The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-13
The POST OFFICE SCANDALS.
PROMOTIONS ~ NEW YORK TO
BE INVESTIGATED.
Investigation 10 lie Most Searching and
Thor0ugh-Eech OF l,550 Gases 10
He inquired Into-Charges Against
Machen OF the Free Delivery Division.

Machen OF the Free Delivery Division.
WASHINGTON. April 12.-This being Sun
day, no new matters for investigation
were added to the Post Office Department
catalogue Of scandals As the case stands
now the Investigations Of the Department,
so far az the New York Post Office end OF
the case is concerned, will be most search
ing and thorough,
While the charges before the Department
set forth that the operations OF the pro
motion syndicate" extended to post offices
in all parts Of the country its operations
are said TO have been most extensive in
the New York Post Office. and the initial
investigation will be made there. Each
separate case Of the ,77e promotions au-
thorized will be carefully inquired into.
and the clerk promoted will be questioned
in order to discover any possible violations
of the "merit system" rule, which, it is
asserted, has been rendered imperative.
80 far as the New York Office is concerned.
by the operations Of the syndicate.
The charges filed yesterday that Supt.
Machen of the Free Delivery Division was
in collision with buggy company, which
sold buggies to rural carriers and that
advance information furnished this COM
pany as to the establishment Of routes
enabled them 10 defy competition in this
particular trade will be investigated in
their spare moments by the several IN
spectors who are working on the various
details Of the scandals, indicating the ex-
istence Of rings" combinations, deals,
gratis" games" and -synd catcs."
The buggy" case is distinct from the
smail-box" charges only in the difference
between buggies and mail boxes. The
charges in both cases are the same. that
favored companies secured inside informa-
ton which enabled them TO get on the
ground where rural routes were about TO
be established and cell their wares before
rival companies in the same line OF business
had a chance TO enter into competition
Mr. Machen to-day denied the buggy charge
absolutely. He has previously asserted
that he has had absolutely no connection
with the alleged mail-box scandals.
Acting Postmaster-G General Wynne has
signed an order prohibiting subordinates
from signing the names OF their superior
officers to official correspondence without
adding their own initials for purpose OF
Identification. While Mr.. Wynne will not
discuss the matter it is known that this or
der was directed particularly against Super
intendent Machen's chief clerk, who. IL IL
said, has signed Mr. Machen's name 10
official letters and public documents now
on the files, without adding any marks OF
Identification, and that Mr.. Machen's bona
fde signature cannot be distinguished from
the other.
Oficials high and low in the Department
are anxiously awaiting the return Of Post
master General Payne from his southern
pleasure trip with Secretary Moody. Mr.
Payne will probably be at his desk on the
18th, and his first official act will probably
be to look over the catalogue of scandals
and familiarize himself with the work that
is being done 10 make the Departments
housekeeping a thorough one. II is be-
lieved that Mr. Payne's personal knowledge
Of the officers who are under investigation
or about TO be investigated, coupled with
his acknowledged bipartisan attitude
regarding the official and personal disputes,
Of his subordinates, will do a great deal
toward allaying the present hysterical
rapidly lengthening catalogue Of scandal.