Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-11

l men0Qcf0n. M4cnen aQ0eQ lnat ne cAcI-
cised direct and personal supervision over
| the Inauguration of the free delivery sys-
| tenn In Carroll county. making Westnin-
| ster his headquarters. The witness made
| ing street" letter boxes on the sites Of
/ discontinued post offices. saying that mnch
| time was saved by the presence of the
| "street" boxes, and that they were es-
| delivery system. Mail was collected from
| them oftener than 1t was gathered from
I the individual or farmers house boxes.
Attorney Conrad remarked that when
| Lake Huron regarding his interest in the
Croft fastener Machen was then aware OF
| the merits Of the device.
'As a postal official. was" said Machen.
but you didn't inquire of your close. in
! innate, confidential friend. Lorenz, what
| was his interest in the fastener" Attorney
| Conrad wanted to know.
.'Why not?"
Because didn't care to know.
Attorney Conrad dwelt on the fact that
Machen was indifferent to the extent that
| he did not ask LorenZ what interest the lat
| ter owned In the Croft fastener, although
| Machen was aware of the value of the Groff
| patent, and, of course. had in mind that
| Lorenz was indebted to him in the sum Oh
| $4,000.
Colonel" began Machen, addressing At
| torney Conrad, who is a major.
Il beg your pardon interrupted the at
| title possess fought for, and 1t was con-
| ferred on me on the battlefield. l merely
say this in passing"
The Lorenz Note.
At this juncture attention was again d.
rected to the Machen-Lorenz Oil transac-
! tions much to the disgust of counsel for the
| defense, who thought that matter had
been gone over thoroughly time and again
Machen was asked to take a pencil and
piece of paper and do some figuring In
quiry was then made at length as to assets
and liabilities. profits and losses, DIVIDENDS
and the like.
'Mr. Machen." inquired Attorney Con-
rad. "can you name anybody except
Lorenz, your uncle Ferdinand and yourself
who ever saw that $4,000 note from the
day it was executed to the day it was set
tled?"
my two brothers saw it, promptly re-
piled the Witness
rad.
Yes. sir. they are" the witness FASTENED
to declare.
Can you name any business man other
than members of your family, who ever
saw the note between the dates l referred
to?" Attorney. Conrad persisted.
-"No. sir" was the answer. THE under
standing was that should retain the note,
in order that Mr.. LorenZ would not be en-
barrassed.
Referring to the Endorsements the
So, 600 note, Attorney Conrad asked II
Machen had given Lorenz receipts for the
pa yments indicated by the Endorsements
The reply was in the negative. Counsel
thought 1t remarkable that Lorenz should
have trusted for a receipt for $i3OO to a
lead pencil Endorsement on note retained
by Machen, an Endorsement, said Attorney
Conrad that he could erase in a moment
with his finger
.sBut it has not been erased yet" re-
marked Machen.
NH do hat fn "a
conflicting statements about when and
where the pencil Endorsement referred to
had been written. He first said he had
distinct recollection regarding the matter,
and then corrected the assertion.
Each Endorsement on the famous $25 600
note was made the subject of long-drawn-
out inquiry. The witness explained that
the Endorsements had been written not "at"
the dates specified therein, but about"
such dates.
Several Denials.
In answer to questions. Machen said he
telegraphed Lorenz to come here to SEQ
him about the time he was suspended as
general superintendent of the free delivery
system. He went to Pittsburg with his at
torney after he had been arrested. The
witness insisted on declaring that he went
to Pittsburg and there met Lorenz. not for
the purpose of "bolstering up the case :.
sIorenz had not been arrested at that
t1me,i' aQQeQ ACt0fTSy SoHTdd. w ny o'I
he take his attorney to that conference at
Pittsburgh
The defense objected. on the ground that
1t was nobodys business where the de-
PENDANTS went with their counsel and the
objection was sustained
Machen admitted that he had signed GER
tifcates authorizing the poStmasters of
| Chicago and this city to pay for Grof fas-
teners. 1t was not his rule, he testified, to
sign such certificates, but he had often
done so when the certificates were called
to his attention.
Certificates authorizing payments for
Croft fasteners sent to other cities were
admitted by the witness to be in his hand
writing. Attorney Conrad explained that
the purpose of the government in introduce
ing the certificates was to show that a
great many of them were in Machen's
handwriting md bore elaborate indorse-
ments by him.
Statement at Time of Arrest.
According to the governments counsel,
the certificates in question show that
Machen displayed personal interest in every
payment for Croft fasteners made during
several years, and signed and Endorsed
many of the certificates directing that pay
ment be made. 1t had been previously init
mated that Machen signed the certificate
authorizing a payment for the first ship
ment of fasteners from the Grons, because
that happened to mark the introduction OF
lt1e LdSttIlcIS.
A letter from Machen to Postmaster Gen
eral Payne dated May last, was read to
the jury. In it Machen acknowledged re-
ceipt of communication granting him
leave of absence pending the investigation,
and directing him to turn over the office
to Post Office Inspector Fosnes. He also
announced to the Postmaster General that
he courted the fullest investigation into his
official conduct, and expressed his willing
ness to throw all possible light on the
inquiry
s'Mr Machen," asked Attorney Conrad,
Ion May q last in the Office of Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General Bristow, and
in the presence of Mr.. Bristow, Inspectors
Fosnes and Mayer and a stenographer, did
you make the following statements
II object" Attorney Douglass interrupted,
until the circumstances surrounding the
securing of the statement have been
shown
Attorney Conrad then inquired If the
statement had been procured by intimida-
ton. threats, the fear of punishment or the
hope of reward.
sAfter the 9th of last May" explained
Machen; my every movement was watched
by secret service men. My house was
watched. The newspapers were teeming
with charges against me. When received
telephone message to proceed to MT.
Bristow's Office the morning of May p