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

RRlsToW TELLS OF FRAUDS.
Astounding Revelations Of Lons.Exist-
Ing Corruption.
The report Of Fourth Assistant Post
master-General J. L. Bristow on the
postal investigation Is substantially as
follows:
He first takes up the case OF Michael
w. Louis of Cincinnati, appointed in 1897
Acting Superintendent OF the Supply d.
vision. His populations amounted to
many thousands of dollars. He was re-
/ moved in October 1903.
The administrative methods OF Tyner
and Barrett are clearly illustrated in a
number OF cases which were passed upon
by them.
Mr.. Bristow shows how many fraudu-
lent schemes were accorded protection by
These include many small swindles In
the shape of lottery inducements. land
investment schemes, etc.
OF the "turf-investment" swindles Mr..
Bristow says: ~... s.
L. J. Arnold & Co.. Of st. Louis, No.,
were conducting what Is known as a
'turf-investment'' scheme. On Novem-
Der 25 1902, the inspectors, having inves-
tigated the company. recommended that
a
the meantime the company had employed
Barrett as it's attorney and paid him a
fee Of $1,000. And instead of issuing a
fraud order Tyner gave the company a
letter of commentator. Two days after
Tyner wrote this letter Barrett received
a check of $1,000 as an additional fee.
The company failed In February, 1903
assets, $4,000; liabilities. $3,120,776.
~ ]. j. Ryan G. Co. J. Ryan & Co. Of
atYi0 ind tnot tftfy RI
Arnold & Co. In October. 1902. the in
spectors recommended fraud order
against this company. The company was
given a hearing by the Assistant Attor-
ney Generals Office and another investi-
cation by the inspectors was requested.
In the meantime J. M. Johns. an attor-
ney at Rockville. Ind. made a proposition
to Ryan that for a fee of 5000 he could
help him, through his friend d. v. Mil
Ter, of the Assistant Attorney Generals
Office. After some negotiations 1t was
agreed that $4,000 would be paid to Johns
by Ryan If he would give him clean
bilr' before the Post Office department.
This Johns agreed to do, and Miller Sc
cured a favorable ruling for Ryan & Co,
which he sent to Johns. AS a result Of
this transaction Miller and Johns were
indicted.
Rif1ing Of the safe.--On April q, 1908,
while the investigation Of the Assistant
Attorney Generals Office was in prog
ress, Mrs. J. N. Tyner, In clandestine
manner, admitted Mrs. Barrett and Mr..
Hammer. a safe expert, into a private
room of the Assistant Attorney Generals
Office, where he unlocked the safe and
took out all of the contents, which Mrs.
Tyner carried off. What was in the safe
no one knows but the Tyners. Mrs.
Tyner stated that she went to the Office
and secured the contents of the safe un-
der the direction of her husband, which
statement he confirmed. AS a result of
this episode Tyner was summarily re-
moved from the office of Assistant Attor-
ney-General and Christiancy resigned.
For six years under Pyners admins
tration certain favored frauds and lotter-
les were given free use Of the mails.
Barrett's scheme to resign and practice
before the Office, and Tyner's part in
that scheme, as set forth in the body of
this report, was the climax Of official per-
fdy. more evil in its results and more
demoralizing to the public conscience
than outright embezzlement or open
theft.
Tyner and Barrett were indicted on
October 5 by the grand jury for the Dis
trict of Columbia for conspiracy to de-
fraud.
The frauds in money order forms. in
which James T. Metcalf, superintendent
and for which he was removed from
Office, are next taken up.
A long list of swindles carried out by
August w. Machen of Ohio is enumerat-
ed, and the charge is made that he has
been guilty of forgery. The schemes by
which the government was defrauded in
clude carriers satchels, the Croft fasten-
ers for letter boxes, painting of street
letter boxes, carriers leather cases, the
contract for street letter boxes, package
boxes. the Montague indicator, device
attached to street letter boxes showing
the hours Of collection, and rural carriers
badges.
The report continues:
I'm August 1897. George W. Beavers
was appointed chief of the salary and al
| lowance division. Beavers methods have
been reckless and without rule or regu.
| larity. Increases of allowances for cleri
| hire in post offices were made as mat.
| ters of favor regardless OF the necessities
| of the service. Promotions were fire.
| cuently made without consideration o.
| the merits of the clerk promoted. Long
time leases for post-office premises were
Cancelled and the rent increased upon the
recommendation of prominent politica
| leaders, sometimes without regard to thu
| rental value of the premises"
| In the list of Beavers misdeeds are
: included the sale of promotions, and thu
| padding Of pay rolls for clerk hire, oper
atoms which Melted Beavers many thou
! sands Of dollars.
The report shows that the government
| has been swindled out of a vast amour
of money by fraudulent leases. Invent.
cases are cited, in all Of which Beaver
was implicated, and which have beef
fully proved. The revelations in thi
connection, and in the case Of the pur
chasing of large amounts of Brand
Automatic Cashiers" are astounding
Mr.. Bristow says:
eliminating from consideration all in
dications of fraud and passing upon tn
case wholly as a question of administra
tive Judgment. 1t appears to me that thi
transaction would have justified the sum
mary removal from Office of First Assist
ant PostmasterG General Heath an
George w. Beavers.
But the element of fraud can not b
| eliminated. Men Of ordinary intelligence
rarely waste the public revenues in sue
a manner without a personal motive.
bribe OF $4,000 was paid Congressma
Edmund II. briggs to secure tine orde
for $50 machines. A part Of this none
has been traced to the bank account @
Beavers. .s..