The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-29
VETERANS HAVE TASK
information as to Go Be- tween Not Given Out.
Machen's Attorneys Issue Statement Declaring Ability to Disprove All Oharges-Close of Investi-
 gation Not in Sight.

Washington. May 2s.-A large corps of inspectors including some of the vete- rams of the service. were at work prop ing into the alleged irregularities at the the Postoffice Department today, but no further arrests were made.
 It is said to be possible that the inter mediary who, it is alleged, figured In the transactions which led to the arrest or Augustus W. Machen. the former Gen. aral Superintendent of the free delivery service, may turn states evidence. Ills identity has not yet been disclosed. MT. Machen's counsel issued a statement as- serting his ability to fully disprove all the charges The investigating officials are equally confident. The Government Is anxious to expedite the trial of Machen as much as possible consistently with the proper handling of the case. It is ar> ranging to have it's witnesses at Machen's preliminary hearing, June g. The pre- liminary hearing of the Groff Brothers, the profits of whose firm Machen Is &C., cused of sharing on a 70 per cent basis. has been set for June
 Postal officials refuse to give any in- formation respecting the go-between who 1t Is alleged. figured in the trans action that caused Superintendent Ma chens arrest. It is said there is a pos sibility, if not a probability, that he will be used as a witness for the Government The Postmaster General tonight said:
 That there is third party in this matter have no doubt, but cannot say anything further"
 He was asked whether the delay ir making an arrest was due to failure tc locate the man. The Postmaster Gen. erai replied in the negative and added that sometimes there were other reasons He significantly suggested that some times 1t was found best not to be toe precipitate in taking action and there was an intimation that the department might desire the go-between to turn States evidence. A report was published here today that George w Beavers, the former superintendent of the division oi salaries and allowances, was in the city but the department denied having any such information. MT. Payne was asked as to the nature of the charges on file against MT. Beavers. He replied that they might be summed up as the payment of extravagant prices for materials and SUD- plies used in his division including time clocks and stamping machinery. He said there was only one charge that Mir. Beavehs had received a commission on these supplies. This charge, he said, Is under investigation.
 much more rigid overhauling of the affairs of MT. Beavers former office will begin shortly The salaries and allowance division is now in charge of former as- sistant superintendent who is a veteran inspector, and the department thought for this reason it could concentrate its Investigating work along other lines that needed immediate attention. The inves- tigation of the affairs of the free delivery division. it is stated, has not been inter- rupted by the arrest of Machen. The in- spectors who brought about that result are continuing their inquiry and will probe into other charges against MT Machen.
 In this connection Postmaster General Payne today said that one of the charges under investigation was an allegation that MT. Machen had forged the name of another man on the pay roll about ten years ago. He said that MT. Machen knew of this charge, he said, and had informed him (the Postmaster General) that he (Machen) was ready at any time to bring conclusive proof that he was in noeent of the transaction, Other charges involve letter box contracts.
 Postmaster General Payne said that he did not know as yet when it would be pos sible to close the investigation. He said there had been a few charges against several other officers of the department but the co nplaints of irrcgul Iliteis were confin-d practically to the free delivery service, the salary and allowances division and the office of the Assistant Attorney General.
 MT. Payne has given considerable at. tention to means of better safe guarding the miscellaneous appropriation available fin various bureaus. These appropria. tons offer the greatest latitude in ex- pendtures.
 Enthusiastically, said MT. Payne 'sthese abuses will not occur again"