Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-16
POST OFFICE SCANDAL
Rumor of Two Warrants for
Arrest.
ALL NON-COMMITTAL
NONE OF THE OFFICIALS WILL
TALK ON THE SUBJECT.
Postmaster General Denies Silly Story
About Stopping Publicity in Re-
gard to Investigation.

There was plenty of interest manifested
about the Post Office Department shortly
before noon over report that warrants
had been issued for the arrest of two per-
sons involved in the scandals that have
been under investigation for the past three
months.
Excitement would be a better word to use
in the connection than interest. for In these
days of arrests and rumors the employees of
the Post Office Department have come 10
be easily disturbed.
Within twenty minutes after the report
reached the Post Office Department it was
known to every person in the building and
great was the speculation as to the next
persons to be placed under arrest.
Postmaster General Payne saw the news
papermen in conference at - o'clock. He
lay on the sofa in his private Office when
his daily visitors filed in. The first question
asked him was to his knowledge of the
warrants reported to have been issued.
As to the Rumored Warrants.
'It is a question that can't. with pro-
priety, discuss" he replied.
Were the warrants issued in Washing
ton?" one of his visitors asked.
II can't say
Have warrants been issued for the ar
sisted.
Il will not affirm or deny" the Post
master General answered.
The Postmaster General again explained
1t would be improper for him, an official,
to say anything about warrants until per-
sons who might be wanted had been reach
ed by the court officers.
Inspector Maher who was encountered
coming from the Office of the assistant at
torney for the Post Office Department a
few minutes later, denied that warrants
had been issued for the arrest of any per-
sons in Washington.
Mr.. Maher said he had been to the city
hall and he knew of no warrants having
been sworn out here in the District. He
persons to appear before the grand jury,
which today resumed the consideration of
the Post Office Department cases.
A Silly Story.
Postmaster General Payne denounced as
silly a story which appeared in a morning
newspaper in New York, to the effect that
the President had demanded that the Post
master General refrain from giving out In
terviews to the press and that this was the
reason the daily audience with newspaper
men was discontinued yesterday.
Would it seem that l had been forbid
den to speak to my newspaper friends
when 1 am talking with you now?' the
Postmaster General asked.
Postmaster General Payne said today to
a representative of The Evening Star that
is amusing to see the emphasis placed
the fact that he had asked Mr.. Bristow
his fourth assistant, to make an investiga-
ton of Mr.. H. H. Rand the Postmaster
Generals confidential clerk.
Investigation of Rand.
"a few days after I returned from my
southern trip" Mr.. Payne said, II think
it in the early part of April, had
placed in my hands a package of papers
which unmarried have been written by
Mr. Rand. Without breaking the string
which surrounded the bunch of letters l
placed them in the hands of Mr.. Bristow
and told him to make an investigation of
Mr.. Rand, or any one else against whom
there might be a breath of suspicion as to
wrong doing.
Il remember well that said to Mr.. Bris-
tow to investigate every one. L said to
him:
Investigate me If you find any sus-
picion of wrong. l want a sweeping inves-
tiga ton. 1t is all old news
There was every indication in what he
said to The Evening Star reporter that
the Postmaster General is determined to
make and is utilizing every effort of him
self and his associates in making the in
vestigation of the Post Office Department
scandals thorough and sweeping.
The Grand Jury.
The grand jury held only a brief session
today and then adjourned until tomorrow.
No witnesses in connection with the Post
Office Department investigation appeared
Assistant United States Attorney Taggart
was in close conference with two post office
inspectors during the greater portion or
the day, however, and number OF sub
poenas were issued, presumably FOR Wit
nesses to appear tomorrow In the Tyner
case Several inspectors were at the
United States attorneys office until late
yesterday.
A rumor gained wide circulation today
that the United States attorneys office had
directed the issuance of warrants for the
arrest of two more Post Office Department
officials but those prosecuting officers in
position to know declared that they were
not aware of any such action. If such
warrants should be issued the action
would probably be taken by United
States commissioner, on complaint of post
Office inspectors.