Evening times-Republican., 1903-11-30

SO SklllIully nad Macnen cOncealeu III
wrongdoing that it was only reveale'
after months of laborlous and exhaus
tive work by trained inspectors.
II heartily approved of the recon
mendation of Messrs Conrad and Bo
naparte that the statute of Limitations
he extended in the case of government
servants TO a period of at least fiv
years; for the persons who in sucl
positions of trust engage in corrup
practices can ordinarily conceal thei
guilt for longer time than is covered
by the present short statute of limita
tions. This recommendation has beer
laid before the congress In the repor
of the attorney general. and ii Is earn
estly hoped that 1t will be acted upol
shows that outsiders claiming politica
influence sometimes sell their influence
to candidates for Office, or, In othel
words, blackmail these candidates
There should be legislation which vii
permit of summary dealing with suet
offenders.
"The immediate reformation of the
tenders Is not in itself enough to mee'
the demands of justice. The cases
against both those within and without
the postoffice department. who by theii
acts have brought themselves within
the grasp of the law, will be pushed
with the utmost vigor. Every effort
must be made to see that both the de-
IL. Al, I'm ct N
shares his guilt are punished to the
limit of the law. In pursuance OF thls
policy the individuals above enumer-
ated have been indicted. In no case
has the indictment been sought save
where the officials of the government
were convinced of the mans guilt.
and In every case the government VII.
exhaust every expedient in its pow
er in the effort to see that justice Is
meted out to the offenders.
mo crime calls for sterner. reproba-
ton than the crime of the corruption
ist in public life. and of the man VINO
seeks to corrupt him. The hrihe givei
and the brihe takar are equally guilty
Both alike sin against the primary law
of the states safety. All questions OF
difference in party policy sink into IN
when the people Of this
country are brought face to face with
a question like this, which lies at the
root of homes. and decent government
On this question. and on all others Ike
II. we can afford to have no division
among good citizens. In the last re-
sort good laws and good administration
alike must rest upon the broad basis
of sound public opinion"
Bristow's Report.
The following excerpts from the re-
port of Fourth Assistant Postmaster
Bristow give an idea OF thf
extent Of the corruption unearthed ir
the department by the investigation
just concluded:
Money Order system.
For supplying money-order forms foi
four years from September I. 1908, the
bid Of Paul Herman was $44.s4s less
than that of the Wynkeep- Hallenbeck-
Crawford company. James T. Met
calf. superintendent Of the money-or-
der system, asked Herman to withdraw
his bid so that the Hallenbeck COM
pany, where his son was employed
would get the contract. He assured
Herman that IL he did 50 he would
nave him reinstated in the position he
formerly held with that company. Met
calf knew that such withdrawal would
cost the department about $4,000. For
this action Of Metcalf's the postmaster
general summarily removed him from
office
In 1899. upon Metcalf's recommends
lion, the wynkoop- -Hallenbeck Craw-
'ord company was given the contract
% ship the money order books to post
masters, for which 1t was to receive
~ cents per book Afterwards, upon
Metcalf's recommendation. the price
vas increased to Az cents.
1t was further discovered by the in
that Metcalf's son, who Is
employed by the company, was receiv-
ng / 1-6 cents per book for all OF the
books shipped by the company under
his arrangement From December,
1893, to May, 1903, he was paid $9,547.17
n addition TO his legitimate salary
The investigation shows that inferior
paper was being used In the printing
II the forms, and that Metcalf knew
his fact. but made no effort to require
he company to adhere to the specitica-
ions in respect to paper.
Metcalf made other unjustif1able and
,eckless changes In dealing with the
Nynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford COM
,any, which resulted in loss to the
department. Of nearly 100000
On October 5, 1908, j. 7. Metcalf. N.
3. Metealf and H. G. Hallenbeck were
indicted by the federal grand jury OF
he district Of Columbia for conspiracy
o defraud the government.
Free Delivery.
August w. Machen entered the pos
al service as a clerk In the Toledo.
D., postoffice, and was appointed as
istant postmaster In 1887 by Post
master George Z. Lorenz. On July 81.
900. Lorenz retired from ofice. IN
S93 Machen came to Washington In
he hope Of securing some kind Of fed
raj position under President Cleve-
ands second administration On May
!, 1898, he was appointed assistant su-
,erintendent OF free delivery and on
september 16 following he was made
At that time he was q
bankrupt financially, with numerous
judgments recorded against him. When
lie left Toledo he borrowed sums of
money from friends, promising to repay
hese loans but OF the first salary that
le received, which he failed TO do. Var
Gus fraudulent representations were
made to secure loans, and upon one
occasion he even resorted to forgery.
A simple statement of facts will give
he clearest idea Of Machen's meth
lds