The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-09
New Turn Taken in P 0. De-
paftnsnt Investigation
RESULT OF A CONFERENCE
Free Mail Delivery Division Is Taken
From Under Machen and Placed In
Bristow's Department for
an Investigation.

Washington, May S-The investigation
of the affairs of the postoffiee department.,
which has been dragging along for two
months. took a startling turn late this
afternoon. when, by order of Postmaster
General Payne, August W Machen, gem
eral superintendent of the free delivery
systm, and one of the most widely known
government officials in the United States.
was relieved from duty and Postofflce In
spector A. c. Fosnes was designated to
take charge of that service.
The change will take effect tomorrow
morning when Mr. Fosnes will assume
charge of the free delivery service, and
at the same time that service will pass
under the control of the office of the
fourth assistant postmaster general Here
of the first assistant. The action of the
postmaster general was taken on the writ
ten recommendation of Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Bristow, who Is
directing the investigation of the affairs
of the department that the transfer of
Mr.. Machens bureau to his jurisdiction.
and its administration by a postoffice In
spector would expedite the investigation
Payne Announced in Public.
Before a large number OF newspaper
men, Postmaster General Payne announc-
ed his decision and read the correspond
ence between himself and Mr.. Machen,
together with the recommendation of Mr..
Bristow. The latters Recommendation,
made under date of yesterday, was as
follows:
In order to complete the departmental
investigation now in progress in a more
expeditions and satisfactory manner, /
beg to request that the division of the
free delivery be temporarily assigned to
the bureau of the fourth assistant post
master genedal and that / be authorized
to assign a postofiice Inspector as the
acting superintendent Of that division dur
ing the continuance of this investigation. /"
The letter of the postmaster general to
Mr.. Machen was as follows
II am in receipt of a request from Cen
eral Bristow, fourth assistant postmaster
general, that the division of free delivery
be temporarily assigned to his bureau,
and that he be authorized to assign a
postoffice inspector as the acting general
superintendent of said division during the
continuance of the investigation now In
progress.
I'm conformity with this request l have
issued the following order, to take effect
at the commencement of business on the
9th inst
1.-The division of free delivery, here
tofore under the general supervisor of the
first assistant postmaster general is here
by transferred and assigned to the fourth
assistant postmaster general, and the
regulations of the department are amend
ed in conformity Herewith.
'sYou are hereby granted leave Of alb
sence until the investigation is concluded,
and will turn over the division of free
delivery to the control of Mr.. Fosnes,
postoffice inspector, who has been desig-
mated as the acting general superintend-
ent of the free delivery system"
Following was Mr. Machen's reply:
Mr.. Machen's Reply.
81 am in receipt of your letter of this
date advising me of your order to take
effect on the 9th inst, transferring the
division of free delivery from the super
vision of the first assistant postmaster
general to that of the fourth assistant
postmaster general / also note that l
have been granted a leave of absence
until the investigation now in progress is
concluded. and that during my absence
Mr. M C. Fosnes, postofifce inspector,
will be acting general superintendent of
the free delivery system.
'In conformity with your instructions
l will turn the division over to Mr..
Fosnes tomorrow morning In this con-
nection l desire to state what l have said
to you heretofore, that l court the fullest
investigation of my official conduct and
stand ready at any time to aid in the In
vestigation now In progress, as / am un-
conscious of having done wrong
Postmaster General Payne. in discuss
ing the matter. said he believed the cor
respondence told the whole story. He
said his conclusion to relieve Mr.. Machen
was reached yesterday after office hours.
Mr.. Bristow, he said, came to his office
and they held a conference, during which
Mr. Bristow presented his letter request
ing to be put into fun charge of the
office in order to expedite the Investiga-
tion. He said there was nothing back of
the exchange except what appears In the
letters themselves He declined to say
whether the changes made would be per-
manent, saying that depended upon the
results of the investigation.
Something of Machen. 5
Mr.. Machen came here from Toledo
o.. in 1893, and qualified as superintendent
of the free delivery service on May 6
of that year. Since then the office has
grown to immense proportions and the
rural free delivery mail service has been
introduced and extended to cover all
parts of the country.
Mr.. Fosnes is one of the best known
inspectors in the service. He is chief as
sistant of Mr.. Bristow in the investiga-
tion. He is a native of Norway and his
home is in Des Moines. Iowa He was
once a special examiner of the pension
bureau and subsequently served as post
office irtspector He is still postoffice In
spector in charge of the st. Paul division.
He is best known in connection with his
investigation Of the postal frauds in
Cuba.
On the sensational dismissal of Estes G.
Rathbone, Mr.. Fosnes was appointed
director generalo of posts of Cuba, assum-
ing that office II June %. 1900. and holding
it until May 4. 1902, when the United
States sovereignty on that island ceased
Former Representative Loud of Califor-
MIA, who was c Eairman of the house COM
mittee on post&hce and post roads, has
spent much tin during the past two or
three days in c0ference with Postmaster
General Payne First Assistant Postmas-
ter General Wa ne and Fourth Assistant
Postmaster Gel kral Bristow. Mr.. Loud