Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-11
THE POSTAL TRIAL.
Machen on Stand During Greater Part
Of Wednesday.

Washington. Feb. 10.-August w.
Machen continued his testimony in the
postal trial. today.
Mr.. Machen said he told the inventor
OF the Miles fastener that his device
seemed to be an INFRINGEMENT on the
GroH fastener that he did not care to
bring law suit and besides il had not
the merits Of the latter
ReVerting to the question of initial
ing OF letters Machen said, Mr.. Wynne.
the hrst assistant postmaster general
knew that Miss Liebhedt was doing it +:
SO Old First Assistant Postmaster Gen.
eral johnson. Mr.. Manten, his chief
clerk. also knew, as did Mr.. Howley,
MIR. Wynne's clerk. Mr.. Machen fur
ther said Mr.. Wynne knew of it before
entering the Office.
After Mr.. Heath retired from Office
IN 1900. Mr.. Machen said Postmaster
smith took direct supervision over the
rural free delivery division and made
1t a practice to send members OF Con-
gress and senators to confer with
him (Machen).
After that time, he said, he and
Wynne We're not on speaking terms.
He denied receiving any money from
Lorenz for the purpose Of influencing
his action. He further asserted that he
never saw the Groffs together in his
life before the indictment.
Mr.. Conrad cross examined Mr.. Ma
chen, making a searching inquiry into
the oil transactions already referred to.
Out of this. Machen said, grew the
practice of writing letters to congress-
men signed in his name.
Mr.. Wynne. he said, upon taking
charge, had directed that this should
stop. Answering a question by Mr..
Douglass. Mr.. Machen said his rela-
tions with Wynne became very strained
in February, 1903.
AT that time" he said, "Wynne was
making every effort to increase his
own salary to $4,000. and Wynne re-
quested me to use my influence with
certain members of Congress to that
end. which I refused to do
When he left Toledo, Machen said he
| owed 100000. but had since paid al
| but $4,000 of the Indebtedness. It was
paid from assets that were unavailable
at that time. he said. which consisted
of property that he had in his mothers
name and G. l.. Lorenz note.
Counsel for the defence strongly OBJ
| jected to a question put to Machen as
| to whether he had any other income be-
side his salary which went to the pay
mcnt of his debt of 100000. The cour;
decided that the question might be
asked as affecting the credibility of the
witness. Mr.. Machen answered that
his outside income was the gradual col
lection of the Lorenz debt; money he
had borrowed; revenues derived from
chances he and his brothers took or
horse racing and money received from
other sources.
The witness then was asked if it was
not fact that he had deposited in q
bank at Westminster. Nd. between
Nov. l. 1880, and May :. 1903. the sum
of $77.67S. Counsel for the defence OBJ
| jected. The court took the matter UNI
| der Amusement.
| Although he had made but one exam.
| ination Of the Croft fastener Macher
said his instruction that it be accept.
ed was based upon his experience i.
the postal service. Machen said thai
wherever the advantages of any posta
device were apparent he never failed
to point them out to his superiors.
| Mr.. Machen was on the stand at ad.