Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-30
The Presidents Demand Re-
garding Postal Investigation.
BRIEF MEMORANDUM
GIVES SALIENT POINTS IN THE
BR1sToW REPORT.
He Calls for the Sternest Reproduction
of Corruption in Public Life as
Menace to the States Safety.

The following is a memorandum of the
President, relative to the postal investiga-
ton:
WHITE HOUSE, November "a, 1903.
Memorandum upon the various papers
submitted from the Department of Justice
and the Post Office Department concerning
the investigation into the corrupt practices
obtaining in the Post Office Department,
notably in the office of the first assistant
postmaster general and in the office of the
assistant attorney general for that depart
ment. All the documents in the case are
herewith forwarded to the Post Office De-
partment, and will be held ready for sub
mission to the Congress whenever 1t may
choose to ask for them
The Origin Of the Investigation.
1t appears that in December, 1902, Post
master General Payne and Congressman E.
F. Loud, chairman Of the committee on the
post office and post roads, held various
consultations regarding the postal service,
and as a result of these interviews 1t was
determined that as soon as possible after
the necessary appropriations could be made
by the Congress an investigation should be
made of the service, both Messrs. Payne
investigation and the time when 1t should
take place. Accordingly, an increase OF
SIS, 900 In the appropriation bill reported IN
January was made for the express purpose
Of carrying on the investigation in question.
The reasons for the increase in the appro-
priation were known only to the Postmaster
General, to Congressman Loud and to Con-
gresham Cromwell.
Subsequently some time in January, in
formation was laid before me by Mr.. Seek
endorfr tending to show improper conduct
by Beavers, general superintendent OF the
division of salaries and allowances. and
Machen, general superintendent Of the free
delivery system: and by Mr.. William Allen
White tending to show corruption by or I'M
der Tyner, assistant attorney general for
the Post Office Department. First Assist
ant Postmaster General Wynne also In
formed me that he had become suspicious
Of the integrity Of both Machen and Bea-
vers. After full consultation with Mr..
Payne 1t was decided that Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Bristow should make
thorough and exhaustive investigation Of
the charges in question and Of all matters
that might be developed in connection with
them. Mr.. Bristows report is a record of
as thorough a bit Of investigating work as
has ever been done under the government
After this investigation had been in prog
ress for about two months it became evil
dent that legal proceedings would have to
be undertaken against some of the Of
tenders.
Special Counsel.
Owing to the importance of the case it
was deemed advisable that special counsel
-
Bonaparte and Holmes Conrad were chosen
for this purpose. Messrs. Bonaparte and
Conrad. in their review of the report of Mr.
Bristow, speak as follows: I'VE consider
the report an exceptionally able, candid
and impartial review of it's subject matter
and that it shows clearly reprehensible mis-
conduct, amounting in many cases to crime,
on the part Of a number of public officials.
1t Is voluminous document, but this
arises, not from prolixity. but from the
nature Of the matters discussed.
We heartily commend the report and deem
its conclusions fully justified by the facts
1t sets forth; and while regretting in COM
mon with all patriotic citizens that the
grave abuses Of long standing which 1t re-
Veais should have grown up in the Post
Office Department, we consider the ex-
posture of these abuses and the attempts
made to punish those responsible for them
work OF the highest public utility. quickly
and ably performed" In all that is thus
said OF the report Of Mr.. Bristow cordially
agree.
Gross Corruption.
The Investigation made by Mr. Bristow
discloses condition of gross corruption in
the office of the first assistant postmaster
to
ney general for the Post Office Department.
In the case of the superintendent Of free
delivery. Machen the evidence shows that
his misconduct began Immediately after his
appointment in September 1888 In the
case of the general superintendent of sala-
ries and allowances. Beavers 1t began soon
after he was appointed to that place in 1897.
In the case Of Assistant Attorney General
Tyner 1t has gone on for a number of years.
but 1t is impossible to say exactly when It
began. A melancholy feature of the case ia
that with one exception all the offenders
have been for a number of years In the gov
eminent service. The following Is a list of
the fourteen post offices employees in the
service at the time this investigation was
begun who are apparently most seriously
implicated in the wrongdoing. together with
an account of the steps that have been
taken by the government in each case and a
statement of the date of original appoint
ment of each man In the service:
(The case of Ex-First Assistant Postmss
ter General Heath who left the service July
81. 1900, is set forth in the report of Mr..
Bristow)
Employees Implicated.
James n. Tyner assistant attorney gen.
eral for Post Office Department; appointed
special agent. Post Office Department,
March 7. 1851: with intervals Of few years
has been in the service ever Since and WIS
Postmaster General under President Grant
for several months: he was removed April
o. 1903: he has since been indicted three
times.
A. W. Machen, general superintendent
free delivery system: appointed clerk in
post Office at Toledo, Ohio, March 1, 1887;
continuously in service ever since save for
three years; removed May 81, 1903; has
since been indicted fourteen times.
George w. Beavers general superintend-
ent of salaries and allowances; appointed
to clerlship in New York post office Janu-
airy, 1881; continuous service ever since;
resignation accepted to take effect March
81, 1903; has since been indicted eight
times.