Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-24
fFIclALs FAIL TO RECOVER PAPERS
Inspectors Are Turned Empty Away When
Demanding to See Booty.
SUSPECT PROOFS OF GUILT ARE TAKEN
Government Employees Fear Evidence Of
Crooked Work is Abstraoted,
LAWYER ACCUSED OF AIDING TURF FIRMS
Resigns on Request. hut Keeps TITLE
without Powers TIL May, SeizinE
Opportunity Thus Made 10 Pos.
sess Himself of Documents.

WASHINGTON, April ga most sensa-
tional development OF the present postofioe
| investigation occurred Just before the de-
partment closed today, when Postmaster
General Payne announced the summary dis
missal Of James n. Tyner. assistant attor-
ney general for the department with the
announcement was coupled the startling
charge that all the papers and records In
the safe OF the latter's office had been alb
stracted by Mrs. 1yuer. wife OF the dis
charged official. with the assistance OF
TWO others. The postmaster states that Mrs.
Tyner has refused to return these papers
and that consequently he has decided to
submit the case to the Department OF Jus
tice. The question OF arrests Will be passed
on Immediately by Attorney General Knox
Mrs. Tyner Abstracts Papers.
The facts are told tersely in the letter Of
dismissal signed by Postmaster General
Payne late yesterday afternoon and made
public tonight. The letter follows:
Sir; You are hereby removed from the
! PostoffiCe department.
| deem it proper to give you the reasons
Ior this summary action on the part of th'
department Early in the month Of Marcel
I communicated TO you through mutual
painful Interview with you and a more
painful one with Mrs. Tyner | consented
70 mouiiy the demand so that IL might take
ever that you were given leave of absence
from The time of the acceptance OF the
resignation TO the date of its taking effect
with the understanding that you were not
In any way to undertake to discharge tht
Late yesterday afternoon Mrs. Tyner
came to the office OF he assistant attorney
general for the Postoffice department and
went through the main Office TO the private
Office closing The door behind her. She
nd
mitted her sister Mrs. Barrett whose son
was formerly assiotant in your office, ami
whose conduct Is now under investigation
by the department. She also admitted. ia
the same manner, q. G. Hammer an expert
with whom she had made an arrangement
to meet her 9t the departmen., AZ. her
the room and she took therefrom all papers.
, records and articles OF every Kind AMI
Immediately upon learning what had been
done directed the fourth assistant post
master general TO SEND two inspectors To
Postoffice department the delivery to them
OF any papers. documents or other ma
tertals which had been abstracted from the
safe. This demand was refused by Mrs.
Tyner and she likewise refused to permit
examine the papers in her presence Mrs
Tyner further stated 70 the postofiice IN
your knowledge and by your direction.
Further comment on this transaction on
| my part is not nects ssary.
The facts in the will be submitted to
the attorney general Of the United states
for such action In the premises as he may
deem proper. II. L. PAhNE,
Postmaster General!
/ prIstOw orders Eviction.
When Mrs. Tyner entered the office her
, visit was reported to two inspectors and to
! Postmaster General Payne. An inspector
, also reported the matter to Fourth AS
sistant Postmaster General Bristow. Mr.
Bristow asked to have Mrs. Tyner elected
from the Office, but the authority came too
late. When the inspector returned Mrs
Tyner had left Afterwards, when the in
spectors called on her she told them they
had no right to the papers. as Mr.. Tyner
was still assistant attorney general, and
, moreover insisted that the papers were all
of private character.
II is suspected at the department that
. the papers have some connection with the
4 recent conduct OF the office. Some weeks
, ago a turf investment concern, whose
a affairs were aired In court, alleged that It's
| operations and working methods had been
' sanctioned by the assistant attorney gen.
eral for the Postofhee department. The
charges involving the ONCE of the assistant
[ attorney general and lawyer formerly
connected with that once we're ventilated
generally at that time and an investigation
was ordered by the postmaster general.
vestigation that has spread into every part
of the department.
Mr. Tyner at the time the papers were
taken, was still technically assistant at
torney general. and this fact will figure
! in consideration of the question by the
Department Of Justice. 1t is pointed out,
however that although Mr.. Tyner still
{ held the once, his resignation not having
We. become operative, the acceptance Of
I III ma
0 standing, specifically stated in the letter
. Of acceptance that he would not attempt
I to administer the duties OF his once II is
e fully realized by the postmaster general
that the case presents a delicate situation,
e and for that reason he declined today to
y discuss the facts.
= Tyner Former Postmaster General.
d Mr. Tyner has been in the government
;. service in various important capacities for
z many years He Is from Indiana. He
e served as assistant attorney general for the
r Postofice department and later was hrst
Il assistant postmaster general. Subsequently
/. he became postmaster general and later
t again assumed Office In the department
!. He is one OF the best known men In oficial
d life In Washington. He and Mrs. Tyner
?, and President and Mrs. Grant were inti-
mate friends. During the Universal Postal
congress- which met here in 1897. he was
B. one Of the committee which represented
/, this government.
!, An effort made tonight TO obtain from
Mr.. Tyner or Mrs Tyner a statement met
n with no success. Mrs. Tyner stating that
they had nothing to say on the subject.
y The suggestion was thrown out that there
n might be something to give out by Mr.
Tyner's side in the future Mrs. Tyner
y apparently took the matter eoolly. II al
n all concerned about the postmaster gem
erals letter she did not show II In her
:, manner.
While refusing 10 admit directly that
!, Mr.. Tyner received Mr.. Payne's letter, I,
q. was evident from her answers that Le
either had received Il OF had been made
2 acquainted fully with Its contents.
"a Mr.. Tyner is in a very weak and almost
! hol 81