The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-13
GRAND JURY AT P. 0. SCANDAL
POST OFFICE MEN HEAR 1T WILL
DO SOME INVESTIGATING.
Called to Meet on Monday or Tuesday. and
Definite Results Are Expected-Cash
Register Matters Likely to Be One
OF tho Subjects for Investigation.


1t was common talk around the Post ONCE
building yesterday that there may be in
teresting developments at the next sitting
Of the Federal Grand Jury. The Grand Jury
is nominally in continuous session from
June to October. 1t has adjourned till
next Tuesday, but 1t was said that the jury
may meet on Monday afternoon.
The story current about the Post ONCE
yesterday was that the Grand Jury has been
called for the special purpose Of consider
ing certain evidence which post Office in
spectors have gathered. This evidence
relates, SO it was said. to the Syndicate"
which operated in the New York office to
secure promotions for Post Office employees
here.
None Of the inspectors was conspicuous
around the building yesterday. 1t was
noted, however, that Inspector James +.
Oldfeld Is in town again. He stayed in the
building short time, then linked arms with
another inspector and disappeared.
Oldfeld is the inspector who had fist
fight with Assistant United States District
Attorney Ernest c. Baldwin in the rotunda
Of the Post Office building about month
ago. Inspector Oldfeld and Inspector
Little have been investigating alleged
scandals about automatic cash registers
for making change which are in use in the
post offices, The company which makes the
machines is controlled by George F. Miller
Of PIT Broadway. who Is Mr.. Baldwin's
brother-in-law.
Mr. Baldwin Is member OF the law firm
Of Boothby Il Baldwin, and this firm is
counsel for the machine company in a suit
brought against II by a former employee.
1t was in reference 10 these registers that
Inspector Oldfleld called on Mr.. Baldwin.
Their conversation resulted in the scrap.
Impartial observers said that Mr.. Baldwin
had the better Of the bout.
Inspector Oldheld denied yesterday that
he was working in conjunction with the
other inspectors ON general post office
affairs here. He minated that he was
working on a special case. When he was
asked If he had dropped the matter of the
registers, he said he hadn't,
While the other inspectors we're not seen
about the building, two of them, at least,
made visits to branch Offices
Postmaster Van Colt received two let
tiers yesterday from First Assistant Post
master General Wynre. One Of the let
ters, he said, instructed him to make
out list Of the subst flutes who will take
the places Of clerks and carriers on vaca-
ton. The other letter the Postmaster didn't
care to talk about. In general talk he
had this to say:
II am going to make full report of the
affairs of the New York Post Office to nv
superiors at Washington. have instruct, d
the superintendents to make a report to
me. and will make full report covering
the whole thing. My official position COM
pels me to do that before make any state.
nents to the public
lnttcr which Mr.. Van Colt received from
Mr.. Wynre Yesterday directed him to report
about the conduct Of the Post Office here.
Mr.. Van Colt and his son saw several
Republican district leaders yesterday.
Charles B. Page the Elect ns Commissioner,
had a talk with Mr.. Van Colt about re
tanning young Mr.. Van Colt and Charles W
Mr.. Page said that he was friend
Of Mr.. White, and would like to zee Mr..
White retained. He believes that the work
done by young Mr.. Van Colt and MIR.
White Is such that they are both needed.
WAsH1NGroN. June 2,-Postmaster Van
sistant Postmaster-General Wynne to re-
port to the Department on various matters
connected with his administration.
1t was said at the Department to-day
that no reports had been received from the
New York Office relative to the invest-
by high officials, however, that enough had
been discovered in the New York office
to warrant the most searching inquiry,
and this is now well under way. The
alleged promotion syndicate" which is
said to have controlled advances in the
and there are other irregularities which
will be carefully gone into.