The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-24
MADDEN ANXIOUS
 FOR MEDICATION
Says Charges Against Him Are
 Absolutely False
ASKS FOR INVESTIGATION
He Declares That Either the Core spondent Has Written Lies or That False information Was Given
 Out by the Department.

Detroit. Mich, June 2S.-Third Assistant Postmaster General Edwin c. Madden. who is visiting h tnls city. today sent 8 letter to Postmaster Gensral Payne denying that he let contact for car- bon paper for the reglstery division Of the postoff1e without permitting compe- tition and asking the postmaster general to immediately investigate the story aud its source The letter Is IS follows; Hon Henry c. Payne. Postmaster,
 Washington.
 This mornings Free Press of this city tells its readers in an article with scare headlines that Third Assistant Postmaster General Madden is to be investigated. It alleges that drew specifications of con tract for supplying the department with carbon paper and that they were so framed as to allow of no competition. The article makes MT. Wynne say that he merely approved 1t as a routine matter. It gives the impression that the contract is one over which the third assistant post master general has control and there is a broad inference that you consider the transaction corrupt.
 otatement Is FalSes ''The whole statement in so far as It attempts to involve me is absolutely false, l had nothing to do with the details of the contract; l drew no specifications. l did not Initial; l did not sign in fact never saw the contract If there is one. My sole interest and connection with the subject Is limited to m approval of the particular carbon paper In question, be- cause 1t is labor saving and In other ways 8 great improvement over the old style manifesting process and much bet ter serves the needs of the postal ser vice; and this approval was not given un- til after an investigation and recommen- dation to me by the superintendent of the registry system and a recommendation by the superintendent of division of post office supplies of the first assistants of flee.
 'The contracts if there be one. Is both drawn and let by the office of first as- sistant postmaster general and with 1t I had absolutely nothing to do except as before stated.
 Facts Misrepresented.
 'If the statements printed were given the Free Press correspondent from the office of the fourth assistant postmaster general they misrepresent the facts and the publication thereof especially in my home city is calculated to put me in a bad light before the people with whom I have lived for upwards of forty years and where have earned what reputation I have. It Is malicious cruel and with out the slightest Justification.
 "I know you too well to believe that you will sanction this attempt to involve and besmirch me unjustly and I beg you not only as a man, but as a consider ation due my office. at once to institute an investigation and do what you can to ascertain whether these absurdly false and damaging statements were actually given out at the department and by whom, or whether they are purely the invention of the writer I ask that the public action of the facts be not tardy.
 (Signed) ''E. c. MADDEN, Third Assistant Postmaster General"