Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-12-03


the investigation into corrupt prac-
tices obtaining in the Postoffice de-
partment, President Roosevelt sent the
following memorandum to the legisla-
tive body:
1t appears that In December. 1902. POST
master-General Payne and Congressman
+. +, Loud, chairman of the Committee
on the Post-Office and Post Roads, held
various consultations regarding the pos
tai service. and as result of these In
terviews 1t was determined that as soon
as possible after the necessary appropria-
lions could be made by the Congress an
investigation should be made Of the SER
vice, both Messrs. Payne and Loud agree
ing as to the need for the investigation
and the time when 1t should take place.
Accordingly, an increase Of 5000 in the
appropriation bill reported In January
was made for the express purpose OF car
rying on the investigation In question.
The investigation made by Mr.. Bris-
tow discloses condition of gross cor
ruption in the office of the First Assist
ant Postmaster-General and In that of
the Assistant Attorney General for the
Post-Office department In the case of
the superintendent of free delivery, Mach
en-, the evidence shows that his miscon-
duct began Immediately after his appoint
ment In September, 1898, In the case Of
the general superintendent of salaries
and allowances, Beavers, It began soon
after he was appointed to that place in
1897. In the case of Assistant Attorney
General Tyner It has gone on for a num-
Der Of years. but 1t is impossible to say
exactly when II began. The following Is
list of the fourteen Post-Offce en-
ployes In the service at the time this in
vestigation was begun, who are appar-
emily most seriously implicated In the
-lzl.s -
the steps that have been taken by the
Government in each case.
CThe case OF ex-First Assistant Post
master-General Heath. who had left the
service over three years before this In
vestigation was begun. Is set forth In
the report OF Mr. Bristow.)
James N Tyner. Assistant Attorney
General for the Post-Ofice department.:
appointed special agent. Post-office de-
partment, March T. 1861: with intervals
OF few years has been In the service
ever since. and was Postmaster General
under President Grant for several
months: he was removed April %, 1908:
ne has since been indicted three times.
A. w. Machen. general superintendent
free-delivery system; appointed clerk in
post-office at Toledo. Ohio. March l. 1887;
continuously in service ever since save
for three years: removed May "a, 1903;
hiss since been indicted fourteen times.
George w. Beavers. general superin-
tendent of salaries and allowances; APP
pointed to oierkship In New York post
officc January. 1881: continuous service
ever since: resignation accepted to take
affect March 81. 1903; has since been in
1icted eight times.
James 7. Metcaif, superintendent mon
ey-order SYSTEM appointed post-office In
spector February 2. 1852: has been In pos
tai service ever since: removed June II,
4 -
Daniel " Miller, assistant attorney,
Post Office department.; appointed July 1.
1902; removed May Is. 1908; indicted once;
after one mistrial was retired and ac-
quilted
Louis Kempner. superintendent regis
try system appointed clerk In New York
post-ofiice August 1856: removed October
81. 1908
Charles Hedges. superintendent city
free-delivery service; appointed assistant
superintendent free-delivery service July
l. 1898; removed July o. 1908.
James w. Erwin. assistant superintend-
ent free-delivery service: appointed post
office Inspector June q. 1887: removed Sep
TENDER &C. 1893; indicted once.
W., Scott Towers. superintendent Sta
ton C. Washington. d, c.; appointed
clerk. Washington post-office November.
1890; removed October, 1903: indicted three
timesI
Otto r. weis. assistant superintendent
registry division. New York post-office;
appointed clerk. New York post-office
June. 1890; removed October q, 1908.
T. w. McGregor. clerk, free-delivery d.
vision, In charge of supplies: appointed
Post-Office department. March II. 1891;
removed June s. 1903: indicted twice.
c. e. Upton, clerk, free-delivery divis-
Ion: appointed July I. 1900: removed June
s, 1903; indicted once.
NJ. w. Louis. superintendent supply d.
vision; appointed Kansas City post-offiee
April IL. 1891: removed October q. 1908.
Charles B. Terry. clerk, supply division;
appointed September 20. 1900; removed Oc-
tober p. 1908.
The three chief offenders In the Govern
ment service were Tyner, Machen and
Beavers. As regards Messrs. Beavers and
Machen the corruption took the form of
bribery and blackmail in connection with
the purchase of Government supplies. In
the Office of the Assistant Attorney Gen.
erai for the Post-Office department, under
Tyner and Barrett. far greater wrong
was inflicted upon the public than could
be measured by a pecuniary standard.
for in this office the corruption Of the
Government officials took the form of
favoring get-rich-quick concerns and SIM
liar swindhng schemes; In other words.
the criminals. whom II was the sworn
duty OF these Government officials to
eeaose ~ p.h, u -. pef"iSSion "
i heartily approve of the recommends