Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-11-30
Gives a Brief History of the Inquiry and
Promises Radical Reform.
TEN YEARS OF OFFICIAL RoT1ENNEss
More Rigid System of Inspection in Civil Service
Pointed a Remedy.

I to punish those responsible for them
a work of the highest public utility.
quickly and ably performed In all
that is thus said of the report of Mr..
Bristow l cordially agree.
The investigation made by Mr..
BristOw disclOseS a condition of gross
corruption in the office of the first
assistant postmaster general and in
that of the assistant attorney gen
eral for the postoffice department. In
the case of the superintendent of free
delivery, Machen. the evidence shows
that his misconduct began immedi-
ately after his appointment in Sep
TENDER, 1898. In the case of the gen
eral superintendent of salaries and
allowances. Beavers, it began soon af-
ter he was appointed to that place i'll
1897. In the case of Assistant Attor-
ney General Tyner it has gone on for
number of years, but it is impOssi-
bic to say exactly when it began. \
melancholy feature of the case is that
with but one exception all the Offend
ers have been for a number of years
in the government service. The fol-
| wing is Il list of the IA pOstOffice
employees in the service at the time
this investigation was begun, who are
apparently most seriously implicated
N the wrongdoing. together with an
account of the steps that have been
taken by the government in each
case and a statement of the date of
the original appointment of each
man in the service:
Heath Mentioned Elsewhere.
CThe case of eX-First Assistant Post
master General Heath. who had left
the service over three years before
this investigation was begun, is set
forth in the report of Mr.. Bristow).
James NJ. Tyner, assistant attorney
general for postoffice department;
appointed special agent, postoffice de-
partment, March Z, 1861; with inter
walls of a few years has been in the
service ever since. and was postmaster
general under President Grant for
several months; he was removed
April %, 1908; he has since been in
dicted three times.
\. W. Machen, general superintend-
emf of free delivery system; appoint
ed clerk in postoffice at Toledo, Ohio,
March /, 1887; continuously in serv-
ice ever since save for three years;
removed May 81, 1908; has since been
indicted IA times.
George W. Beavers. general super
intendent of salaries and allowances;
appointed to clerkship in New York
postoflice January, 1891; continuous
service ever since; resignation ac-
cepted to take effect March 81, 1908;
has since been indicted eight times.
James r. Metcalf, superintendent
money order system; appointed post
Office Inspector February ?, 1882; has
been in postal service ever since; re-
moved June II, 1903; has been indict-
ed once.
Daniel V. Miller, assistant attorney,
postoffice department.; appointed July
1. 1902; removed May 25, 1908; indict-
ed once; after one mistrial was re-
tried and acquitted.
Louis Kempner, superintendent reg
istry system; appointed clerk in New
\ ork postoffice August, 1886; remov-
ed Oct. 81, 1903.
Charles Hedges, superintendent city
free delivery service; appointed as
sistant superintendent free delivery
service July /, 1898; removed July %,
1903.
James w Erwin, assistant superin-
tendent city free delivery service; APP
pointed postoffice inspector June 27,
1897; removed Sept. Is, 1903; indict-
ed once.
w. Scott Towers, superintendent
Station c, Washington, ID. c.; appoint
ed clerk, Washington postoffice, No
vember. 1890; removed Oct. 1, 1908;
indicted three times.
Otto f. Weis. assistant superintend
ent registry division, New York post
office; appointed clerk, New York
postoffice, June, 1890; removed Oct.
21, 1908.
T. W. McGregor, clerk, free delivery
system. in charge of supplies; APP
pointed postoffice department March
II. 1891; removed June 5, 1908; indict
ed twice.
C. f. Upton. clerk. free delivery di
vision; appointed July 1, 1900; remov-
ed June 5, 1908; indicted once.
NJ w. Louis, superintendent supply
division; appointed Kansas City post
Office April II, 1897; removed Oct. 21,
1908.
Charles b. Terry. clerk, supply di-
vision; appointed Sept. 20, 1900; re-
moved Oct. 81, 1903.
AS shown in Mr.. Bristow's report,