The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-14
TROUBLE FOR
sUPI. MACHEN.
Former Head Of the Postofice Free
Delivery Service May Be 4
Prosecuted.
It Is Said That He Collected Lists cs
Names From the Rural
Districts. :
These Cannot Be Found and May
Have Been Sold Contrary
to Regulations.

Washington, May 14.-Postal inspectors
delving into the affairs of the office of
A. w. Machen, who was relieved re-.
Gently of the duties Of superintendent of
the free delivery service. have unearthed
evidence which may cause the suspended
official endless trouble. This evidence is
an undated order to- rural free delivery
carriers. directing them to forward to
Machen the names of all persons living on
their routes, giving the number of adults
In each family, the number of children,
whether male or female, and their ages.
This information is Of no value to the
department but it Is of inestimable value
to merchants and others seeking GUS
toners for their goods. AS yet the In
spectors have been unuable to find the
lists described In the order and there is
considerable speculation as to what be-
came of them. II they have been removed
from the department the person RESPONSE
bic Is liable to be punished by a, heavy
fine and a long term in the penitentiary,
as the papers were government property
and the fact that they were Of no value
to the government would not mitigate the
offense.
Officials of the department are Of the
opinion when 3, new route was established
one Of Mr.. Machen's orders accompanied
the carriers appointment ~
1t Is a violationof the postal laws for an
eluplOSe 20 IuID1SA any 1n1OInaClOn con-
corning patrons, and there is a question
whether an official Of the department
instructing carriers to give him the facts
referred to in Mr.. Machen's orders does
not come within the scope Of the law.
Inspectors will ascertain if the informa-
ton contained in the lists has gone into
the possession Of any one outside the
depar tment If So, those responsible will
be prosecuted.
Manufacturers and mail order houses
are extremely anxious to secure the ad-
dresses of persons thruout the country,
especially If accompanied by facts relat-
ing to sex and age, as such information
would be valuable in aiding them to dis
pose of their wares.
The discovery so closely following the
action Of Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow In disseminating the mailing of
bulletins containing the names and adj
dresses of rural carriers appointed, to-
gether with the number of persons living
on the routes and the location OF, those
routes has caused much gossip. Ia speak
Ing OF the va1ue OF the. Information Mr..
MHchen ordered to be gathered, one offl-
cial said he would gladly resign his posi-
ton he legitin1stely had possession
Of It. - : ~ q, &,
Postmaster General Payne to-day stated
he Understood it always had been the
practice Of the department to secure the
names of all persons on rural free de-
livery. routes as part Of the information
necessary to determine the feasibility OF
the establishment of the routes.
Whether such information was given to
firms and interested parties or used i'm
properly in any way, Mr.. Payne said, is
another qus stion and one which I believe
Fourth Assistant Bristow Is now invest1-
eating. ~. IS