The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-24

Of Assistant Attorney General Tor the fost
s1iietion which has come to you and which
10 Of spch serious character as TO preclude
Il must indeed. be painful Tor You 70 sever sever
YOUR, relations With the Department WIN
ys.rs. E and " ~ Which You We're at one time
the ofhcisl head.
Your resignation Is accepted in view OF all
proper that IL should take effect May !. 1903,
md that vol, he given leave ri absence until
rest and freodom rom o%1' care and viii be Of
material laid IN bringing ,mpro ,n, ,,n v.
II tnch a seriou. nature as to render i'm
possihle any labor on your Part
With kindest regards ] an, yerS , slnSere'y
Postmaster. General
These exchanges of polite regrets we're
thought to mark the close Of Mr.. 1yner =
connection with the Department. his leave
Of absence being merely a matter OF form
and q courtesy extended to him in view
Of his financial condition and past SER
vices.
officers Of the Assistant Atiorney-General's
nffico had occasion to refer to the records
in n certain case, IL was found that the
big steel safe. where all the important and
valuable documents are kept and which
H. invariably kept locked. had been rified
~ lite contents. Not only were the moro
important papers taken but absolutely
every scrap OF paper and many articles
OF no possible value 10 Mr.. Tyner or to
any one else had been removed as well
The safe had been swept clean. The fact
was Immediately reported to Tho Post
msster-CieneTal. an investigation was begun
and the fact ~ Mrs: Tyner's presence IN the
Office the evening before was established.
4 number of inspectors were put on he
case. and In a short time all the circuin-
stances we're brought 10 light. The incl
dent happened a short time after I o'clock,
when the Assistant Attorney Generals
W a ri mi or a g
: not all OF the clerks had gone home, and the
detsils were easily supplied
When the facts disclosed were repoyted
10 him, Post mast er-icneral Payne wrote
Mr.. Tyner the following letter:
APRIL, %. 1904
Hen, JaTe' y. Tuner. Ass'.'GH' Attorney
SIR You arc hereby removed from the
ONCE Of Assistant Attorney -tieneral for the
Post once Depar tmen' deem Z proper
mary action on the par, of the Department.
Early In IN. month OF March ! coTmun,-
quest for your resignation. Nter a painful
interview with you. and more painful one
stn Mrs. lyner consented to ;, modify n.
take effect on May I. 1907 with the proviso.
however, that YOU wore given leave Of alb
resignation TO the date Of is taking effect
with the understanding that you we're not in
any way 20 undertake TO discharge the duties
LAT. ;, y ,ss cy ai ,s Mr., Tynsr
G.ns = Tor TOR Once The Pos, the sah
re main oiiice % lie private once; closing
!he private room and admitted her sister.
assistant in your ONCE. and whose conduct
isnow,under IN yestigation by the Department
G. G Hamner an e expert Der f IN the " employ Of
the Mosler Safe Company. with whom che
hsd made on aTra1ssmsnt to NEE, her a, the
opened the safe ne the room and she tooi
theref,om all papeLs records and articles of
b4en done. / directed the Fourth Assistant |
Foaa souss 70 demsnd the nams Of The
Poetmasier-Genersl,th the delivery Of snypapers. !
acsnmsnt, Or Other materials which bad been
fussd 10 permit the inspectors. to see YOU or
Srs Tsner ur1a.r stated se % ,hs Po.t ono.
inspeetoTs ihe, Ishs, Sem@,..es This act with
ny psr Is aesss "a TIE fses IN tSe
e cs': VII s: the such scsn a r..
premises as he may deem proper Very |
Respectfully. B he's, m,. 6 p l,;.ns,,,
, . Post Ofhco Department officials are re- +,
luctant to express an opinion ae 90 Mr.. |
8 yner's real sons for directing that the safe |
important public records Of the Assistant |
Attorney Generals Office were kept be |
rihed, hut they admit that they have drawn |,
certain natural inferences which they do not |
e s. S.e rh.sw do nni hsss,s ,e
bowevcr. that whatever may be tho char |
scter and contents 81 the papers Mr.. Tyner |
wa 80 anxious 10 secure, he made a very |
pnwiss moe In proceeding IN ihs manner
qnences can only I've ayerted by reason Of |
his apparently irresponsible ron, .ifion and |
2 his long end honorable service in the De- |
pertinent. |
There has been much open discussion
AZ the Department today. however, con-
c<rnine the part PLAYED in the safe riAine !
episode by Mrs. Barrett, wife of the former !
Assistant Attorney General, Hs rrison Bar |
rett Mr.. Tyners nephew. who has appeared ,
before the Depa -tment as counsel for many
fraudulent mail conccrne and whose undue !
inhuence with Gen. Tyner relative 10 |
decisions affecting these concerns has been |
nection rith ,hese matters has been under |
Investigation for some time, but Fourth |
Assistant Postmaster General Bristow,
who is conduct ing the inquiry. will not say |
what he has learned
II il generally known that a Washington
firm, operating through stool pigeon,
has been in the habit OF sending blackmail-
ing letters TO mail concerns throughout
sidered questionable, and charges have
b~en made that Mr.. Barrett was Interested
in this transaction and that II was he whose
influence was used TO secure the approval
Of the Assistant Attorney Generals Office
for mail schemes OF doubtful nature.
Whether this Is true, the investiga-
ton into this and similar matters will. as
result Of the recent development, be
made more thorough and searching than
was originally contemplated. and every
detail OF Mr., Tyner's administ ration Of the
Assistant Attorney Generals Office. and
The relations tina, existed between him and
Mr. Barrett will be- carefully inquired into
The investigation into the blackmsiline
methods of the Washington firm abovo
referred to has been going on for some
time, and 10 such effect that several lawyers
we'll known in Washington will probably
be disbsrred from practice before tho
Government departments and the Wash
ington bar. Action 10 this end only awaits
the securing Of absolute proof.
Postmaster General Pavne to-day re-
fused IN say whether summary action
would be taken against Mr.. fyner 10
compel him TO give up the Government
papers taken from tho r1ed safe and which
are. now in his possession. He said that the
matter had been turned over TO the inspect
ORE and the law officers Of tho Department.
who would proceed under tho direction Of