Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-28
MR.. BEACH CONSULTED
GEN. PAYNE REPLIES TO MR..
CHRIsTIANCY's LETTER.
Granted Leave of Absence Pending
Investigation of Assistant At
torney Generals Office.

| torney Generals Office.
Indications this afternoon seem to point
| to the belief that the removal of papers
| from the Office of the assistant attorney
| general for the Post Office Department by
| Mrs. Tyner, aided by her sister, Mrs Bar
rett. and a safe expert, will be pfougnt 10
the attention of the grand jury of the Dis
| trict of Columbia which is now In session
| Shortly after IL o'clock this forenoon Mr.
Beach, district attorney for the District OF
Columbia, called at the Post Office Depart
| ment and went at once to the private once
of Postmaster General Payne. He was ac-
/ companied by Mr. Gordon, of his as
sstants A few minutes later they were
| Joined in Mr.. Payne's private office by
| Fourth Assistant Postmaster General BITS
| tow who is directing the investigation.
| Mr. Gordon was asked, he was enter
! ing the office if the visit of Mr.. Beach and
| himself had any bearing on the Iyner
case, and he replied that 1t was purely OF
| a personal nature. Mr. Bristow left the
| conference about 1880 and little later
| Mr. Beach appeared in the office OF Private
! Secretary Whitney, adjoining.
| will the Tyner case be brought before
| the grand jury?' he was asked
| Il cannot say.
| Was the question discussed at the con-
| ference with Mr.. Payne?
Il don't feel that 1 am at liberty to say
| anything at present.
| Only a few minutes before Mr.. Beach and
| his assistant arrived Postmaster General
| Payne gave an audience to the members OF
| the press. He told them that the DISPOSE
| ton of the Tyner case was entirely out OF
| the hands of the Post Office Department.;
| that all the evidence in the case had been
| turned over to the Department of Justice for
| such action as the Attorney General might
| deem eXpedient and proper.
| Reply to MI. Christiancy.
The Postmaster General this afternoon
| sent reply to the letter received from Mr.
| George A. c. Christiancy. then acting as
| sistant attorney general for the Post Of
| flee Department. on Saturday, asking for
| full and complete investigation of his con-
| duct and requesting that he be relieved
| from the responsibility of the conduct Of
| the office pending such investiga ton. MI
| Payne's letter is as follows:
| WASHINGTON, D. c., April Is. 1903.
| Dear Sir: l have your communication of
| the 25th instant, in which you ask for an
request that, pending and during such in
vestigation, you be relieved from the re-
| sponsibility of the conduct OF the office in
your capacity as acting assistant attorney
| general for the Post Office Department.
| Il beg to advise you that your request
will be granted and that you will have
leave of absence until further notice.
| You will be given every opportunity to
make answer to or explain any matters
which may develop which may seem to
need explanation in so far as they reflect
| upon your conduct as an official of the
| Post Office Department.
| Very respectfully.
| HENRY c. PAYNE,
| POSTMASTER General"
| Mr. Christiancys friends are annoyed at
| the stories being circulated that he was
| suspended by the Postmaster General. So
| far from the fact will be seen by Mr..
Paynes letter, they say his action was an
/ ohc01 ,tn1xr f,lya hn-
| cause under the circumstances he thought
| it the right thing to do. Mr.. Christiancy
was at the department today for short
time. and had conference with Mr..
| Payne.
| Intense Strain.
The intense mental strain under which
the chiefs and clerks of the Post Office De-
partment are laboring is manifest every
where about the big building. More than a
| week ago The Evening Star pointed out
that the alleged scandals in the Post Office
Department had had a demoralizing effect
| on the army of clerks in the department
large percentage Of the employees in the
| Post Office Department are women and
they are easily disturbed by the rumors
that are told and revamped from day to
| day
The rumors of possible shaking up in
several important divisions have produced
| women clerks. They seem to be imhued
with the belief that If changes are made in
| the heads of divisions 1t will mean a change
| for them.
As official of the department sa,a IT,
day: Throughout the building the en-
| ployes are waiting impatiently for the re-
suits OF the investigation of alleged scan
dals to be made public.
| They are restless uneasy and cannot
do the best Of work while laborine under
such strain. All that is necessary to
remedy this condition is to complete the in
| Vest1gatfon at the earliest possible moment
| and let the result be known"
1t may be stated positively that Presf-
dent Roosevelt is acquainted daily with
every new development in the investiga-
ton. Equally positive is 1t that he is urg-
ing the investigation to be pushed to the
extreme and is DESTROYS Of having 1t com
pleted without minutes unnecessary de-
| lay.
Although Postmaster General Payne is
uncommunicat tive regarding a possible
shake-up even before the investigation is
completed, there is belief gaining ground
constantly that he has such thing in
mind and that official announcement
may be promulgated at any time.
At City Hall.
So far as could be learned, no steps were
taken today at the city hall in the direc-
ton of placing the case of Mrs. James N.
Tyner before the grand jury. Mr. Morgan
H. Beach United States attorney for the
District of Columbia left his office during
the morning. and 1T was assumed that he
had been summoned to the Department of
| Justice In connection with the Tyner case
Mr.. Beach and his assistants deny that
they are in possession of any information
in relation to the matter.
A close friend of the Tyner family ex-
planned to Star reporter today that while
| Gen. Tyner regrets the reported intention
of the authorities to institute a criminal
| proceeding against his wife by placing the
| issue before the grand jury both he and
Mrs. Tyner are anxious that an investiga-
ton of their conduct be made If such In
vestigation must be through the medium of
a criminal prosecution, Gen. and Mrs
Tyner, the friend referred to declared are
prepared to meet every phase of it.
Postmaster Generals Letter
The letter accompanying the papers that
were forwarded to the Attorney General
yesterday afternoon by Postmaster Gen
eral Payne was follows:
April a. 1903.
| "Sir: / transmit herewith statement of
Mr.. George A. c. Christiancy, who has
| heretofore been acting assistant attorney
| general for the Post Office Deparfmept I'm