Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-12-03
sRlsrow TELLS OF FRAUDS.
Astounding Revelations Of Lons-Exlst.
Ing Corruption.


Astounding Revelations Of Long-Exlst-
Ing Corruption.
The report Of Fourth Assistant Post
master-General J. l.. Bristow on the
postal investigation Is substantially as
follows:
He FIRST takes. up the case OF Michael
W. Louis OF Cincinnati. appointed In 1897
Acting Superintendent Of the Supply d.
vision. His peculations amounted to
many thousands Of dollars. He was re-
/ moved In October, 1908.
The administrative methods OF Tyner
and Barrett are clearly illustrated in a
number Of cases which were passed upon
by them.
Mr.. Bristow shows how many fraudu-
lent schemes were accorded protection by
Barrett and allowed use Of the mails.
These include many small swindles In
the shape of lottery Inducements. land
investment schemes. etc.
OF the "turf-investment" swindles Mr..
Bristow says:
Z. ]. Arnold & Co.. OF St. Louis. NO.,
were conducting what is known as a
''turf-investment' scheme. On Novem-
Der 25 1902. the inspectors, having inves-
tigated the company, recommended that
a fraud order be issued against 1t. In
the meantime the company had employed
fee of $1,000. And instead Of issuing q
fraud order Tyner gave the company
letter of commentator. Two days after
Tyner wrote this letter Barrett received
a check OF $1,000 as an additional fee.
The company failed In February. 1905
assets. $4,000; liabilities. ss.1so.77s.
j. j. Ryan q Col. j. Ryan d Co.. OF
st. Louis. was kindred institution to
Arnold & Co. In October. 1902. the In
spectors recommended fraud order
against this company. The company was
given a hearing by the Assistant-Attor-
ney Generals Office and another investi-
CATION by the inspectors was requested.
In the meantime J. M. Johns, an attor-
ney at Rockville. Ind, made a proposition
to Ryan that for a fee Of $4,000 he could
help him. through his friend d. " MIL
Ter, of the Assistant Attorney Generals
ONCE. After some negotiations Il was
agreed that $4,000 would be paid to Johns
by Ryan II he would give him "clean
bilr' before the POST Office department.
This Johns agreed to do, and Miller Sc
cured a favorable ruling for Ryan & CO.,
which he sent to Johns. AS a result OF
this transaction Miller and Johns were
indicted.
Rifiing OF the safe.--on April 81. 1908.
while the investigation OF the Assistant
Attorney Generals Office was in prog
ress, Mrs. j. N. Tyner. In a clandestine
iIldniCis nIs. anu
Hammer. n safe expert. into a private
room of the Assistant Attorney Generals
Office, where he unlocked the safe and
took out all Of the contents. which Mrs.
Tyner carried off. What was I'm the safe
no one knows but the Tyners. Mrs.
Tyner stated that she went to the Office
and secured the contents of the safe un-
der the direction of her husband. which
statement he confirmed. As result OF
this episode Tyner was summarily re-
moved from the ONCE Of Assistant Attor-
ney-General and Christiancy resigned.
For six years under Fyner's adminis-
tration certain favored frauds and lotter-
les were given free use Of the mails.
Barrett's scheme TO resign and practice
before the ONCE, and Tyner's part In
that scheme. as set forth In tine body OF
this report. was the climax OF official per-
fidy, more evil In its results and more
demoralizing to the public conscience
than outright enlargement or open,
theft.
October by the grand jury for the Dis
triot Of Columbia for conspiracy to de-
fraud.
The frauds In money order forms, In
which James T. Metcaif. superintendent
of the money-order system. Is involved.
and for which he was removed from
Office, are next taken up.
ions hst VI s"inoies caIiieo OUT py
august W. Machen OF ONO Is enumerat-
co. ana the charse is maze that ne mas
peen guilty OF forgery The schemes py
which the government was defrauded in
clude carriers satchels. the Groff fasten-
ers TOT letter boxes. painting OF street
letter boxes carriers leather cases the
contract TOT street ietter boxes package
boxes. the montague INDICATOR device
attached to street letter boxes showing
tne hours OF cohection' ana rural carriers
badges.
Inc report continues:
In August, 1897. George w. Beavers
was appointed chief OF the salary and al
lowance division. Beavers methods have
been reckless and without rule or regu-
larity. Increases OF allowances for Clerk
hire In post-ofiices were made as mat
tiers Of favor regardless Of the necessities
of the service. Promotions were fire.
quently made without consideration Of
the merits Of the clerk promoted. Long
time leases for post-office premises were
cancelled and the rent increased upon the
| recommendation of prominent political
iedueis, soHetImeS "itnout feSdIu u Nne