New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-03
CONSENT TO GO TO WASHINGTON.
Mcclellan and Huntington Waive Examina-
ton Here.

Accompanied by their counsel ex-Distrct Attor-
ney Rdgway. OF Brooklyn Isaac s. Mcclellan and
George II. Huntington, the two indicted officers OF
the Columbia Supply Company. appeared before
United States Commissioner Hitchcock In the
Federal Building yesterday, TO answer the in
dictments recently returned in Washington. charg
ing them with having conspired with August ".
Machen to defraud the government through the
sale Of the large iron boxes used for mailing pack
ages and papers. After a consultation with As
sistant United States District Attorney Wise. Mr..
Ridgway said he had decided TO make no demand
for formal examination in this district, but TO
permit his clients TO be taken to Washington with
out further ceremony.
The charge against my clients Is so absurd upon
its face" he declared and defence perfect,
I have decided TO waste time In demanding
examination here We shall go Washington,
and feel certain hat when our defence il
heard by the courts there our discharge will be
ordered forthwith While I am satisfied, with all
due respect for Commissioner Htchcocks decision.
that entitled to preliminary examination
here. that it could be obtained by taking the
matter TO the higher courts, and that could
easily secure discharge In this district, II
our defence and end the matter once and for all"
The accused men, accompanied by their lawyer,
demand vac made by Mr.. wise for an order au-
thorizing their removal to the District Of Columbia
Mr.. Rdgway informed the court that the defence
had consented to the order, which was accordingly
signed, and the bail fixed at 5000 each. This they
promptly furnished The surety guarantees their
presence IN washington whenever their case IS
for pleading to the indictments against them and
Machen
Mcclellan and Huntington will assert when
placed trial that the contract for the boxes was
secured by the Columbia supply Company years
before MaChen became official OF the POstOftlCe
Department and that the company later secured
from George L. LorenZ of Toledo Ohio. the right
to manufacture new type of box designed by him.
paying therefor royalty of 30 cents a box. Two
years later. It will be alleged, Lorenz made a trip
TO Europe, and requested the Columbia Supply
Company to pay his royalties to Machen, who was
and had been for years interested with him in
private matters, and who would forward the
money to Mrs. Lorenz. 1t was in compliance with
this request Mcclellan said, that the Columbia
Supply Company paid the money TO Machen, as
alleged in the indictments. Further than this.
both defendants say. the company never had any
financial transactions with Machen or any other
postal employe
Local officials of the Elliott & Hatch Book Type
writer Company refused yesterday to make any
extended comment on the charges in the indict-
r1ents against W. Scott Towers, in which IT was
alleged that he received commission for securing
the instalment of the companys typewriters in the
New-York Postoffice. The chief officials Of the
company were out of town, and could not be seen.
The representative Of the concern in the office
Yesterday said: THE officers of the company viii
not discuss this affair at all at present They
much prefer to have the company's connection
with it ignored as far as possible. OF course the
indictments not against US. anyway. The
statements made in the papers this morning sim
plv imply that the deal was made by Mr.. Genslerr
but have nothing TO say one way or the other