Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-11
POSTAL INDICTMENTS
Charges Against Machen,
Beavers and Others Outlined.
CONSPIRACY ALLEGED
SPECIFIC CASES ON WHICH
GRAND JURY ACTED.
New Men Alleged Accomplices of Two
Ex-OHcials-Letter Box
Contract.

The indictments in the post office investi-
cation which were returned by the grand
jury Tuesday last were today made public
by District Attorney Beach. The indict-
ments were held by the district attorneys
office in order to allow the authorities to
apprehend the persons indicted. The per-
sons named in the indictments and the Of
lenses charged follow:
One against George w. Beavers, August
w. Machen and James w. Erwin for con-
spiracy to defraud the United States under
section $40 of the Revised Statutes, as
amended; two indictments against Isaac S.
Mcclellan of New York city, George H.
Huntington Of the same city and August
w. Machen, one for conspiracy to defraud
the United States, under section $40 of the
Revised Statutes, and another for conspr-
acy to commit bribery, under the same sec.
tion two indictments against Eugene D.
Sheble and August w. Machen, one for con-
spiracy to defraud the United States, under
section $40 of the Revised Statutes, and
the other for conspiracy to commit bribery.
under the same section; indictment
against Isaac 8. Mcclellan and George H.
Huntington for bribery, under section 5451
of the Revised Statutes, and an indictment
against Machen singly for accepting bribeS,
under section j501.
The Postal Device Company.
The indictment against Beavers, Machen
and Erwin alleges, in substance, that the
Postal Device and Improvement Company
of San Francisco, Cal, formerly the Mon
tague Indicator and Letter Box Company,
by resolution of October 6, 1899, set aside
1000 shares of It's stock to be used in any
legitimate way its president might think
proper in forwarding the interests of the
l. a,,fh hortt &I1
president, Daniel S. Richardson, accom-
panied by Erwin, came to Washington.
Erwin was then a post office inspector and
the company was composed almost entirely
of postal employees in the west. Erwin In
troduced Richardson to all the post office
officials at Washington, and Beavers, Ma
chen, Heath and others examined the de-
vice. AS result an order for equipping
2,OS9 letter boxes with the device was se-s
cured. About this time, on a suggestion
from Beavers, concurred In by Machen, the
name of the company was changed. and it
was arranged that all post Office officials
should disappear from its management.
Beavers and Machen became the owners OF
blocks of the stock, both under assumed
names. The company was then system
atically relieved Of its obligations in the
way of paying freight, Grating painting
and printing cards for the devices it was
furnishing. Out of the 600 shares of stock
set aside. as above mentioned most all of
IL went 10 Inherent post ONCE OH1ClalS. Inc
president of the company afterward came
to Washington again with a request that
an Increase be made in the compensation
the company was receiving for it's device.
This request was granted. Dividends were
afterward paid on all of the stock.
Package Boxes.
The indictment against Mcclellan, Hunt
tngdon and Machen alleges that Mcclellan
was the person interested in the profits
from certain contracts with the United
States for furnishing package boxes from
July 1. 1S93 to June 1, 1897; that in pur-
suance Of scheme to defraud the United
States Machen recommended to his supe-
riors that the compensation of the con-
tractor be increased in payment for attach
ing different support to the boxes which
raised them higher from the ground. This
scheme was put through and afterwards
when Huntingdon became interested in the
contracts with Mcclellan, they continued
to receive the extra compensa ton. The
indictment is in ten counts, the first two
counts charging the payment of 500 to Ma
chen on September II, 1900; the third and
fourth counts alleging the payment of $3.50
December 80, 19O0 the fifth and sixth
counts the payment Of $3.50 February 4,
1901; the seventh and eight counts the pay
ment of $3.50 March q 1901; the ninth and
tenth counts the payment of $225.50 on
March 10 1901.
The other indictment against Mcclellan,
Huntingdon and Machen is in fifteen
counts and is based on the same facts as
set forth in the first indictment, the charge
being conspiracy to bribe an officer of the
United States.
Bribery Charge.
The indictment against Mcclellan and
Huntingdon for bribery alleges that Machen
procured the payment of $1.25 on each Of
the package boxes, additional to the con-
tractor. for the device which lifted them
higher from the ground, when the sum
paid for that attachment should not have
exceeded rs cents. Mcclellan agreed to pay
Machen so cents from each $1.25 with the
concurrence of Huntingdon, who was then
interested II the contracts with Mcclellan,
as the Columbia Supply Company, for his
own personal use.
Letter Boxes.
The Indictment against Sheble and Machen
alleges that Eugene D. Sheble of Toledo
Ohio. became interested with the firm of
Maybury & Ellis Of Detroit, Mich, Of which
town Maybury is the mayor, in certain con-
tracts with the United States for furnishing
letter boxes. That in pursuance of their
scheme to defraud the government Machen
procured the department to order large
quantities of letter boxes for the rural free
delivery service. quantities far in excess of
what was needed or what could be used
and that Machen, in his official capacity.
& Ellis paid Sheble to the extent of his in
terest In the company, and he in turn paid
large sums to Machen. The indictment Is
In seventeen counts, the first three charging
the payment by Sheble to Machen of 81 800
on September II, 1900; the fourth count
charges the ordering by Machen of 5000
letter boxes on September 21. 1900; the fifth,
sixth and seventh counts charges the pay
ment to Machen of $50 on September "a,
1900; the eighth, ninth and tenth counts
charge the payment to Machen of $500 on
November %. 1900; the eleventh count
charges the payment to Machen of $1,159SO
on November 23 1900: the twelfth, thir-
teenth and fourteenth counts charge the
payment of $304 to Machen on February II,
1901: the fifteenth, sixteenth and seven
teenth counts charge the payment of $134, 75
to Machen on June TO- 1901. The other In
dictment against these defendants has the
same number of counts, based on the same
facts. the charge being conspiracy to bribe
an officer of the United States
Case Of Stern.
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