New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-06

partnent. Under the agreement then entered
into Scheble was to have the boxes manufact-
ured and give Machen 80 per cent OF the net
profits Although this contract expired IN 1877
and the conspiracy is therefore outlawed' IL was
practically for a continuation Of the same ar
rangement that Scheble and Machen were in
dicted on September s How Nachen was able
to control a large contract of this character so
soon after taking Office continues at this late
day to puzzle the authorities, although there
may be some significance in the fact that VIII
isI2 Gordon Crawford, now under indictment
with Machen. was appointed deputy auditor for
the Postoffce Department one month after Ma
chen's appointment, and held the place four
years.
1t is also worthy OF note that George W.
Beavers. who had made an enviable record as
postofice inspector and subsequently served IN
the Brooklyn Postoffice with credit. was ap-
pointed superintendent OF the division Of saIa-
ries and allowances in 1897. The contracts for
the Fraudulent automatic cashiers. in cOnnec-
ton with which Beavers recently indicted.
date back to 1897.
Machen. though recently calling himself a Re-
publican was in the early days Of his service an
ardent Democrat. He appointed numerous 'in-
spectors" Of carriers. all Of whom were Iber-
ally assessed for the benefit Of the Ohio Demo
cratic Campaign Committee. although members
Of the committee say they never received the
funds collected in their behalf Among those
inspectors" was Machens brother. who was
carried on the rolls under the alias Of Wv. A.
Clark" a fact which came out in 1897 in
investigation Of the workings Of the Civil Ser
vice law conducted by the Senate Committee on
Civil Service and Retrenchment. This was prob
ably the first clew to Machen's methods. but IL
was never followed up.
THREE CLASSES OF ABUSES
Until the publication Of Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Bristow's report on the cur
rent investigation, which may weave them into
a homogeneous whole, the abuses In the Post
Office Department must be regarded under three
separate heads, viz: those growing out OF the
methods Of Beavers ard Machen and others al
lied with them; those resulting from malfeas-
ance in the legal division Of the department. and
those which have had to do with administrative
methods and accounting. and especially 70 af-
fairs in the Washington City postofice five years
ago. to which attention has been so ernphaticaIly
called by the now famous '"Tulloch charges
Thus far most Of the indictments returned
have been the result OF Beavers's or Machen's
dishonesty almost every true bill including the
name Of one or the other of these officials with
one or more accomplices in some particular
form Of graft" The opportunities for gigantic
frauds in these divisions date back TO the adj
Ininistration Of Charles Emory Smith and his
First Assistant, Perry s Heath. Mr.. Smith was
so much in demand at White House councils on
matters Of great national Importance that he
was compelled TO intrUst all details Of admins
tration Of the great department Of which he
the head 10 Heath. Heath had assumed Office
handicap ped with numerous political pledges.
most Of them not Of his own making. and with
the fulflment Of which he was charged. Find
inc hat orl- Of he 6fy-fsf Of Fraa da-
livery and salaries and allowances had grown
enormously he intrusted their administration
almost entirely 10 Beavers and Machen re-
spectively, and from comparatively Insignificant
divisions they became virtually II not actually.
bureaus When Machen took the oath OF Of
flee in 1893 he assumed charge Of fifteen clerks.
In 1896 his Office force had increased TO ninety
people, and In 1903 TO $50. including travelling
superintendent. July ! 1893 there were Il, 625
city carriers and rural carriers. July l. 1903.
there were 10 500 city and over II 900 rural car
ries All these were under Machen's supervision.
When George W. Beavers became superintend-
ent Of the division Of salaries and allowances OF
August %, 1897. it. too. was comparatively in
significant division. The total sum which he dis
bursed during the fiscal year Of 1878 was
500. $4,000. of which 675OOOO was specifcaI-
ly appropriated by Congress. so that he had no
discretion with regard 10 its disbursement. The
extent to which Beavers's opportunities grew
however. is shown by the fact that in the last
fiscal year there was disbursed through this d.
vision S45. 5O7. 800. Of this sum SCI. 10000 was
specifically appropriated leaving S23. 757 go for
Beavers 70 expend according TO his discretion.
and where he could arrange for the most liberal
commissions to be paid 10 himself The investi-
cation has shown that he conspired 70 secure
commissions ranging from 10 to 30 1-3 per cent
IN and Oha Nv THe-
many instances of which the department has
been unable 10 secure legal proof
Referring TO First Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral Heath's administration. it is only fair 10
say that he at one time suspected that all was
not right in Machen's division. and urged his
dismissal on the Postmaster General but an in
fuence more powerful defeated Heath's recon-
mendation.
The dismissal OF Judge Tyner the suspension
of Christiancy and the arrest OF Miller all point
ed to grave irregularities in the legal division
of the Postoffce Department. Numerous de-
cisions were rendered whereby so-caIled get
rich-quck" concerns have been permitted to use
the mails. notwithstanding the fact that their
methods were patiently fraudulent. Extensive
evidence Of these facts was laid before the Dis
trict OF Columbia Grand Jury weeks ago and
important indictments have long been expected
The comment frequently heard among postal
officials that had a so capable and alert
as the present Assistant Attorney General for
the Postofflce Department. Charles H Robb
been at the head Of the legal division in the last
ten years. IT is far from likely that such extern
sive frauds could have been perpetrated in other
divisions Of the department.
THE TULLoCH CHARGES.
The Tulloch charges have already been printed
in full in The Tribune. They ailege grave ir-
regularities In connection with the Washington