New-York tribune., 1903-04-26

quest formally presented to Mr.. Payne,
read as follows

quest was formally presented to Mr.. Payne. it
read follows:
Ny name having been brought into public
connection with the recent incident in this Of
flee when dpers were taken from il by the wife
Of the then Assistant Attorney General for this
department and also vaguely in connection with
the general charges lowering this office. [
respectfully but insisteutly demand that my
connection with this affair. and also with all
other matters relating to this office. be made the
subject of rigid and minute investigation.
Postmaster General Payne said this afternoon
that he had asked Attorney General Knox to
recommend man who could in Mr. Chris
tiancy's place while the Investigations were in
progress Mr. Payne further said that his ac-
tion could not be construed as a suspension of
Mr. Christiancy. but merely granting an un-
limited leave of absence
RETURN OF THE PAPERS.
Messrs Perry and Michener. counsel for Mr..
and Mrs Tyner submitted to Postmaster Cen
eral Payne papers purporting to be the ones
taken from the safe In the department by Mrs
Tvner last Tuesday Mr.. Payne had addressed
= letter to them declining to consider a propo-
sition either 10 visit personally or send repre-
sentative to the Tyner house. but said he would
receive the attorneys at the department and
look at any papers they might choose tn sub
nit Accordingly. at noon the attorneys brought
ar immense bundle of papers to the private of
fee, of the Postmaster General There Mr- Payne
and Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bris-
tow examined them. The. conference lasted two
hours and at its conclusion Mr.. Tyner's counsel
said that. by the direction of the Postmaster
General all the papers were returned to Mr..
7vner except those which referred to the con-
Duct Of a former inspector of the department.
now dead which. the lawyers said. had never
been filed and the matter had been disposed Of
four years ago. They made the following state
ment:
Yesterday In response 10 a notification from
the Department of Justice that General Tyner
offer to deliver the papers should be mace 10
+he Postmaster General, Mr.. Perry proposed 10
the Postmastel General that a representative OF
the Postoffice Department should meet couhsel
at General Tyners house, Where tne paLets
should be examined and such as were private
returned 10 General Tyner, and the others
somewhat public in nature. delivered TO the De
partment It was especially desired that the
government representatives should question
fully General Tyner. Mrs. Tyner and Mrs Bar
rett to what occurred on Mrs Tyner WISH 10
the Postoffice Department on Iuesday last anu
as to all of hec acts in connection thereWlth ana
her authority therefor, General Tyner explain
ing that all of Mrs. Tyner's acts were duthor-
lied bv him The Postmaster General. in reply,
said substantially. that if General Tyner would
cause the papers TO be returned to the depart
rnent he would have the same examined in the
presence of General Tyner. and would restore 10
him all the papers. documents and other prop
erty found to belong to him.
This morning after consultation the Post
master General was asked to permit Mrs. Tyner
and Mrs. Barrett come to his office with coun-
sci for a full examination by any government
official a TO the facts connected with the taking
of the papers The Postmaster General refused
to permit either MS. Barrett or Mrs. Tyner TO
be present. and declined TO question them /
Thereupon. acquiescing in his decision. counSei
brought TO the Postoff1ce Department all OF the /
papers In question. They were examined }
and ii detail the presence of the /
Postmaster General by Mr.. Bristow, including /
the most private property of General Tyner, and /
especially OF Mrs. Tyner. On the conclusion OF
this examination all the papers We're py direc-
tion of the Postmaster General, returned 10 /
General Tyner except the papers indicated in a /
statement of General Tyner which referred 10 /
the matter connected with the conduct OF a /
former inspector of the department, now dead, /
and which had never been f1led, and which MAJ /
ter was disposed Of over four years ago
STATEMENT NOT ACCEPTED. |
The Postmaster General later gave out a /
covering the submission of the docu
ments which plainly says that the department /
does not agree TO the assumption that the pa
pers submitted constitute all that were taken. /
After rectting the proposition of Mr.. Tyner's /
counsel and its rejection. the statement closes +
as follows:
This morning Mr. Perry and General Michener
came TO the department. bringing with them a
package which they stated contained the pa
pers and documents which had been taken from
the department in the manner heretofore set
forth and offered to submit the same 10 the in
spection of the Postmaster General or any other
official of the department.
In response 10 this offer, Mr. Perry opened
The package In the presence of the postmaster
General General Bristow and Mr.. Michener.
careful scrutiny of each paper and document
vas had and all the papers so exhibited were
found to be the personal and private property
~ General Tyner or of Mrs Tyner. excepting
me package OF papers which contained the let
.ers. statements memoranda and other evidence