Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-19
INDlCT MACHEN AND CROFFS
Grand Jurors Prepare Five True Bills for
Conspiracy to Defrsud Government
MErcALFE DEMANDS PERSONAL HEARING
Washington City Postal Clerk in
Trouble for Alleged Lobbying and
Attempts TO Sell Mining stock
to subordinatcs.

grand jury which has been investigating |
postal affairs probably VIII bring In hVe
indictments today against persons involved.
Assistant District Attorney Taggart. who |
has the case in charge of the government |
was at his office earlier than usual TINS
morning and was busily engaged In going
over the indictments. tie denied himselt
to all callers.
Although every EFFORT has been made TO
keep the public in ignorance of the action
to be taken until the papers were ready for
presentation by the grand jury IL IL
learned on unquestioned authority that the
jury has voted to return indictments |
against August w. Machen, Diller b. GroH,
Samuel A. Groff, George E. Lorenz ana
Mrs. Lorenz the two latter being residents
Of Toledo, o. The specific charge 1t Is
understood. will be conspiracy to defraud
the government.
The fact that new indictments Will be
returned against Machen and the Gron
brothers has been talked Of for some time
around the court house, but 1t was not
expected that action would be taken so
soon. The sensational feature Of todays
probable proceedings is the connection of
Mrs. Lorenzs name with the transactions
which led to the arrest of Mr.. Machen and
the Groffs.
At the time of the arrest stories were
In circulation that there was go-betwcen,
but the information at hand then was not
conclusive enough to establish the
identity OF this particular party.
Whether or not Mrs. Lorenz acted in this
capacity is not known. but It has been
suggested that this go-between was a
woman.
The postmaster general today designated
Edward F. Kimball. the chief clerk OF the
money order system, to act temporarily as
superintendent to succeed James T. Met
calfe, who was removed yesterday on the
| charge of indiscretion in contract matters
MetcaIfe Asks Suspension.
Postmaster General Payne today received
the following letter from Mr.. Metcalfe ask
ing a suspension of the order Of dismissal
until his complete defense may be heard:
1 cannot but feel that under ordinary cir
cumStances such summary action as has
been taken in my case would not have been
! had without giving me chance to be heard
| by yourself In my own defense.
| 1t must be due to the heated, excited and
office department that the postmaster gen
eral has consented to this summary dis
missal of a man who for the best part of
| his life, since attaining manhood has de
voted his whole thought and being to the
| honest discharge of his duties to the gov
ernment and the best interest of the postal
| service.
| Justice to myself, my family and my
| require InaJ SnOulQ appeal TO Ine
postmaster general to recall this order of
| summary dismissal and accord me an op-
| portunity TO show that in this matter. as
/ In all others. j was consulting only the
| best interests Of the postoff1ce money order
| service In whatever l did concerning the
| Herman bid and not my own interest, and
with no thought of myself or my family
as is made to appear in the charge againLt
me.
The common sense of justice and the
/ right of defense, which my score of wears
OF faithful public service entities me to.
him that his action has been hasty and un-
just to a faithful public servant, who has
devoted his life to the best interests Of
his government.
The suspension of your order is respect
fully asked until such time as you NAV
Hedges I'm Trouble Now.
Charges against Charles Hedges, super
intendent OF the city delivery service, al
leging that he pressed claims before con-
gress. solicited employees in the service to
take stock in mining companies. are under
investigation by the inspectors of the Post
office department
Mr. Hedges was called on for a state
ment last session which is now on file in
the department. Since then other charges
have assumed definite shape. Mr. Hedges
was an assistant to former General Super
intendent August w. Machen of the free
delivery service.
The charge relating to the sale of stock
refers to a gold mining company of which
Mr.. Hedges is stated to be president The
charge is that the stock of this company
was sold to postmasters while Hedges was
| in charge of the entire city branch of the
free delivery system, anc that the stock
Of the company was given to private Sec
retaries of representatives in congress.
More Free Delivery Routes.
The Postofice department has resumed
, the establishment of rural free delivery
, routes which were held up on account OF
the deficit in the appropriation for thai
, service and large number of routes will
be put into operation on July 1, the begin.
ming of the new fiscal year
The rules as to the number of familie.
required to be on the route in order to Sc
cure the service will probably be NOR,
i strictly adhered to and fewer exception,
4 made. The rule requires that no service
shall be established on a route on which
r there are less than 100 families Unles!
exceptions are made for some special rea
sons routes are to be investigated in tn,
order in which the petitions for them ar,
filed.
President Names POstmaAters.
The president has appointed the follow
8 Ing poSlild5teiS'
Nebraska-Sidney, Edward McLennor
L and Wood River S. w Wilson
r Iowa-Akron, NJ. A. Muhs.
d, Colorado-AlamOsa, Earle II. Reaugh
and Amethyst, William c. Sloan.
- Kansas-Fort Riley, Robert II. McBlain.
Cadets are Appointed.
The president has appointed the follow
ing cadets and alteTnates-at-large for tn
) class to enter the Military academy a
West Point in June. 1904:
e Henry Fairfax AyTes, son OF Majo
| Charles c. Ayres, Eight cavalry; Charlie
| HartWell Bonesteel, son of the late Majo
Bonesteel, Twenty-third infantry; Simo
| Bolivar Buckner, son OF General Buckne
| OF Kentucky; Paul CapTon, son of the lat
n Captain Allyn GapTon, First artillery
Charles, Hodges Eldrtdge. son OF the lat
10 Captain Bogardus Eldridge, Fourteent
D. infantry; Philip Gordon son Of Lieutenar
!, academy: Charles Lacey Hall, of tn
" late Major William r. Hall, surgeon, I
r. S, A.; Vert Chute Jacobs. son OF Lieu
l. tenant Colonel j. w. Jacobs, quartermast
;. er's department; Herman Kobhp, son
70 Brigadier General w. A. Kobbe, u. S. A
John c. F. TillsOn, Jr., son of Major Til
n SON Fourth infantry; Frank Bazelle Va
Horn son of the late Colonel j. j. Va
p Horn, Twenty eighth infantry.
" Alternates: William II. Emory, tr.. so
m OF Captain w. II. Emory. L. s. N; Williai
=, | II Sage jr son of Captain w. II. Sag
Al Tyyenty-third Infantry: Rodney II. Smtl
/ son OF Major George r, Smith, pay d,
,e partment; Robert II. Fletcher. son OF Car