The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-28
A. W. MACHEN
 IS ARRESTED .
 'Charged With Accepting BribeS. REMOVED FROM OFFICE
For a Fortnight He Had Been
 Under Suspension.
Alleged That Ex-Superintendent o' Free Delivery Was Paid $1S,- 9S1.1S for Adopting Patent
 Postal Box Fastener.

Washington. May 2-August w. Mach on, General Superintendent of the free delivery service, was arrested today on a warrant issued on the information of postoffice inspectors charging him with receiving commissions from contracts made with the local firm of Groff Broth CTS for a patent postal box fastener.
 The warrant specifically charges him with receiving s1S.9sl.1S since August 8. 1900. It is alleged at the Department that this amount does not represent all that Machen obtained with his contracts. It Is charged that he has prohted by them for several years prior to August 8, 1900. Other arrests are to follow.
 Immediately after MT. Machen was taken into custody the Postmaster Gen. eral issued an order removing him from office. He had been under suspension for fortnight, pending investigation in his office.
 The discovery of Machen's alleged in- terests in the contracts was made acci- dentally by the inspectors some three weeks ago and since then their energies had been directed toward making out a case. Last night after the authorities had become convinced that they were in puSocSSlOH OI LHe HSCeSSdTY eVlQeuCc, Machen was asked to appear at the office this morning.
 Machen is "Sweated."
 He did so and was subjected to a sweating process by the inspectors and General Bristow for three hours but nc admissions that he had profited by the contracts could be secured from him.
 Nevertheless, he was arrested on a warrant which had been prepared and Aal~ T.aA missioner. where his attorney immediate ly demanded full hearing. JAssietant District Attorney Taggart, however, was not ready to proceed with the. ease and the hearing was set for June 5.
 Mir. Machen gave bond for $20.00O fur nished by a Philadelphia bonding com. pany, for his appearance, declining tc accept the proffer of friends to go on his bond. After his release he declined to make any statement beyond the single declaration that the whole thing was a grandstand play and he would come out all right.
 His attorneys declared that at the prop CT time they would show eonclusively that he had been guilty of no wrong in connection with the contracts. and that on the contrary they would be able to show that his administration of the free delivery service had been characterized by ability and integrity.
 Think Evidence Conclusive.
 TheDepartment officials assert that their evidence is conclusive. It is said that civil suit will be entered to recover from Machen the amount he is alleged to have received on the contracts,
 D. B. Groff of Groff Brothers. who are accused of bribing August w. Machen for the purpose of procuring purchase by the government of their letter box fast eners. called at police headquarters to- night, saying that he had heard a war rant for his arrest was out. He was served with the warrant and was released on $10.000 bond. pending hearing before a United States Commissioner tomorrow
 Samuel A. Gron. the other member oi the Groff firm was arrested later and was released on receipt of &, 900 bail.