The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-08
POST OFFICE SCANDALS
The Grand Jury at Washington
Returns Five Indictments.
Mrs. Lorenz Arraigned With Maehen
and Grofs.Her Husband Also
CHARGED With Bribery.

Washington. D. C.-All hope Of one
ring of postal :grafters, headed by
Machen, escaping the penitentiary, ap-
pears to have been lostwhen a second
indictment was returned against them
by the Federal Grand Jury, charging
conspiracy to defraud the Government
It Is understood that this Indictment
will take precedence Of the first one
found charging bribe taking, and It Is
generally admitted, even by Machen's
friends, that conviction In the preferred
instance will be more easily accom-
plished.
The first woman to be dragged into
thepostal scandals, except for the rifing
of the Government safe by Mrs. Tyner
and Mrs. Barrett, which act has gone
unpunished thus far, was named in
the omnibus indictment returned
against Machen and his co-conSpira-
tors. She is Mrs. Lorenz, the wife of
George E. Lorenz, Of Toledo, Ohio,
where Machen formerly was postmas-
ter. The others are Lorenz himself
and the Groffs, formerly indicted on
| another postal ofense in Baltimore
The penalty in case Of conviction on
the charge of conspiracy would be q
fine Of $4,000 each or two years i'm
prisonment, or both. If found guilty,
it Is difficult to see what mitigating
circumstances could be shown to save
this alleged band Of conspirators from
prison.
Mrs. Lorenz, 1t Is understood, Is ac-
cused Of having acted as an inter-
mediary In handling the checks that
| passed between Machen and Lorenz In
connection with the alleged graft In
the contracts for the patent letter-box
fasteners.
Since the beginning of the Postoface
scandal investigation these persons
have been caught In the net:
Under Arrest and 1ndictment-Au-
gust w. Machen, Superintendent Of the
Free Delivery Division, arrested and In,
dicted on charge Of bribery.
Thomas W. McGregor, clerk in the
Free Delivery Division, arrested and
indicted on charge of bribery. 49,.
G. Ellsworth Upton, clerk In the Free
Delivery Division, arrested and In
dicted on charge Of bribery.
Daniel A. Miller, Assistant Attorney
for the Postoflce Department arrested
on charge of bribery. .
Joseph NJ. Johns, Indiana lawyer, ar.
rested on charge Of conspiracy with
Daniel A. Miller; In bribery.
Diller B. Croft, Washington business
man, arrested and indicted on charge
of conspiracy with A. w. Machen In
bribery.
Samuel A. Croft, Washington police
man, arrested and indicted on charge
Of conspiracy with A. w. Machen in
bribery.
George E. Lorenz, former postmaster
ut Toledo Ohio; indicted on charge Of
conspiracy with A. w. Machen to de-
fraud the Government.
Mrs. George E. Lorenz, Of Toledo,
Ohio, indicted on charge Of conspiracy
/ with A. w. Machen to defraud the
, Government. -
Removed-James N. Tyner, Assistant
! District Attorney General for the Post
/ Office Department.
James T. Metcalf, Superintendent Of
the Money Order Division.
Suspended-George A. G. Christiancy,
Assistant Attorney for the Postoface
Department, pending investigation.
! Resigned-George w. Beavers, Su-
! perintendent of the Division Of Sal
: aries and Allowances.