Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-09
Why TWAS Taken Up by
Grand Jury.
THE GRorF BROTHERS
HEARING BEFORE COMMISSIONERS
TAYLOR ABANDONED.
Civil Service Commissions Investiga-
ton Report Oh City Post Office Now
in Mr.. Pructer's Hands.


The preliminary hearing Of the Croft
brothers, which was set for half-past 10
o'clock this morning before United States
Commissioner Taylor, was abandoned under
instructions from Assistant United States
Attorney Taggart who informed Commits
sioner Taylor that as the federal grand
jury had rendered an indictment against
the Groffs. 1t was the desire of the prose-
| cutfon to abandon the hearing. The bond
| furnished before Commissioner Taylor was
Cancelled and the proceedings abandoned.
There were no developments today as a
result of the grand jurys investigation into
the affairs of the post office, and it is said
that no further indictments may be looked
for this week
The decision to lay the case OF James N.
Tyner, former assistant attorney general,
before the grand jury was reached only
after the most careful consideration Of all
the circumstances surrounding It. As
matter of public duty 1t was felt that the
facts leading up to the rif1ing OF the safe
in Tyner's office should be looked into. 1t
| Is understood that there Is a feature con-
nected with the opening OF the safe and
the abstraction of papers therefrom which
has not been disclosed, and that 1t was this
which led to the determination to put the
case before the grand jury.
NO New EeatureS.
No new features were added to the post
Office investigation today. Postmaster
General Payne who has been the chief
source of news in connection with the pro-
ceedings. is absent in Cleveland; Fourth
Assistant Bristow, in direct charge Of the
investigation, only announced the result OF
his action against some employe who has
been run down in crime. and had no such
conclusions to make public today; Acting
Postmaster General Wynne could add roth
ing to the publicity end of the investigation.
Civil Service Commissioner Proctor was
a caller on Fourth Assistant BrIStoW today
and announced that the report Of the inves-
tigadon of his commission regarding the
Washington post office had just bsen placed
In his hands. The document. he said. was
a very vOlurpinous, one, and he had not rs
yet had time to read 1t through. When
this was accomplished and he had made all
abstract thereof the matter would be made
public. This would require several days.
Emanuel Speich, bOokkeeper in the Tree
delivery division under former Superin-
tendent Machen, who went on the bond Of
his chief is just now being made the sub
ject Of Investigate ton by post office inspect
ors according to information impaired at
the department. Fhe records are declared
to show that SPEECH resigned $1,000 posi-
ton in the office Of the fourth assistant
October 30, 1901. and was the next Gay ap-
pointed to a 81 500 clerkship in Machen's
office. =, II
49, Confidential Clerk Rand.
Before Postmaster General Payne left the
city for Cleveland last night he had another
conference with President Roosevelt re-
garding the post office investigation. 1t is
stated that. in this interview the name Of
H, H. Rand Of Wisconsin. confidential clerk
to the Postmaster General, was made the
subject of inquiry. Reports recently print
ed have stated that Rand, who is named as
the vice president of, the Capital Copper
Mining Company, of which Macilen is presi-
dent, has been placed in a defensive atti-
tude through this connection.
Fourth Assistant Bristow has heretofore
felt delfcacy about making an investiga-
ton of Mr. Rand on account of the rela-
lions he bears to the head of the Post
Office Department, but 1t is understood that
this embargo has been removed and that
the scope of Mr.. Bristow's inquiry is not to
be limited in any way.
Mr.. Payne. it is said. has the utmost con-
fidence in Mr.. Rand whom he has known
in an intimate way for the past thirty
years. Mr. Rand was not at the depart
ment today. In this connection it is stated
that when Mr.. Rand first came to Washing
ton in his confidential capacity his salary
was held up by the auditor on the ground
that there was no such official position as
confidential clerk to the Postmaster Gen
eral and that his official designation had
of rural free delivery, position which in
it's fulfiilment would require Mr.. Rand to
travel constantly for the purpose of in
speeding rural free delivery routes This,
it is stated, he has never done, but has
acted under the last designation in the ca
pacity to which he was originally appointed
A News Tie-Up.
Acting Postmaster General Robert ].
Wynne. when asked this afternoon for
news regarding developments in the depart
ment. remarked facetiously:
II have no news whatever. and as the
acting postmaster general has instructed
the first assistant, and the first assistant
has instructed Mr.. Wynne not to give out
any information. do not see as there will
be anything doing in the news line today"
AS Mr.. Wynne is the acting postmaster
general, the first assistant and also Mr.
Wynne, there was complete tie-up in the
news line in the office of Mr.. Payne IN his
absence to attend the marriage ceremony
of Senator Hanha's daughter to Mr.. Nc
Cormick.