New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-20
THE briggs CASE ALIVE
NOT OUTL4WED BY THE.
Many Hitnesses Testify as to the
Cashier Transaction.

Before the federal grand jury for tna Eastern
District Of New-York. which resumed in Brook
Iyn yesterday an inquiry into postal scandals
went witnesses who could tell from beginning TO
the very end the business dealings Of Edmund
H. briggs. ex-Congressmin. with the Brandt
Dent company. dealers in the automatic cashiers
with which the postal department was stocksd-
This testimony may result in the Indictment OF
more than one person. and, at the least. II es-
tabIished definitely what the authorities In
Washington already knew-that briggs could
not claim immunity under the statute Of linnita-
tions-
1t was learned yesterday that the Sl25oo paid
to briggs for selling the Brandt machines was
not cash. but a note for six months On this
note. payments Of various amounts were made.
so many that in recording them the entire back
Of the note was covered and then the face OK
the note was used These payments. II is as
serted by government officers, coming pretty
veil down to date. establish a continuous
crime" for which even though Mr.. briggs has
pleaded ignorance Of the law. the people at
Washington say il viii be hard to escape pun
ishment
SAYS HE ACTED HONORABLY.
Mr. briggs would say nothing yesterday be-
yond admitting that there was technical vio-
lation Of the law. and declaring that the trans
actions were perfectly honora5le in themselves
One Of the federal statutes violated is Sec
ton 17S1. which describes a misdemeanor'
punishable with $4,000 fine and TWO years IN
prisonment. It follows in part.
Every member Of Congress o. any Officer Or agene
Of the government who. dlrecty or IN mo 5 -I+.,,S'
property other valuable consideration WEaJensF E
from any person eCs L% pr Diare from he government
OF any department thereof or from any offcer oC
eving such Contract Once or place any per
or indirecty 5fers or agrees to give or gives or
bestows any money, property or oJher V41tn5r y,
procure anv such contract, office or place
ANY such contract or agreement may az the option
void; and any member Of congress or 4 2ITfeT ] cor
over be disqualified from holding any oflce ot
honor profit or trust under the government OF ths
United States.
HEAVY PENALTY FOR THE OFFENCE
Section $50 provides the same penalty for any
Senator. Delegate or Representative. after his
election and during his continuance in Office,
who shall receive or agree TO receive any COM
pensation for a service rendered in relation to
contract while Section 17S3 provides like pen
atty for any officer or agent Of corporation in
terested in a contract who is employed or acts
as an officer Of the United States
The witnesses who testified yesterday we're
Edward ]. Brandt and Robert Dent. marUfact-
urers Of he automatic cashier; F. z. Woodward.
cashier of the Bank of WatertoVn. Wis. who
testified, it was supposed. 70 the dates and
amounts Of the checks paid on account of the
note. George E Miller the present agent of the
Brandt Dent company in this city; Harold F.
Hanson and Paul Armstrong. former agents:
Oner c. Stravn. formerly the general agent OF
the company. and Winfield :. Strawn also
former agent.
DOQRKEEPER \ WITNESS.
Another important witness was Brute Correll..
of Canton. Ohio. for eight years assistant door
keeper of the House of Representatives. To the
newspaper men Mir. Co-ren told rouicking stories
of hens. calves ana various other details Of
farm life Inside the jury room. however. it was
learned that he told another story. equally in
t-resting Some four OF five years ago men,
hers # the Brandt concern went to him at
Washington, and asked for introductions to in
fuentiaI members of the House. He complied
and among those influential members" was
Edmund H. briggs. Some time later Mr.. Cor
reH asked for recompense. The Brandt peopls
would give him none. so he instituted a suit for
500 for services rendered.
Last March George F. Miller. agent for this
company. it was said. was discovered in a COM
mfttee room by Correu. who elected him bodily.
fourishins his Official staff. and threatening all
kinds of damage
inspectors OIdfeld and Little marshaIied their
witnesses i'm the corridor and rooms adjoining
the Jury room. and kept busy watching them
The jury adjourned at > o'clock, and viii re-
convene at 10 a. on Monday 20 hear more
testimony.
No indictments. it was believed, were found
yesterday.
II was reported that Fourth Assistant Post
master General BristOw yesterday saw W r
d stokes here about the mail chute case Mr.
Stokes would say nothing about this. but re-
marked about the chute: It's not the mail
chute I'm after I'm putting in a device Of my
own but I don't want 70 be told that unless
hIv mail chute I can't have any maIlbON-
Why every big apartment house on the West
Side has uailhOXeS. with collections every rOurs
because they have those mail Chutes
Things were extremely quiet in the Nev-Torl<
Postoffice Yesterday out Of the list Of clerks
made public on Thursday morning by Conuis-
sfone~ Proctor. OF the Civil Service Commission.
as having been illegally removed from the un-
classified service to positions under the CLASSIFIED
service. We're four clerks ii the NeU-NOrk office.
They were Frank NJ King, transferred from
Palmyra. y Y. to the registry department.
Nav T. 1900. Miss Harriet smith from cram
ford y J.. to the inquiry department. on Juns
/ 1900: George NJ. James. from TOnawanda.
y y to the money order department. MAY l.
1900. and Alexander r. Reid. of WeStmtnster.
Ind 10 the New-York office on January To-
1900 Mr.. Ried died some time ago.
1t was said yesterday that the clerks had
been transferred to New-YOrk on orders from
the department in Washington.