Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-17
FORGERY NOW ALLEGED
Another Indictment Against
Machen Expected.
THE LORENZ CHECK
STATE OF TENSION TODAY AT THE
POST OFFICE.
More Arrests Expected in the I'M
mediate eFuture-Everybody
Busy Today.
THE L0RENZ CHECK

the money order system. was summoned
to Fourth Assistant Bristow's office short
ly after noon today. He remained In the
private office for nearly an hour, when the
whole situation relating to his alleged
holding up Of the award Of a contract for
printing money order blanks. details of
which are given elsewhere. was gone over
Besides Mr.. Bristow there were present
In the office Mr.. Robb. assistant attorney
general for the Post Office Department,
Mr. Fosnes and several other inspectors
After Mr.. Metcalf left Mr. Bristow's Of
hce the latter and Mr. Robb proceeded to
the Postmaster Generals Office.
Postmaster General Payne left his Office
about 1:30. He was corraled by newspaper
men in the corridor.
There was every indication that the Post
master General was laboring under in
tense mental strain.
He declined to discuss anything con-
nected with the investigation other than to
say he would give out a statement for
publication at o'clock.
Machen's Alleged Forgery.
Upon information now in the possession
of the post Office inspectors It is said the
erintendent of the free delivery system.
upon charge of forgery will shortly be
asked. Some delay in placing the matter
before the grand jury has been occasioned
by the time that has elapsed since the al
legged crime was committed, but the advice
of the attorneys is now to the effect that
the department will be able to make out a
clear case against the accused
The action will be based upon the cashing
of the cheek for 1869 in 1894, drawn by the
cashier of the New York post office in
favor of Henry l.. Lorenz, the testimony
regarding which, as given before the Sem
ate committee on civil service and retrench-
ment, was printed in Mondays Star No
action was taken at that time because Of
the apparently satisfactory explanation OF
the affair given by Mr.. Machen. Since the
present investigation was begun the mat
ter has been again opened with results that,
the attorneys believe, will justify a prompt
return of an Indictment when the facts are
placed before the grand jury.
MI. Lorenz was appointed a commissioner
of the Court of Claims November /, 1894,
and was assigned to the task of adjusting
the claims of letter carriers throughout the
country for over time under the provisions
of the eight-hour law. Although his serv-
ices did not begin until November l. his
appointment was antedated to read from
July l of that year
Alleged Forged Voucher.
voucher in favor of Mr.. Eorenz was
drawn upon the postmaster at New York,
through which office all of Mr. Lorenz's ac-
counts were paid. With this voucher was q
personal note suggesting that as Mr. Lo-
REM was short of money and was to leave
Washington on a confidential errand imme-
diately, the money be sent to him in the
care of Mr.. Machen, the superintendent OF
the free delivery.
Repudiated by Lorenz.
William w. Hill. at that time ass sstant
superintendent of the free delivery sys en-
but assigned, as was Judge Lorenz, to the
adjustment of letter carriers claims, was
in the office OF the cashier at the time. and
with the cashier detected certain Irregular
tiles in the voucher that resulted in a check
being sent to Mr.. LorenZ instead of the
cash, as had been asked. This check was
afterward cashed through the Ohio Ma
tional Bank of this city and returned to
the subtreasury at New York, on which 1t
was drawn. 1t bore what purported to be
the signature of Henry l.. Lorenz and the
Endorsement of Frank X. Raymond, an in
surance agent, whose Office is now in an
uptown office building
Several weeks ago this check and the
voucher authorizing 1t were secured by the
post office inspectors and presented to Mr.
LorenZ to verify the signature. Mr.. Lorenz
not only repudiated the signatures declar-
ing them forgeries. but declared that he
had never received a cent of the money and
that he had no knowledge of the transac-
ton whatever.
Mr.. Raymond's Statement
Following this development the inspectors
called upon Mr.. Raymond, who acknowI-
edged his signature and said that he had
cashed the check for Mr. Machen, as he
would have done for any of his friends
Mr.. Machen came to me-" Mr.. Raymond
coid ION ,clya acl
Mr. LorenZ wanted the currency sent to
him. had no reason to doubt the sigma
ture having known Mr.. Machen personally
and favorably for years, and, getting in my
buggy, drove to the Ohio National Bank
and had the check caShed, and Immediately
gave him the full amount of the check
All of these facts have been placed be-
fore the Postmaster General and as soon
other and more pressing matters are
disposed of will be laid before the grand
jury. For some time doubt existed as to
whether-it would be impossible to proceed
against Machen because of the statute of
limitations, but upon investigation a fur
ther provision of the statutes was found,
which provides that the statute of linita-
tions shall not become operative during the
continuance in Office of official, who by
reason of his occupancy of that position, is
able to prevent the discovery of his alleged
crime. Under this provision of the stat
utes. it is held that Machen, If guilty, will
not be able to avoid prosecution as the
the time of the severance of his official
connection with the department several
weeks ago.
The Old Testimony.
The latest development in August w.
Machens alleged Irregularities while SUI
of the free delivery system,
Post Office Department, was brought about
by reference to testimony taken In 1898
by the Senate committee on civil service
and retrenchment and before which Will
lam w. Hill, a former cmploye of the
Post Office Department was an interest
ing witness review of this testimony
was printed in Mondays Star. Briefly the
parts relating to the check incident are
as follows:
Mr. Hill testified:
Mr. Lorenz was first appointed by the
Pest Office Department shortly after the
lst of November, 1894. but because he had
been hard up and out of office for some
time heretofore. his pay. at 50 a day, was
antedated from the 1st of July. 1891, and
the postmaster at New York was ordered
TO send the money. not to Mr. Lorenz, but
to Mr.. Machen. superintendent of the free
delivery division, and that amount was