The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-29
POSTAL SCANDAL GROWING.

10 be severely punished If. however. they
have been made improvidentially and with
our sufficient evidence, public censure, swift
the responsible parties. Mr.. Machen has
been long time in the public service and
he is widely and favorahly known through
that the public should not PREJUDICE his
case, bat should patiently await develop
ments which are sure TO come. Mr.. Machen
Is ready to meet in the ciearest and most
satisfactory way the charges now specifi-
cally made against him. and he now gem
Investigation into every act and trsnsaotion
connected with his official life. More than
this should not now be said"
Mr.. Machen. under advice of his counsel.
refused 10 discuss the case.
Postal. ofhcials refuse TO give any in
formation respecting the go-between. who.
II Is alleged. figured in the transactions
that caused Machen's arrest. IL is said
there is a possibility. III not a pFoba blIfty,
that he will be used as witness for the
government. The postmaster general to-
this matter / have no doubt, but I cannot
say anything further" He was asked
whether the delay in making an arrest
was due TO failure to locate the man. The
postmaster general replied in the negative
and added that sometimes there were other
reasons. He significantly suggested that
sometimes IL was found best not TO be too
precipitate In taking action and there was
an intimation that the government might
desire the go-between to turn states evil
dence.
a statement was published here to-day
that George B. w. Beavers, the former
superintendent of the division of salaries
and allowances, was in the city. but the
department denied having any such infor-
nation. Mr.. Payne was asked TO the
nature of the charges on file against Mr..
Beavers. He replied that they might be
prices for materials and supplies used in
his division, including time clocks and
stamping machinery. He said there was
ceived a commission on these supplies This
charge. he said. is under investigation. A
much more rigid overhauling of the affairs
shortly. The Salaries and allowance d.
vision is now in charge Of former as
sistant superintendent who is a veteran In
this reason it could Concentrate it's investi
eating work along other lines that needed
immediate attention.
PRoBERs STILL AT WORK.
The investigation Of the affairs of the free
delivery division. it is stated, has not been
interrupted by the arrest OF Machen. The
inspectors who brought about that result
are continuing their inquiry, and will probe
into other charges against Mr.. Machen.
In this connection Postmaster General
Payne to-day said that one OF the charges
under investigation was an allegation that
Mr.. Machen had forged the name of an
other man on an Official paper ten years
ago. He said that Mr.. Machen knew of this
charge, and had Informed him Che post
master generaD that he (Machen) was
ready at any time to bring conclusive proof
that he was innocent of the transaction.
Other charges involve letter box contracts.
Some OF the charges are OF a similar ma
ture to those on which yesterdays arrest
was based. Overhauling OF the free deliv-
cry branch will be thorough. and Postmaster
General Payne to-day declared with en-
phasis that the investigation will not end
inquired into and eradicated. He said that
he did not know as yet when II would be
possible to close the investigation. and that
date. He said there had been a few charges
against several other officers Of the depart
ment, but the complaints OF Irregularities
were confined practically to the free deliv-
cry service, the salary and allowances divi-
sion. and the Office of the assistant attorney
general He declined to say how Inspector
Mayer and his associate inspectors had Sc
cured the drafts that are alleged TO consti-
tute part of the documentary evidence in
possession Of the authorities as matter
| that. for the present, at least. required OBJ
Postmaster General Payne has given con-
siderable attention TO means OF better safe
gasr,dins the miscellaneous appropriations
priations offer the greatest latitude in ex-
pendituree. ''Unquestionaby," said Mr..
Payne. these abuses will not occur again
He called attention to the fact that the
| rural service. ct Its inception was OF an
experimental nature, and said that much
latitude was given on that account. The
employees OF that service, until recently.
were not subject TO civil-service rules, their
appointments being made subject TO the
discretion Of the postmaster general. who.
| he added. was. after all, the responsible
party. though the great multiplicity of de-
| tails made II physically impossible for him
| to examine into every matter he signed.
HA 10 H. o. ~.
miscellaneous appropriation for the free
| delivery service. and the first inkling OF the
| circumstances thar led to Mr.. Machens ar
| expenditures"
A FORMER CONTROLLERS DECISION.
Attention was called to-day to a decision
OF the controller OF the treasury in 1895.
holding that In purchases Of patented or
copyrighted articles. where the benefit Of
competition cannot be secured. Section s7e0
does not require advertising for proposals
nor formal contracts for such purchases.
This decision modified one of Auditor How
ard, rendered June 90 1896. in connection
with the temporary suspension Of accounts
involving purchases made for the free de-
livery service. including the Croft fastener
| which figured IN MIR. Machen's arrest. The
auditor in his decision held that under that
4
| Gates Of contracts for all supplies pur-
| chased by the Postoffice Department TO be
| filed In the auditors ONCE. except that
| where there Is no contract and an immedi-
| ate purchase of the article Is desired. the
| practice has been TO require a statement
| on the voucher by the purchasing officer
that the purchase was required by an exi-
| gency OF the service"
THAT construction" the auditor COM
| mented at that time. seems never to have
been fully applied TO purchases made fol
| the free delivery service. Contracts Tor
| articles required for that service invaria-
| bly, are filed In this Office, but purchases
made outside Of any contract heretofore
| have been audited without the exigency
| clause Endorsed on the voucher"
The accounts then held up. pending the
| mai action of the controller. who admitted
| the accounts, involved not only the Gror
| fastener, but the time lock which records
| the exact time of letter carriers, 20 meet
the exactions of the eight-hour law; posta
straps furnished for use OF the carriers
copies of city directories; repairing satch
els; time cards for street letter boxes. and
expenditures for erecting. painting and re
pairing street letter boxes The first as
sistant postmaster generals report on thu
subject TO the controller. In which the con
troller acquiesced. said that this device
| IN the profits of whose manufacture Mr.
| Machen Is accused OF participating, en-
| abled the department Ito save time ant
money"
1 Assistant Attorney Geperal Robb. VIII,
| has been active in furnishing legal counse
in the recent conduct OF the investigat ton
left here to-day for hts home In Vermont
to remain few days.
THE CROFT BROTHERS.