propose to have her papers sub
mitted to the scrutiny of the inspectors
4 Other pressure. it is understood. was
brought to bear both on Mr. and Mrs
Tyner- but both unequivocally refused
to deliver the papers or even to show
them or indicate their nature.
It is suspected at the department thai
the papers have some connection with
the recent conduct of the office. Some
weeks ago a turf Investment concern
whose affairs were aired in court. al
legged that its operations and working
methods had been sanctioned by tbs
assistant attorney general for the
postoffice department. The charges in
voIving the office of the assistant attor.
neyz general and d lawyer formerly con
nected with that office were ventilated