The Washington times., 1904-01-12
Continued from First Page.)

will be lost if he is not allowed to re-
main"
inspectors Really Clients"
At this point Holmes Conrad got into
the game.
''All the inspectors should be allowed
to remain he asserted. THEY are
thoroughly familiar with all The phases
Of the case. and must be here TO Jen-
tighten and guide our minds. They are.
in reality. our clients. representing the
Government. which is an impersonal
thing
Justice PTitchard asked how many in
spectors were there. He was told that
Mayer and Gregory were all. Mr.. Beach
explained that it was unlikely Gregory
would be called to testify. and that at
present the prosecution had no intention
of using him in that manner. The JUS
uce decided that both should stay Mr.
Douglass said he did not understand
the procedure in such an instance, but
would like 10 enter an objection II the
court would allow it; whereupon the
court gave the desired permission.
No Formal Motions.
Hugh Taggart. for the prosecution,
asked the defense II IL had any formal
motions to put before proceeding with
the trial. but Mr.. Douglass remarked
dryly that ne did not propose to have
the opposition force him into making
motions at that time.
The opening statement of Mr.. Beach
was delivered in about twenty-five min
utes and was clear and concise expo
sition OF the allegations against the de-
fandants as they have been made in the
Bristow report and the newspaper &C
counts Of the developments Of the Post
office Department Investigations.
Address Of Mr. Beach.
Mr. Beach said:
IAN indictment is returned here by
the grand jury charging that at various
times in the past three years Dnler b.
Croft. Samuel A. Croft. Martha z. Lor-
enz, George Z. Lorenz. and A. w
Machen conspired to defraud the United
States. The fact that the grand Jury
has indicted them means nothing They
are to be presumed innocent until
proven guilty. and the burden viii be
On the Government all through the trial
THE Government assumes the bur
den seriously sadly. sternly II is rot
a pleasant thing 70 bring before the bar
Of Justice persons who have hitherto
enjoyed good regulations. one Of them
a man who was the trusted employe
Of tii,- Government for many years: but
here they are
when people agree 10 defraud their
country they do not go before a notary
or incorporate themselves. but 20 about
it secretly. quietly. and unless one Of
them confesses we prove IL by the acts
Of each About ten years ago there
came here man named a. W Machen.
who had been assistant 10 George Z. Lo-
REM. postmaster at Toledo. Ohio.
Shortly after this he was appointed
superintendent CT free delivery.
Acquaintance with G1oT.
'A6achen received letter from Samuel
a. Grofr. asking the right to make some
trials OF letter box fastener The .at-
ter received consent. and IT is our be-
lief that Machen has been interested
in the device ever since. In twelve in-
stances. ATachen recommended the fas;-
eners. and asked that they be purchased
by the department"
Mr. Beach said he would show that
the cost OF making the fasteners was %
cents. but that Machen bought their
from the Groffs for :1.e5, the Lorcnzes
acting as go betweens This extra price
was divided. the Grons getting one
half. and Machen and the Lorenzes d.
vided the other half.
Trend of the Evidence.
The evidence, he said, would be i'm the
form Of books and papers. and the trac-
ing Of the acts OF persons accused
THE general class Of evidence" he
continued. will be that after the sup
ply Of fasteners was ordered, Machen
would draft a letter TO tho Groffs. tell.
ing them TO ship so many fasteners 10
a certain point That letter was then
approved by the Firs- Assistant Post
master General. Then the warrants
would come back 10 Diiler b. Croft Tho
deposited them in bank 20 HIS credit.
out I'm Toledo the LOrenzes had bank
accounts. ana almost Invariably. when
the Government paid Croft, 40 per cent
OF the amount of the warrant appeared
to the credit Of the Lorcnzes I'm Toledo.
and that i'm the form OF a check drawn
by Dillcr b. Croft That did not end
the transaction, for some Of the money