Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-15
BACK FROM NEW YORK
Return Of Chief Inspector
Cochran.
ARRESTS ARE EXPECTED
SURMISES REGARDING THE POST
OFFICE INVESTIGATION.
Mr.. Payne Says That There is Nothing
to Give Out-Awaiting Publication
of the Bristow Statement.
ARRESTS ARE EXPECTED

1
| This was another day of activity in the
| Post Office Department investigation. Chief
| Inspector Cochran, whose appearance In
| New York Saturday caused all kinds of
| speculation, was at his desk bright and
| early.
| Several times during the forenoon he had
| conferences with Fourth Assistant Post
| master General Bristow. Neither could be
| induced to discuss the real nature of Chief
| Cochran's visit to the metropolis. The i'm
preston prevailed about the department.
| however, that the New York papers did not
| speculate in the right direction in surmis-
| ing that the investigation was directed to-
| ward the purchase of cash registers and
| other machines for the department.
| While no one other than the Postmaster
| General and his fourth assistant, together
| with the inspectors engaged in the inves-
| tigation, knows for a certainty just what
| the next great development will be, there
| is nevertheless, a well-defined feeling ABOUT
| til department that more arrests are TO Dc
made and within a short time
Two High officials Implicated.
| II is further understood that two persons
| who are high UP in the Post Office Depart
ment will be permitted to resign, or will De
| removed Officials of the department who
| should know as to what is to be done in the
| cases of these persons said to be involved
| refused to discuss the matter when 1t was
| brought to their attention this forenoon.
| There was a rumor current today that
| Mr. Beavers, who resigned as Super1ntend-
| ent of the division of salaries and allow
| ances at the beginning of the investigation,
! would be used a witness by the. govern
| ment in the prosecution OF some OF the per-
| sons who are now under arrest as the re-
| suit of the investigation. Upon this point
Mr.. Bristow displayed the usual reticence
and the Postmaster General could not bs
1 seen.
| Inspectors were busy today in the office
! of the assistant attorney general for the
| Post Office Department continuing the
| overhauling of the records
| Post Office Physicians.
| 1t is probable that one of the ultimate
| results Of the investigation will be the abo-
| lition of the Office of post Office physician,
| on the ground that there is no authority
| of law for their appointment. Their en-
| ployment here and in New York has all
| ready attracted attention. There are five
post offices in the country where phys. clans
| are carried on the rolls. The Office Of ply
scian was abolished here some time ago.
The cities where post Office physicians are
now employed are New York. Chicago,
Philadelphia, Brooklyn and Boston.
The Bristow Statement.
All interest now centers in the statement
of Fourth Assistant Bristow, which was
asked for by Postmaster General Payne at
| the. same time statements were called for
| from former Postmaster General Charles
| Emory Smith Controller Tracewell, former
First Assistant Postmaster General Perry
Heath and Auditor Castle regarding the
| charges made by Mr.. Tulloch, former cash.
| Ter in the Washington city post office.
These statements, with the exception of
| that of Mr. Bristow, have all been given
| out for publication. The Postmaster Gen
eral said last week that Mr.. Bristows
| statement would be ready for giving out
the early part of this week.
| Mr.. Bristow's letter to the Postmaster
| General is accompanied by several exhibits
| said to contain important bits of confiden-
tial report made by the post office in
SpectorS at the time that Mr. Tulloch filed
charges following his retirement from the
cashiers Office in the city post office. The
entire report has been in the possession of
Mr.. Bristow since 1t filed
1t is rumored that abbreviated report
| was made by the inspectors at the time for
Mr.. Heath, when he was first assistant
postmaster general, and that this was done
for purpose.
1t is understood that Mr.. Bristow's state
ment to the Postmaster General, with the
exhibits attached, is a voluminous docu-
ment. and that the Postmaster General, to
expedite the work of making copies for the
press. has apportiOned IL among a number
of typewriters.
Mr. Payne did not give to the newspaper
men today the usual noon-day audience He
sent word to them by his private secretary
that there nothing to give out. Mr..
Payne. 1t is said, does not intend to give
out the report of the inspectors in full but
will have a pretty full abstract to accom-
pany Mr.. Bristows statement.
No Witnesses Today.
No witnesses appeared today before the
grand jury in connection with the POST Of
fee investigation but good reason exists
upon which to base the expectation that the
Tyner case will be called to the attention
Of that body tomorrow. 1t is understood
that subpoena was issued for one witness
to appear today in the matter of the post
office affair, but SO far could be learned
the party in question was merely wanted
at the office of the United States attorney
for the District of Columbia for the purpose
of strengthening the evidence in the Mach
en- case.
The Machen Prosecution.
The interesting manner in which the facts
were discovered upon which the charge and
the Indictment against Mr.. Machen were
based was learned today at the city hall
When the post Office inspectors obtained
information to the effect that Mr.. Machen
had been receiving ''rake-off" OF 40 per
cent from the Grof Brothers on the
amounts they received from the depart
ment in payment for Croft letter-box fast
eners an effort was made to locate the
bank or banks through which the checks
passed. After a long search, and more by
accident than otherwise, it developed, 1t is
said that Machen was conducting his op-
erations principally through bank in a
small town in Maryland. Some of the
checks. it is declared, bore the indorse-
ments of all the parties concerned, but in
some instances there We're breaks in the
chain of Endorsements. Connecting links
were found, however. in the fact that the
amounts Involved in the instances In which
the chain was broken were invariably just
20 per cent of the payments last S.ade to
the Croft Brothers for fasteners.
When the inspectors sought Information
at the local banks. 1t Is stated, they mot
with difficulties. in that the bank officials
declined to disclose any information relat-
ing to tho transactions snd the accounts
of their respective cepositors Tie In
spectors thcreupon laid the matter before
the United States attorney for the District
M Columbia and subpoenAs ducas tecum--
come and bnng''--werc Issued from tina
United States attorneys Office and served
on the presidents of several local banks.
The bank officials promptly reportea At the