The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-04-24

months at a time. lie Is suffering from
an unusually severe case of paralysis,
and in consideration of this fact the re-
quest for his resignation was based on his
i'll health.
Payne's Voice TrembIed.
The announcement of yesterdays de-
velopments was made by Postmaster
General Payne late this afternoon to a
large number of newspaper correspond
ents. In a voice that trembled he said
that he regretted to have to say that he
had found 1t necessary to remove from
office the assistant attorney general for
the department, and after speaking in
general way about the facts that had de-
veloped, said the story was best told In
the correspondence, which he then read
In most feeling tone. Then he an
nounced that he could say nothing fur
ther on the subject and that he preferred
not to be asked any questions.
He was asked If any arrests would be
made as the result of the abstraction,
and If any one else in the office was IN
volved He said that these were mat
tiers which he could not discuss, that 1t
rested with the attorney general to whom
the papers would go as soon as the re-
cord of the case could be copied and sub
mitted. The case. however, he added,
would be in the hands of the department
steps will be taken will be decided by the
attorney general He did not care to
venture any prediction as to the outcome.
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, his resignation
having not yet become operative, the ac-
ceptance of the resignation was with the
strict nndargta pdiOU Snp0ifipa1IV
in the letter of acceptance that he would
not attempt to administer the duties of
his office 1t is fully realized by the post
mater general that the case presents a
delicate situation, and for that reason he
declined today to enter into a discussion
of the affair.
An effort was made tonight to obtain
statement from Mr.. and Mrs Tyner,
but met with no success, Mrs. Tyner
stating that they had nothing to say on
the subject. The suggestion was thrown
out that there might be something to give
out by General Tyners side some time
In the future. Mrs. Tyner apparently
took the matter very cody
General Tyner Is in very weak and
almost helpless condition from his long
sickness. He remains in his room most
of the time and sees very few callers.
Tyner's Friends Make Statement.
After General Tyner had received the
letter of dismissal from Postmaster Cen
eral Payne he called in consultation At
torneys r. Ross Perry and L. r.. Nc
Ehrne, who are intimate friends regard
ing the matter. These gentlemen later in
the evening made statement, which was
in part as follows:
Gen. James N Tyner asks from the
public a suspension OF judgment until he
can put before them the facts relating to
his removal from office and the cause as
signed therefor by the postmaster gen.
eral. The matter has come upon him so
suddenly that he cannot now make a de-
tailed statement, but must necessarily
confine himself to a general account.
when the two inspectors from the de-
partment came to the house and demand
ed the papers, General Tyner upon the
spur of the moment and without other
guide than his Indignation, refused to see
them. On the same evening he sent
letter to Mr.. Bristow asking him to come
to his house, intending to put the papers
in his charge. Unfortunately. Mr.. Bris-
tow was unable to come. The papers are
now in the possession of General Tyner
I'm the same condition as when they were
taken from the safe. They are all the
private papers of General and Mrs Tyner,
save one bundle, which relate to a mat
ter not at all connected with anything now
pending in the department, and long since
closed. These papers win all be placed
at the disposal of the proper authorities
of the government"
Messrs. Perry and McEhrne will go to
the department Of Justice tomorrow and
communicate the facts in the case to the
officials there, at the same time offering
to place at their disposal for examination
the papers taken from the safe