The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-23
Mt and Mrs. LoreDz and the
 Grafs Also Indicted
LORENzS WERE 60 BETNEENS
There Are Twelve Counts in the ln- dlctment Which Are Substantially the Same as Previously
 Found Against Maehen.

WaSnlnEloIsa June z4'-- | ilS 6ioiAa 9SAS which has been Investigating postal afr fairs today returned an indictment against August w. Machen, Dilliber Groff, Samuel A. Groff. George E. LorenE and Martha J. Lorenz, the two latter be- ing residents of Toledo. o. As previously stated in these dispatches the specific charge is conspiracy to defraud the gov ernment The indictment is based on sec ton $40 of the revised statutes which provides a penalty of $10,O0O or two years imprisonment. or both. in the discretion of the court.
 There are twelve counts to the indict- ments. eleven of which are substantially the same as found previously against Machen and the Groffs, The first count of the present indictment, which relates to the conspiracy charge, sets forth that on June g, 1900. in the District of Colum- bia, Lorenz. Mrs. Lorenz Machen ana the Groff brothers "conspired, combined, confederated and agreed to defraud the United States government of it's moneys" by the following arrangement;
 The Agreement.
 Machen should advise and recommend to the first assistant postmaster general the n,lrchase of the Groffs, large number of the Croft fasteners at SIPS each, ana should procure payment thereof upon which the Groff Brothers should retain sixty per cent of such payment or To cents for each fastener and the Croft Brothers should then pay MT. and Mrs. Lorenz either or both the remaining 40 per cent which was to be converted, appropriated and applied to the use of MT. and Mrs.
 ha indictment that this agreement was carried out by Machen on June 30, recommending the purchase of 600O of the fasteners at the price mentioned; that the. Gron Brothers on the same date presented bill for these coco fasteners at the price mentioned. That on Sef elnher 13 of the same year Machen reeoiniIended to the first assist ant postmaster the payment of that bill, and that the Groff Brothers, having thereafter on September 22 of that year received from the United States army s75Oo in payment of the bill" Dilliber B.. Groff on October 20, same year, paid $S0o0 to George E. and Martha J. Lorenz.
 Inspectors Made Out Case.
 The testimony upon which the indict- ment was found was given by Postoffice Inspectors Walter s. Mayer, Paul E. Will Hams and Joseph F. Farrell, and Theodore
 
 two latter being bank men.
 Assistant District Attorney Taggart an- nounces that the investigation into postal affairs by the grand jury will continue, but that the indictment presented today completes the work of his office so far as the grand jury has acted.
 It was said by Assistant District Att torney Taggart today that the indictment was found against Mir. and Mrs. Lorenz apk A.. e.. adduced before the grand jury showed them to be the go-betweens for the Groffs and Machen.
 Will Make Full Statement.
 Washington, June 22.-The postoffice department will make public in the near future a general statement summarizing the conditions in the offices of cashier, finance clerk, etc., at the various post offices. The postmasters at all first-class postoffices in the country numbering about 230 have been directed to make re- ports on the subject. The report of Post master Vancott of New York has been received. but will not be made public until the rest are in.
 Mir Vancott's report gives list of the clerks in the office with their duties, designations and compensation. It is stat ed that the report shows no evidence of irregularities. Many of the reports from other cities are already in They give similar information as to the names titles and compensations of the clerks. Postmaster General Payne said this af- ternoon that no charges whatever have been filed again the officers of the second and third assistant postmaster generals and that therefore sweeping investiga- ton of those offices was not contem- | plated.
 Some Charges Expected. This statement excepts charges brought | by certain employees of the mail bag re- pair shop against the administration of the shop, the reply to which by Second l Assistant Postmaster General Shallen- berger has been in the hands of Postmas- ter General Payne for weeks. This re- port, 1t is said, does not bear out the charges.
 was recently dismissed from the post i office department where for years Inc had been chief of the money order bu- reau was made today to President Roosevelt by Director of the Mint Rob- erts, who has known MT. Metcalf for a | long time. MT. Metcalf was dismissed for alleged interference in behalf of cer. tain bidder for the contract for the print. ing of the money order blanks for the de- partment. President Roosevelt was urged to obtain for MT Metcalf the re. | opening of the case.
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