Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-01
HEATH'S REPLY HERE
Answer to Charg es Made by
Tulloch.
PAYNE CONSIDERING IT
ALL THE STATEMENTS NOW IN
EXCEPTING MIR. BRIsToW's.
Machen's Case to Be Considered by
Grand Jury Wednesday-Next
Developments Expected.

Developments Expected.
Postmaster General Payne today received
a communication from Mr.. Perry Heath
former first assistant postmaster general,
in reply to the charges made by Mr.. Sey-
mour w. Tulloch, regarding the conduct of
the Post Office Department during his term
of office Mr.. Payne now has the letter of
Mr. Heath under advisement. and has not
decided whether he will make it public. He
will announce his conclusion in this matter
later.
The reply of former Postmaster General
Smith to the Tulloch allegations was made
public by Mr.. Payne yesterday afternoon.
With the receipt of the reply from Mr.
Heath today the Tulloch statement has
been answered by Controller Tracewell, Au-
ditor Castle, Postmaster Merritt, Mr.. Smith,
Mr.. Heath, leaving only Fourth Assistant
Bristow to be heard from. as portions of the
Tulloch charges were also referred to Mr.
Bristow for explanation.
Machen Case to Grand Jury.
The case of August w. Machen, former
general superintendent of the free delivery
system of the Post Office Department who
was arrested on a charge of receiving per-
centage of the profits of concern furnish
ing supplies to the Post Office Department.
will be presented to the grand jury next
Wednesday. Witnesses have been sub
poenaed, not only from this city, but from
Westminster. Md. Mr.. Machen's summer
residence, and Toledo, Ohio. his former
home. Post Office Inspector Mayer OF
Chicago, who worked up most of the evil
dence against Machen, will be one of the
chief witnesses for the government.
Other inspectors who were active In the
case will also be called. Precautions have
been taken to keep the identity of the wit
nesses secret. The names, by direction OF
the court are under seal. The public rec
ord in the district attorneys Office appears
under the title 1.-THE United States VS.. John
Doe
Allegations of Excessive Rentals.
Postmaster General Payne today con-
fined himself In the noon conference with
newspaper men to showing that a story
printed by the Brooklyn Eagle which
stated that the government was paying
SJO0.O0O year excess rental for post Of
fees in the city and state of New York was
not justified.
Mr.. Payne produced the auditors last an
nual report, which showed that the total
amount expended for the rental of post Of
fees. including light and heat in the entire
state of New York last year was Sage, 81 SO.
This amount was divided between the city
and state of New York follows Out
side of Greater New York. s145 46461; In
Greater New York, 1921. 347.22. Mr.. Payne
declared that he was at a loss to see how
half million dollars might be saved in
these rental contracts, which in the aggre.
gate did not amount to that sum.
The Next Development.
There are indications that the next de-
velopment in the post office inquiry will
come from transactions of the salary and
allowance division. formerly presided over
by Mr.. Beavers. An inquiry based on
charge that there had been irregularities
regarding the purchase of cash registers is
said to have been practically the first work
undertaken by the inspectors when the in
qufry began. This work was stopped when
an important lead was discovered in the
Miller case and all of the available in
spectors were detailed on the case involv-
ing the turf companies transactions.
After Mfllers arrest, there had been dis
covered an important lead in the Machen
case. and the force was transferred to
that inquiry. When that, too. was closed
, so far as the work of inspectors was con-
cerned the force was ready for new as
signment. This new assignment is under
stood to be the cash register case and
formation as to results, enough is said to
indicate that the work of the inspectors
is, not being done in vain.
End Of Inquiry in Sight.
Officials familiar with the details of the
investigation indicate In general terms that
the end is In sight These same officials,
however say significantly that If there are
any officials in the service who are guilty
OF any wrongdoing they are sure to be
discovered before the end comes. The force
of twenty-five trained inspectors doing
wonderful team work. under the direction
of Fourth Assistant Bristow, and, as was
stated today. there is about much
chance of escape from them as from a
pack of bloodhounds after scent has
been taken.
Representative c. B. Lands of Indiana
had an extended conference with Postmas-
ter General Payne today. after which .
declared with some warmth to Star re-
porter that whatever might be the result If
the investigation into the methods of con-
Quoting the business of the Post Office De-
parHnent no change in the rural free de-
livery system would be tolerated by the
people of the country.
Representative Lands on Rural Free
Delivery.
This service has come to stay" declared
Mr.. Lands. land despite the efforts which.
1 understand. are to be made to place it
under the vicious contract system govern
ing the star route system this move will
not be made. Congress will support this
service. and the people of the country de-
mand that its benefits shall not be taken
away from them. but rather extended"
Mr. Lands said 1t was matter of regret
mat Mr.. Aachen had been placed on the
defensive The people of the country knew
his name favorably In connection with the
building up of the rural free delivery serv-
Ice and the people of the country We're not
going to convict him before the evidence
had been produced.
MIR. Lands believed the newspapers of
the country were somewhat to blame for
the prominence which had been given the
postal inquiry. Each count in the investi-
CATION. he said. had been magnifed many
times in the stories which had been printed
In the papers throughout the country