The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-26
MAY HAVE HELD OUT
PAYNE is SUSPICIOUS OF THE
TYNERS.
PAPERS WERE SHOWN UP
BUT POSTMASTER GENERAL
DOUBTS THEY WE'RE ALL.

After an Inspection of Papers Taken
From the Safe by Mrs. Tyner the
Postmaster General Admitted
Their Character, But Would Not
Accept the Action of the Tyners
as Evidence That All the Papers
| Were NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. cy to Re
SUspe nded.
Washington, April 25.-Two impor-
tant developments to-day in the in
vestigation of the sensational abstrac-
| ton of papers from the safe in the Of
fee of the assistant attorney general
for the Postoffice Department, which
led to the dismissal of that official,
were the submission of what purported
to be the papers to the inspection of
the postal officials and the decision of
Postmaster General Payne to lmmedi-
ately relieve Acting Assistant Attorney
General G. A. c. Christiancy from his
office, pending an investigation of his
conduct.
The action in the case of Mr.. Chris
tiancy was taken at his own request.
He states that he courts the fullest in
vestigation. Mr.. Christiancy has held
the office of assistant attorney since
Jan. l, 1901, and has been in charge
of the legal affairs of the department
most of the time since then, owing to
| Gen. Tyner's absence, caused by Ill
health.
Gen. Tyner's counsel to-day submit
ted to Mr. Payne and Fourth Assist
ant Postmaster GCAeral Bristow pa
pers, which, they said, the Tyners
claimed constituted all that had been
taken away, but a statement made
| later by Mr.. Payne, reciting the CORE
| spondence on the subject and the sub
mission of the papers, specifically de-
| clines to accept the statement that the
| pa pers submitted necessarily constitute
ed all that were distracted.
Tyner's COunsePs Statement.
| Gen. Tyner's counsel, after leaving
the Postmaster General, made a state
ment in part, as follows:
| Yesterday in response to a notifl-
cation from the Department of JUS
tice that Gen. Tyner's offer to deliver
| the papers should be made to the
| Postmaster General, Mr.. Perry pro-
| posed to the Postmaster General that
a representative of the Postoflice De-
partment should meet counsel at Gen.
Tyner's house, where the papers should
be examined, and such as were pri-
vate returned to Gen. Tyner and the
others, somewhat public in nature, de-
| livered to the department
| 1T was especially desired that the
government representatives should
question fully Gen. Tyner, Mrs. Tyner
and Mrs. Barrett as to what occurred
on Mrs. Tyner's visit to the Postof-
flee Department on Tuesday last and
as to all of her acts in connection
| Herewith and her authority therefor,
Gen. Tyner explaining that all of Mrs.
| Tyner's acts were authorized by him.
| The Postmaster General in reply said
substantially that If Gen. Tyner would
| cause the papers to be returned 10 the
| department he would have the same
examined in the presence of Gen. Ty-
ner, and would restore to him all the
papers, documents and other property
found to belong to him.
Women Were Not Wanted.
"This morning, after consultation, the
| Postmaster General was asked to per-
| nit Mrs. Tyner and Mrs. Barrett to
| come to his office with counsel for a
| full examination by any government
| official, as to the facts connected with
the taking of the papers. The Post
master General refused to permit eth
er Mrs. Barrett or Mrs. Tyner to be
present, and declined to question them.
| Thereupon, acquiescing in his decision,
counsel brought to the Postofice De-
partment all of the papers in ques-
| ton. They were examined minuteIy,
| and in detail in the presence of the
Postmaster General by Mr.. Bristow,
including the most private property of
Gen. Tyner, and especially of Mrs
On,
| animation all the papers were, by d.
| rection of the Postmaster General, re-
turned to Tyner, except the papers in
| Dictated in a statement of Gen. Tyner
| which referred to the matter connected
with the conduct of former inspector
of the department now dead and which
had never been filed and which matter
| was disposed of over four years ago."
Subsequently the Postmaster General
gave out a statement covering the sub
mission of the documents, which plain
| ly says the department does not agree
to the assumption that the papers sub
mitted constitute all those taken After
reciting the proposition of Gen. Ty-
ner's counsel, and it's rejection by him
| (setting forth the text of the letter IN
reply, the statement concludes as fol-
| lows:
Payne Is Not over COnnding.
MS GeTTy and Gen.
Kitchener came to the department
| bringing with them a package which
they stated contained the papers and
| documents which had been taken from
the department in the manner hereto
| fore set FORTH and offered to submit
the same to the inspection of the POST
! master General or any other official of
the department.
I'm response to this offer Mr. Perry
| opened the packages in the presence of
the Postmaster General, Mr.. Bristow
and Mr.. Kitchener. Careful scrutiny
of each paper and document was had
and all the papers so exhibited were
| found to be the personal and private
property of Gen. Tyner or Mrs. Tyner,
except one package of papers which
| contained the letters, statements, mem
oranda and other evidence relating to
| departmental matters that had been
concluded about four years ago
THE department does not accept the
action taken this morning as evidence
that all the documents, papers and
other properties so carried away have
been returned"
Mr.. Payne tonight said that he had
not yet replied to the request of Mr.
| Christiancy, but that he undoubtedly
would relieve him, pending an investi-
| cation.
-s-o-s