Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-10-08
TEN MEN INDICTED BY FEDERAL
GRAND JURY IN WASHINGTON
s,s.n., YESTERDAY.
FRAUDS ALL RUN DOWN
Final Batch of True Bills Includes One
Against Former Postmaster General
Tyner-Work of Officials Under Pres
ident-Has Pursed Department.

Washington, D. c., Oct. 6.-With the
return of fifteen indictments against
the postal officials and employees by the
federal grand jury yesterday the end
was reached of the investigation into
the extensive postofiice frauds.
Under the direction of President
Roosevelt the frauds have been inves-
tigated without fear or favor Assistant
Postmaster General Bristow leading in
the inquiry and Mr. Wynne assisting.
These two honest officials hau&snvesti-
gated and conducted sweeping in
quiry, which resulted in from thirty to
fifty indictments against postal officials
and contractors, ranging from a former
postmaster general down to a mere
clerk, and embracing both republicans
and democrats from all sections of the
country. The inquiry has been thor
ough, under the personal direction of
President Roosevelt, and it is believed
the department has been pretty well
day probably being the last. unless new
evidence is developed later on.
Latest Indictments.
Those indicted yesterday We're the follow
ing.
james ". Tyner of Indiana. former as
sistant attorney general for the postoffice
department. who was summarily dismissed
last April for official misconduct and who
is now in dying condition mt his home in
this city.
Harrison j. Barrett, Tyner's nephew and
former assistant attorney for the post
office department, who for several years
past has appeared ms counsel before the
department for various alleged fraudulent
concerns.
James T. MetcaIf. former superintendent
of the money order division of the postof-
fee department. who was summarily dis
missed some time ago for endeavoring to
divert contract for printing money order
BLANKS.
u Harry C. Hallenbeck. senior member OF
the firm of Wyncoop. Iallenbeck, Craw-
ford & Co. of New York, the firm which
formerly had the contract for printing the
blanks used in the money order service,
and to which Superintendent Metealf en-
deavored to divert contract for printing
money order blanks.
Norman r. Metcalf. son of former Super
intendent Metcalf, who is alleged to be
involved in the printing contract frauds
William D. Doremus, inventor and pro
prietor of the Doremus canceling machine
who is alleged to have used bribery to in
troduce his machine in the postal service.
George II. Green. state senator. of BinG
hamton n V. who is alleged TO he in
yolyed in the Doremus machine frauds.
George w. Beavers. former superintend
emit of the salary and allowance division OF
the postoffice department. who rs ailegee
20 have received commission on the sale:
of the Doremus machine to the government
August w. Machen, alleged to nave re
ceiyed commission on the purchase o.
fra al
J. Halter of Philadelphia.
w Scott Towers. superintendent OF th'
r street branch postofiice, who Is charged
with having received brides for securin:
the purchase of book typewriters by thu
government.
Tyner Said to be Dying.
Judge Tyner will never be tried, be
cause he is said to be dying, slowl
but surely. His case is especially sen
sational, because Tyner was himsel
postmaster general during the las
year of General Grants administra
ton.
The next step is the trials of tn,
indicted. The first to face a jury viii
be August w. Machen. former head o
the free delivery department, who vii
be tried here. Daniel Miller, Law
clerk, and Attorney Johns. who wa
indicted with Miller, will be tried il
Cincinnati.
Concerning the indictments agains
Tyner and Barrett the following state
ment was made by the postoffice dc
partment: "Three indictments charg
Tyner and Barrett with conspirac.
and two additional indictments charg
Barrett with agreeing, while still il
~ frNr, yifsn
rendered or to be rendered in case
pending before him as an officer. A
the indictments are founded on thei
treatment of the so-called bond inyes
ment companies.
Partial to Bond Companies.
"It is charged that Tyner and Bal
rett investigated the business of til
bond investment companies and learl
cd that they were all carrying on
business that involved fraud of lotter
or both; but that instead of recon
mending to the postmaster general tn
issue of an order that would preyer
the delivery of mail or the paymer
of money orders to those concern
and would thus break up the bushes
Tyner and Barrett conspired to civ
them unobstructed use of the mai
in order that Barrett might prot
thereby. 1t is charged that Barre
had entered into an agreement wit
J. H. helms of the Baltimore bar, fl
partnership in law, the object bein
to share in the profits which migl
arise from representing bond inyes
ment concerns before the postoffft
department; that in pursuance of co
spiracy with Tyner Barrett investiga
ed the schemes OF the concerns al
wrote and signed the report Thereon
that this report declared the bus
ness in It's existing form to be illeg
and not entitled to the use of Il
mails. but that its basic princi le ".