Evening star., 1904-02-27
EXCHANGING CONGRATULATIONS
Qualification at the Post Office Depart
ment Over the Verdict.

Extreme qualification and mutual con-
gratulations were the signs at the POST
Office Department today that told the tale
of the verdict of the jury in the case or
Machen and others. tried for conspiracy to
defraud the government Every official
who has been in any degree connected with
the case against Machen feels a Personal
exultation over. the verdict, and Mr..
Wynne, first assistant postmaster general,
who was the first to begin the open fight
with the former head of the free delivery
service, las been all day receiving the con-
gratulaticns of his friends because of the
sustaining by the jury of his contention
that Machen was guilty and should be pun
ished for his work
c. III. Robb, assistant attorney general
for the Post Office Department. said that
the verdict was an assurance to the pub
lie. who had been intensely interested in
the case, that honesty in public Office
would be promoted by the result of the
trial, and that dishonest employees could
expect no clemency. He said the conclu-
sion of the trial would have most whole
some effect upon all who had been at all
interested, and that the authorities who
had taken the matter up and pushed it to a
conclusion were to be congratulated for
their work.
The result of the trial was wired to
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bris-
tow at Old Point Comfort. Va, where he
has gone for recuperation after a severe
illness. Replies received from him are to
the effect that he is more than delighted
with the work done by his inspectors, and
that he considers the verdict justification
under the evidence supplied by the depart
ment.
Postmaster General Payne said to a re-
porter for The Star that he had not eX-
pected the verdict. if such conclusion was
to have been reached from a study of the
opinions of others interested in the trial,
but that upon the evidence he did not see
how any other could have been reached.
1T is a moral verdict of the highest Or
der" he said, land even in the possible
event of the case being finally turned the
other way. through appeal from the trial
court, the effect will always remain the same
strongly for justice. 1t shows to the peo-
pie that dishonesty cannot be practiced with
impunity in the service of the government.
The evidence showed all the conspirators
guilty, and the jury found them. " hat
more we ask? The inspectors and all
the officials who had part in the fnvesti-
cation that brought forth the indictments
are to be congratulated on their good work
and | know of no better words in which TO
put this than to quote at this time the let
ters which passed between myself and Nj.
Bristow after / had removed Machen from
office for malfeasance.'
The letter to Mr.. Bristow from Postmas-
ter General Payne is as follows 1000
November 3. 1903.
my Dear General Bristow: Now that
your report is finished and the first stage
of the work in connection with the investi-
cation into the affairs of the Post Office
Department has passed. l cannot refrain
from testifying to the able. intelligent, Wig
orous work done by you in connection
Herewith.
For eight months you have labored to
discover the real conditions existing in the
department, devoting your best efforts
night and day to that end. and as Postmas-
ter General | desire to extend to you the
thanks of the department.
Il ask you to convey to Chief Inspector
Cochran and to the inspectors who have
been detailed to the work of the investiga-
ton my thanks for their intelligent. un
ceasing and successful efforts to bring
about the exposure of the wrongdoing in
the department and the punishment of the
guilty ones. ...-
Il am aware that the task is not yet COM
pleted. While the immediate responsibility
for the conviction of those indicted is trans
ferred to another department of the gov
ernment, yet you and the inspectors will be
relied upon to furnish the evidence in the
cases and much depends upon the ntelli
gence and zeal in which that service is per-
formed. Knowing the method and manner
of the work so far done. I look forward
with the utmost confidence to what will be
accomplished in the future, as suggested
above
Mr.. Bristow replied in the following
words:
November t. 1903.
my Dear General Payne: In response to