New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-01
MACHEN, ''PRINCEOFGRAFTERS."
TRIBUTE COLLECTED ON EVERY LETTER C4RRIER;S
SlfTCHEL.
Scn Indictments In1oEnng Him and Eight Others Foand-f Start
ing Story of Fraud

small leather case for the free delivery SER
vice. for which the department paid 90 cents
competition, and the cases cost RunkeI about
81 cents each The inspectors have conclusive
evidence that Runkel divided his profit OF 30
cents per case with MaChen and NcCregOr. This
is anala gOuS with the Baltimore case. in which
AcGregor and Upton figured and have been
Maeheu, Ruukel and McGresor have been In
dicted in this case
In 1898. through the Free Delivery Division a
contract was made with Leopold ]. Stern. ot
Baltimore, for carriers satcheIs. The specIdca-
uons required Stern to furnish completes
satchelS including the shoulder straps the
shoulder strap being specifically described as a
part of the satchel. and TO be furnished by the
ul'lfOtuI- <tIteI tle contract was entered into,
stern was relieved by MaChen from furnishing
the strap, the full price being paid for the
satchcls. In consideration Of being relieved
trom furnishing the straps by Machen, Stern
pays 70 W. .. Long large amount OF money,
which Long divided with MaCheu The straps
which Stern had been relieved from furnish
ing We're purchased by NJ Mlchen from a New
York firm without competition He required
this New-York firm, however, to pay "A commits
sion OF 1 cents strap, which commission was
collected by W. G. Long, and divided between
Long and MaChen. In this transaction NIacheu
not only secured money from Stern for relieving
MN from furnishing the straps which he had
contracted to furnish. but required the man
from whom he bought the straps to pay him 4
commission the strap which he was giving 10
stern Long was used the intermediary in
both transactions Over $4,000 was paid br
the department for straps that We're furnished
ntsh them himself
Long. Machen and Stern have been indicted
in this case for conspiracy to defraud the gov
ernment.
GRAFT IN PAINTING. TOO.
The department, through the free delivery d.
vision, entered into an agreement with John T.
Cupper, OF Lock Haven. Penn. to furnish ma
terial and paint all OF the letter boxes package
boxes and letter box posts in the United States.
for which he was to receive % cents for each
post. % cents for each letter box and 81 for
each package box The terms allowed Cupper
We're far in excess of the former cost OF
painting.
The boxes in some of the large cities were
painted frequently, sometimes every year.
while in smaller cities in the more remote sec
tions Of the country they We're painted not to
exceed once in five or six years. A part of the
money which CupDer received from painting
the boxes he paid to w c. Long, who divided
IL with Machen.
ter boxes requires them to paint the boxes. yet
Cupper was ordered by Machen to paint the
paid him over $4,000 for his unnecessary
painting. Cupper paid Long part OF this
money, who divided 1t with Machen.
Cupper. Long and Machen have been indicted
for conspiracy to defraud the government
The straps for which it is alleged the govern
ment was made to pay twice were supplied by a
New-YOrl firm. which is said to have acted en-
tirely in good faith. One of the indictments sets
/ out that this firm in one instance made a pay
| ment of 81, ,76O to Long. who. according TO the
I evidence cited in the indictment, paid Machen
! 81 O6O of this amount. The supply os the straps
( continued until the Postoffice investigation be-
| gan and supply matters We're held up under or
/ ders of Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
| Bristow. 1t is explained at the department thai
i Crawford had the contract for what were called
/ the A. and c satchels. being those for city
! delivery. rural free delivery and collectors in
I cities while RUnkel had the contracts for sup
plying the large sized canvas duck satchels for
the collectors. These contracts were for ths
six years, 19OO-'O6. Stern's contract was prior
TO these.
LONG ARRESTED IN BED.
Crawford voluntarily appeared in court soon
after the indictments We're returned. and fur
nished $4,000 bail. McCregOr also appeared
Continued second page.