Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-28
MACHEN ARRESTED.
Is Charged With Accepting Money From Contractors.
PAYNE REMOVES HIM FROM OFFICE.
Former Superintendent Claims Thas He wil1 Come Out All Right and
 That the Whole Thing Is Grand stand Play.

WASHINGTON, May 28.-By far the most sensational development of the post office investigation, up to this time occurred when August W. Machen, the general superintendent of the free delivery service, was arrested on a warrant issued on the information of post officers inspectors charging him with having received rake offs from contracts made with the local firm of Groff Bros. for patent postal box fas- tener.
 The warrant specifically charges him with receiving $18,es1.79 since Aug. 8, 1900. It is alleged, however, at the de- partment that this amount does not represent all that Machen obtained in connection with these contracts it be- ing charged that he has proflted by them for several years prior to the date Of the first contract mentioned in the warrant.
 Immediately after MT. Machen was taken into custody the postmaster gen eral issued an order removing him from office. He had been practically under suspension for fortnight pending the Investigation into his bureau. The dis covery of Machen's alleged interests in the contracts was made quite acciden- tally by the inspectors some three weeks ago, and since then their ener- gies have been directed toward making out a case.
 After the authorities had become con- vinced that they were in possession of the necessary evidence MT. Machen was notified to appear at the depart ment. He did so and was subjected to "swe8ting'' process by the inspectors and General Bristow for three hours, but no admissions that he had profited by the contracts could be secured from haa4 He declined to answer many ques- tfens on the ground that they related to his private business, but insisted to the end that he had not received cent improperly ..s-
 Nevertheless he was arrested on the warrant which had been prepared and taken before a United States commits sioner where his attorney immediat teIy demanded a full hearing. Assistant District Attorney Taggart, however, was not ready to proceed with the case, apd the hearing was set for June 5. Mr. Machen gave a $2O,oOO bond.
 After his release he declined to make any statement beyond the single decla- ration that the whole thing was a grand stand play and would come out all right His attorneys declared that at the proper time. they would show conclusively that he had been guilty of no wrong in connection with the con- tracts. and, on the contrary, they would be able to show that his admin istratton of the free delivery service had been characterized by ability and integrity. The department officials claim that their evidence is conclusive. 1t is understood that civil suit will be entered to recover from Machen the amount he is alleged to have received on tha4eontracts. X
 Diller B. Groff. one of the partners in the firm of Groff Bros, who are ac- eused of having bribed August W. Ma chen for the purpose of procuring pur- chase by the government of their letter box fasteners, called at police head quarters, stating that he had heard a warrant for his arrest was out. He was served with the warrant and was re leased on $1O,O00 bond pending hear ing before the United States commis- sionsT today.
 Samuel A. Grof, the other member of the Grof Arm. was taken into cus- tody later and was released on bail.