The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1903-05-29
SUPERINTENDENT or FREE DE.
LIVERY SERVICE ACCUSED
; or ACCEPTING sRlsEs.
AMOUNT PLACED At ABOUT $4,000
POSTAL AUTHORITIES ASSERT
EVIDENCE IN THEIR POSSES.
SION Is CONCLUSIVE.

Su, superintendent VI lu6 1IG0 u0llf'
cry, who was relieved from duty some
time ago, was arrested during the day
| at the instigation Of the postoff1ce de.
| partment charged with receiving
bfbes from contractors. These bribes
| are supposed to aggregate 100000.
| In. connection with the arrest
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow issued the following state.
ment:
"Mr. A. w. Machen, general super.
tntendent Of free delivery service. was
arrested at p. m. He is charged
with receiving bribes amounting in all
to about $4,000 in connection with a
contract held by Croft Bros. Of Wash
| 1ngton, d. c., for a patent fastener
used on street letter boxes, known as
the Croft fastener. The postoff1ce de.
partment in the past ten years has
used about $16O,0O0 worth of these
fasteners and it is shown by ample
evidence that for the past three years,
at least, Mr.. Machen has been receiv-
ing 40 per cent Of the amounts paid
to the Groffs. The transaction of the
business was conducted by Dillon B.
Croft, who controls the patent of his
brother, Samuel NJ. policeman"
| The arrest of Mr.. Machen was the
concluding act of an examination of
him; which was conducted for three
hours during the day by Fourth Assist.
ant Postmaster General Bristow; In.
| spector Fosnes, who relieved Mr..
Machen as chief of the free delivery
/ system, and Postofice Inspector Myer.
AT the conclusion of the examination
Deputy United States Marshal Spring.
man was called into General Bristow's s
office and made the arrest.
IX Other Arrests May Follow.
The warrant on. which Machen was
arrested charges him with receiving
a bribe. 1t is understood that other
arrests are to follow Machen was
Immediately dismissed by the post.
| master general The amount of money
paid during the past ten years to
0fuR Bros. in Fourth Assistant Post,
master General Bristow.s statement
WAS subsequently changed to ISL 40,0 600
| Mr. Machen was taken before United
States Commissioner Taylor and,
through his attorneys, Douglas &
Douglas, demanded an immediate hear
Ing The district attorney said he was
not ready to proceed and asked for
| postponement for ten days. The pre-
liminary hearing was set for Friday,
June 5. Bond was fixed in the sum
of $4,000 and Mr. Machen made ar
rangements with the Union Security
and Guarantee company OF Philadel-
phia to secure bond to that amount.
He declined to make any statement,
| or 10 fo1f
confident that they would be able to
show conclusively at the proper time
that their client had been guilty of no
,wrongdoing in connection with the
| Croft contracts, but, on the contrary,
! Mr. Machen's administration of the
free delivery had been honest and up
| right. A..-s. q. p
The members of the Croft concern
were subjected to severe examina-
tion during the day by the police Off
cials and the postofice inspectors at
police headquarters. 1t is stated that
they furnished little information on
the subject, but the questioning contin.
ued throughout the morning hours.
Machen Makes General Denial.
| When under examination by the
postofice officials Mr.. Machen made a
general denial Of the charge. He said
that be had accepted no money what.
ever, from the concern. He declined
to answer many OF the questions pro.
pounded tos him on the ground that
they related to his private affairs. Mr.,
Machen had been notified to come to
the office Of the fourth assistant post
l,master general at 9:4O q. n.y, He was
mot informed as to the purpose of the
yiaSt. He appeared on time and was
i'tmmediateH taken into the private
IO1lceg 0f Mr.. Bfiatow, whore he was
lpnt through severe examination.
Meantime Colonel w. =. Cochran, the
/ Chfef postofice inspector. and several
4 or his men were busy and the Office
i Of the district attorney was communi
\ Gated with and Deputy Marshal Spring
! man dispatched to the postof1ce de
i partment to effect the arrest OF Mach
en-. This was done at 4 O'Clock. The
postal authorities assert that the ev
4 idence in their possession Is complete
land conclusive, but decline to 60 into
4 details. 8ss I.
/ Mr.. Machen was released on $4,000
bonds given by the Union Security and
4 Guarantee company OF Philad elphia
IPostofice Inspector Fosnes ii trying
4 to locate ID. j. Groff, one of the mem
4 beTs OF the contracting firm. Y
1 Mr.. M achen said This will come
out all right. NY arrest IS merely 4
grandstand play. 81
PEREMPToR DISMISSED.
Washington. May 22SS % Postmaste,
II Gen sFal w Eayne sas II iairaf cad Mr.