Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-06-08
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.J
Washington, d, c.. June 8.

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fCorrespondence of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, d, c.. June 8.
The federal grand jury has voted to
indict Samuel A. and Diller B. Croft,
for conspiracy to defraud the government
in connection with August w. Machen,
the former Superintendent of Free
Delivery of the PostOffice Department,
who was indicted last Friday. The
GrofIs are the proprietors of the patent
mail box fastener, from the sale of which
to the government Machen is said to
have profited, through collision with the
Groffs. to the extent of $50, 900 in the
past three years, having, it is said, col
lected from them a 40 per cent. "rake-
off, on all moneys received by them from
the government. The Croft indictment
will be reported later to the court. The
grand jury did not consider any addi-
tional evidence in this case, having re-
garded the testimony taken in. the
Machen hearing entirely sufficient upon
when to base an indictment against the
Grofs.
If found necessary, the full power of
the government will be exerted to un-
cover corruption in the Postoffice Depart
ment. This is brought to light this
morning by the discovery of the means
whereby evidence of bribery was secured
against A. w. Machen and two subOr-
dinates in the free delivery. A national
bank examiner followed up the work
begun by the inspectors. These sleuths
chased the clues to the doors of certain
banks. They then had to stop. But
the inquiry did not last long. Treasury
Department officials were consulted with
the result that bank examiners were
ordered go into the banks and examine
the books and vaults. The documen-
tary evidence was obtained in the form
of checks and records to establish the
guilt of those under arrest and others
yet to be taken into custody.
Criticism of Emanuel Speich, chief
bookkeeper of the free delivery division,
is being INDUCED in at the department
He is one of the bondsmen for A. W..
Machen, former superintendent OF that
division, now under indictment The
records show that in November, 1901,
SPEECH voluntarily retired from 81, 600
per annum clerkship under the fourth
assistant and accepted one at 81 600 un-
der Machen. III short time it is said
he was advanced to the chief of the book
keeping division. 1t was he who signed
MAY the statement reporting a deficit
of 500, 900 in the rural free delivery and
a surplus in the general delivery funds.
Two days later the inspectors discovered
the deficit in these appropriations to be
1927, 900.
Assistant Surgeon Heiser, Chief
Quarantine Officer for the Philippines,
has reported from Manila that The
number of cases of plague has been
steadily increasingof late. With view
to preventing its spread to other parts of
the islands and to the United States, it
has been deemed Necessary to fumigate
with sulphur, in order to kill rats and
vermin, the entire shipping which en-
tiers and leaves this port.
Minister Congers request that Count
Cassini, the Russian ambassador, be
asked to explain his contradiction of the
American ministers Manchurian news,
has been received at the State Depart
ment, but it is more probable that no
action will be taken upon it. In fact,
the attitude of the department seems to
be entirely against any move which will
antagonize the Gar.
The following appointments have been
made in the State Department: p. A. Jay,
X. L., now Sd. Secretary 10 the embassy at
Paris, to be I'd. Secretary at COnstantinOple;
Philip NJ. Brown, of Mass, now I'd. Secretary
at Constantinople, to be Secretary at Guate-
mala, and Honduras; j. X. Bailey, of Ken
lucky transferred from the Secretaryship to
that for Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Salvador;
Lewis Einstein, of New York, to be Sd. Sec
rotary at Paris Geo. b. Anderson, of District
Of Columbia, transferred from Prescott, Canada
TO Durango, Mexico; NJ. K. Sackett, to be
consul at Prescott; J. ID. Jackson, Minister
10 Greece, ROumania and Servia, is appointed
additionally to be diplomatic agent to
Bulgaria, and Sanford Newell, Minister to the
Netherlands, is made minister TO Luxem-
burg also
Complaints have reached the War Depart
ment through unofficial channels alleging
that extreme cruelty is being practiced upon
the inmates Of the Malahi military prison.
located in Laguna de Bay, near Manila.
Vice Consul Jesse NJ. Hyatt cables the State
Department Of the death at Colon Of John {.
Ingersoll, consul at Cartagena, Colombia