The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-09
TURNED OUT.
Supt. Machen, of the Free De-
livery Mail Service,
Relieved from Duty by Post
master General Payne.
BRISTOW's REQUEST.
Kansas Man Asked for His Head
and Got 1t.
Work Of Probing Postal Affairs
to 60 On.

Washington, May 9-The investiga-
ton of the affairs of the postofhce de-
partment, which has been dragging
along for two months. took a sensational
turn when by order of Postmaster Gen
eral Payne, August w. Nachen, general
superintendent of the free delivery sys-
TEN, and one of the most widely known
government officials in the United
States. was relieved from his duties and
Postofice Inspector NJ. c. Fosnes was
designated to take charge of that serv-
ice. The change takes effect this morn
ing. Mr.. Fosnes will have charge of the
free delivery service and at the same
time that service will pass under control
of the office of fourth assistant post
master general. Heretofore it has been
under the jurisdicticn Of the first assist
ant postmaster general. The action of
the postmaster general was taken OH
written recommendation of Fourth AS
SlStant Postmaster General FristoW
who is directing the investigation of the
affairs that the transfer of Mr. Ma
chens bureau to his Jurisdiction and it's
administration by a postofflce inspector
would expedite the investigation
In ordering the change the postmaster
general gave Mr.. Machen leave Of alb
senee until the investigation is con-
Guided"
Mr. Machen promptly acquiesced in
the decision of the postmaster general,
taking occasion to say he courfed the
fullest investigation. of his Official con-
duct.
j Mr. Machen has been under fire ever
since the investigation began Charges
/ OF various kinds have been pending
against the administration of the free
delivery branch of the postal service
Ihese included allegations of coIlusion
! with letter box manufacturers in the
furnishing of boxes to Dostofice pa-
irons, particularly on rural mail routes,
Of.
There also has been a conflict between
+ MT Machen ana First Assistant Post
master General Wynne ever since the
! latter assumed Office Mr. Wvnne
charges Mr.. Machen with ins11bor5ina
Jlon. The strained relations between the
mead of the free delivery slrvice and
other officials resulted in an enbarrass-
+ ing state Of affairs. and for several
months correspondence between f17s
general superintendent of the free de~
livery service and his irnmdiate s,lrA-
/ Ilol, lfe flrst assistant postmaster gen
eIals mas been conducted on the part of
mates. ---7 u00i u
Mr., BFistow all along has been Of
elis oplillon mat the best interest of
service would be subserved by the re-
llef OF Mr. Machen and has pointed
CUT 70 Vne postmaster general that ac-
Uon was lnperatively necessary to the
/ conduct of the investigation
Mr.. Payne in discussing the matter
said he believed the correspondence
told the whole story. Mr.. Bristow. he
Salq' mad come to his office and they
mad a conference during which MI
BflStoW presented his letter requesting
+ to be put into full charge of the office
+ in order to expedite the investiga ton.
j lie declined to say whether the changes
would be permanent. saying that that
depended on the result of the investiga-
ton.
Mr.. Macnen came here from Toledo.
ONO, in 1893, and qualified as superin-
/ tendent of free delivery service on Nav
8 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
assistant of Mr. Bristow in the investi-
cation. He is a native of Norway, where
he was born in 1851, and his home is
! DeS MOines. Iowa He was once a spe-
4 cial examiner of the pension bureau
and subsequently served as pOstoffice
inspector at Philadelphia, Chicago.
Helena and St Paul He is still post
office inspector in charge of the St
Paul division He is best known in
connection with the investigation of
postal frauds in Cuba. On the sensa-
tional dismissal of Estes G. Rathbone
Mr.. Fosncs was appointed director gen.
eraI of posts of Cuba, assuming that
/ Office on June %. 1900 and holding it
until May 90 1902 when the u s.
sovereignty on the island ceased.
Ex-Representative Loud of Cali
fornia. who was chairman of the house
/ committee on pOstoffices and post roads,
has spent much time during the past
two or three days in conference with
Mr. Payne First Assistant Postmaster
1 General Wynne and Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General BristoW. Mr.. Loud
and Mr.. Machen have been at odds OF
fciallv for nearly two years and It is
+ believed the counsel of Mr. Loud fig
ured in the development. Mr.. Machen
was not inclined to talk but expressed
confidence that he could rebut allega-
tiOns made against him. He said:
+ have no fear of not being able to meet
any and all of the charges that have
been made under investigation for the
last several weeks I take the action OF
the department to be a step toward ex-
ton as promptly as possible and de-
signed to give Mr.. Bristow an oppor-
tunity of getting a thorough insight
into the free delivery. service
Mr. Machen will be at the department
tomorrow to relinouish his office to Mr..
Fosnes He says that, except while re-
moving his family to his summer home
at Westminster. Nd, he viii remain
in this city during his leave of absence.
One of the plans under considera-
ton in connection with reorganization
is to keen the rural free delivery ser
vice permanently under the jurisdiction
of the fourth assistant postmaster gen.
eral leaving the regular free delivery
service in its former jurisdiction that OF
the first assistant postmaster general
Mr.. Payne explained any rearrange-
ment of duties would hinge largely on
the result of the investiga ation.
First Assistant Postmaster General
Wynne left the city today for short
vacation.