Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-15
CHARGES AGAINST
JOHN M. MASTEN
PCstoffce inspectors Are Making
An Investigation,
TRIED TO BLEED EMPLOYEES.
Affidavit Of Ferry Says lie Was Az
sUred He Could be Reinstated for
A Certain Amount of Money

Washington July 1.-the postoilce
inspectors are investigating charges
made against John NJ. Masten now as
sistant superintendent OF the railway
mail service and formerly chief clerk Of
the first assistant postmaster generals
office A man named Terry now in the
government service, had made an afli-
davlt before the inspectors alleging
that Masten, while chief clerk to the
first assistant postmaster general, pro-
posed that Terry pay him $50 down and
IS or $40 a month to secure relnstate-
ment In a former position In Masters
bureau Terry urges that he was orig
inally $500 emplOye I'm the dead letter
office, that he was removed under an
order OF Masten and put into the city
iostollce that he protested, and final
" that Masten suggested his getting an
outside party, close friend Of Masten
ana a former employe OF the postal
service, to help him,
The affidavit alleges that Masten
gave Terry assurance that II he paid
the amount mentioned he could get
back; that he went to Masten's house
about the matter but did not pay the
money. Terry charges that subse-
quently he made an affidavit, making
these charges, and handed IN to Mas
ten to present TO First Assistant Post.
master General johnson and that the
affidavit did not reach Johnson. Ac-
cording to the charges. Masten suisse
quently was asked by Terry for the afii-
uayt and he refused to return 1t and
Terry thereup0n placed the Information
before the ciyil service commission,
which took up the matter with the
President.
The federal grand jury In this city is
considering several important pOstof.
flee cases which are expected to prove
OF widespread interest.
Postmaster General Payne said this
afternoon that he expected there would
be some important news during his alb.
sence on his trip along the coast and
that he expected the grand jury would
furnish some interesting developments,
There Is no definite information avail
able as to the identity of the cases, but
the jury has been working on them for
some time.
An agreement has been reached be-
tween the post0tiice department and the
clyll service commission regarding the
transfer Of employees from other depart
ments to the postollice department,
The new regulations provide that in
such transfers IL must be shown that
the person to be transferred win be en-
plOyed on work similar to that previ-
ously performed by him and mas quail
fcations that VIII enable him to per-
form such work better than person
selected from the eligible register Of
the commission The pending nvesti-
cation has disclosed a number Of lrreg-
ular transfers.
The resignation Of George A. c.
Chrstiancy who was given a leave OF
absence as law clerk Of the department
shortly after the sensational rining of
the assistant attorney generals safe by
Mrs Tyner, has been under discussion
at the department, but there Will be no
final action before Postmaster General
Payne's return to the city.
Mr.. Payne Will leave here tomorrow
morning and will be aboard the reve-
nue. cutter while It makes its regular
cruise, which will extend as far as
Boston and possibly up to the Maine
coast. He said tonight that he had not
made his vacation plans yet, but that
he would like to revisit Poland Springs,
Me- II possible. lie expects to be
away most Of August.
The report Of the inspectors in the
case of the General Manifolding COM
pany Of Franklin, Pa, where an em-
ploye is the son Of William Vogt, for
merly chief of the registry division,
with which the company had dealings,
and now chief Of the classification d.
vision. has not yet been submitted to
the postmaster general.