Evening star., 1903-07-13
SUBORD|NATES TO co
Half a Dozen in the Post Of
flee Department.
SOME NAMES POSSIBLE
MR.. MASTEN HAS AN INTERVIEW
WITH MR.. BRISTOW.
May Be the First of September Before
the Full Report is Made to
General Payne.
SOME NAMES POSSIBLE

Mr. John NJ. Masten. who was chief clerk
to the first assistant postmaster general
during the regime of Mr. William NJ. John
of New Jersey, and who has been since
his retirement from that position assistant
superintendent of the railway mail service,
was closeted with Fourth Assistant Bristow
for nearly an hour today.
Mr. Masten, as acting first assistant post
master general, signed officially the con-
tract that awarded to a Binghamton
N. Y. company for furnishing the Post OF
flee Department with time clocks for a
period of four years
This contract was the subject of consider
able comment at the beginning of the in
vestigation by reason Of an interest that
Mr. Beavers who resigned as superintend-
ent of the division of salaries and allow
ances is said to have had in it. Mr.. Masten
and Mr. Beavers both came to the depart
ment from Brooklyn.
Possible Object Of His Visit.
The object OF Mr. Masten's visit to Mr.
Bristow was not disclosed by either. The
fact that the Postmaster General, as well
the President OF the United States, has
given out the impression that the investi-
cation is to be far reaching led to the
belief that Mr.. Bristow had invited Mr.
Masten to tell what he knew about the
awarding of the contract to the Bingham
ton company, and such other informa tion
as he might have that would aid the in
speetors in making the investigation thor
Ough and complete
The statement made by Postmaster Cen
eral Payne Saturday, and which appeared
exclusively in The Evening Star, that the
end of the Post Office Department investi
cation was in sight did not imply that the
investigation is to be unduly hurried.
On the contrary the Postmaster General
has given instructions that there shall be
no carelessness 1t may be the first of
September before Mr. Bristow will be ready
to submit a report OF his findings: it may
be earlier. The bulk of the work is over.
AS intimated on Saturday. it is reasonably
sure that number of subordinate officials
will be compelled to retire from the de-
partment service. 1t Is believed that not
less than half a dozen persons Will be sum
marily dismissed or will be permitted to re-
sign. There is reason to believe that at
least one of the number will not be permit
ted to resign.
The Parsons Ice Claim.
Mr.. Charles Hedges, superintendent Of
city postal delivery. whose name has been
brought into the Post Office Department
scandals in connection with his alleged in
terest in the Parsons ice claim, which he is
Congress at the last session. spent some
time with Postmaster General Payne be-
fore the latter left the department for
luncheon. 1t is charged by those who criti
cize Mr.. Hedges that he violated the stat
utes that make it an offense for persons
holding government positions to engage in
lobbying work for Legislation in which they
are personally interested.
The Postmaster General hopes to receive
q rom n y
investigating the contract the department
has with the General Manifoldins Company
of Franklin. Pa, before he departs for
Boston, Wednesday.
Friends of Mr. James T. Metcalf who was
deposed superintendent of the money
order system of the department few
weeks ago, because of his alleged interest
in having the contract for printing money
order blanks retained by a New York com
pany that employs his son. instead of to
lower bidder. point to the case of Mr. Will
lam II. LandVOiSt chief of the classification
division of the third assistant postmaster
generals office, as analogous to that Of Mr..
Metcalf'S inaSmuCh as Mr.. LandVOigt, who
was Interested. II is charged, in the award
ing of the contract. has son employed by
the General Manifolding Company. The
facts in the will be amply set forth in
the report that the inspectors will submit
to the Postmaster General.
Critically Going Over Contracts.
First Assistant Wynne has been engaged
several days in going over critically every
contract that has been awarded in his bu
since he took charge. This Is done
that he may know exactly for what the
contract was awarded, whether 1t was nee
essary for the good of the department and
whether economy was shown In making the
awards.
MIR. John r. Proctor, president of the civil
service commission. was caller at the de-
partment today. He said his talk with the
Postmaster General had no relation to the
investigation, but was on matters that per-
tanned to the routine of the service.
According to statement made this after
noon by Mr.. Hugh 7. Taggart, assistant
United States attorney for the District OF
Columbia. nothing occurred today nor will
anything of interest happen tomorrow III
the matter of the Post Office Department
investigation so far the grand jury and
the local United States attorneys office are
concerned
Argument in Upton Case.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
BALTIMORE. July 13.-Argument on the
motion to quash the indictment against Z.
Ellsworth Upton. who, with Thomas ".
McGsegor of Washington, is charged with
conspiracy to defraud the United States
Pest Office Department, was begun in The
United States court before Judge Morris
Saturday.
Charles j. Bonaparte, who was specially
appointed by President Roosevelt to assist
in the prosecution of postal frauds; United
States District Attorney John c. Rose and
his assistant. Morris A. Soper, appeared for
the government the interests OF the de-
PENDANTS being looked after by Mortimer +.
Lawrence and William S. Bryan jr.
The defendant was given two and half
hours for argument, opening and closing,
while the time of the prosecution was set
at two hours.
Vessel Arrivals