The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-14
WINNIE IS A WITNESS
FIRST ASSISTANT PosTMAsTER
 GENERAL ON STAND.
Says He Often signed ofacial Papers Sent Him by Machen Without Examining Into Their
 Contents.

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 Contents.
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 Washington. Jan. 1s.--Robert J. wynne, First Assistant Postmaster General, was the central figure In the postal trial to- day, and when court adjourned until Fri day, he was still on the stand. Mir. Wynnefs testimony occupied most of the day and he was subject to rigid cross examination by Charles A. Douglas. coun- sel for the defense, during which the op- posing attorneys had several tits, necessi- tating word of admonition from Justice Prftchard, that they must conduct the case In peace.
 The First Assistant Postmaster. General was piled with questions designed to test his knowledge of the duties of his once k The witness frankly stated that he had often signed papers prepared in Machensl division without examining Into their con- tents, because they came to him in officiaT form and because of the fact that, he re- garded Machen as one of tho most ex- pert men n the service and relied on hirn.
 The cross examination of John J. How ley, Chief Clerk in the office of the First Assistant Postmaster General In the trial of Angus W. Machen and others was continued today, MT. Douglas conducting the examination.
 The witness detailed the duties of the general superintendent of free delivery, but he could not state them as a fact simply from his knowledge of office prac- tice.
 Concerning the placing of Machen's name and initials on letters by subOrdi- mates, witness said Miss Liebhart, Ma chen's stenographer. had for Several years done so. He admitted that he knew of this practice three years before he be- came chief clerk. He did not speak of it to his chief, he said, because he did not want to interfere with the affairs of Machen's division. He tolerated 1t, he said, until the postal investigation came up and finally informed First Assistant l Postmaster General Wynn that the legal | ity of initials of these and signatures | should be looked into.
 Witness said the order of Mir. Wynne prohibiting the .delegating of authority to others to sign the names of division chiefs was not issued until the investi- gation was on. Replying to close ques- | tioning, Howley said he could not recall | any time when he held any conversation | with Mir. Wynne affecting the expenditure | of money for his office.
 | He explained that division chiefs were trusted in these matters and that he him. | self never said the First Assistant Post master General was required personally | to sign any letter calling for the expendi- l ture of money, although in a number of 1 matters MT. -Wynne had to attend to he | did not investigate their nature or the necessity for the expenditure
 | Mir. Kumler then took the witness stand and secured from him the statement I that until the investigation began he nev- | CT heard of any criticism of the GroH l fastener.
 Replying to a question by MT. Maddox, for the defense, witness said that dur ing the term of his service as private
 secretary he never heard or knew of the Groff fastener, nor did he know of an in-
 vestigation of. letter-box fastener under the administration of First Assistant Postmaster General Jones.
 At this juncture MT. Conrad, for the governn8ent, insisted but one attorney
 for the defense under rulings previously given by another justice in the same court could cross-examine a witness. Judge Pritchard, however, did not ac- cept this view. holding that each de- fendant's counsel should have the right to cross-examine. On direct examination MT. Taggart had the witness identify cer- tain orders for Groff fasteners signed by MT. Wynne and by himself.
 At this point Howley was excused and MT. Wynne, first assistant postmaster, | l ter of purchase of supplies for the free delivery service he always transacted his business with MT, Machen, the general | superintendent. He said it was not | mart of his duties to personally attend to the direction of preparation of orders for Groff fasteners or other supplies. nor did he determine the question as to Wheth- | CT the supplies were absolutely necessary
 or not unless particularly brought to his attention In all service matters he said, he relied upon Mir. Machen. At torney Kumler made vigorous protest against the admission of MT. Wynne latter statement as evidence, but he was oyerruled and exception noted. Contin- ming. MT. Wynne testified that In all | matters where no question arose, MT Machen would decide them for the first assistant postmaster general, but where any ouestion was involved he himself de-
 cided it. W.. ..,,, crossed examined by MT. Douglas Alter explaining that MT. Howley was a per sonal appointee, MT. Wynne was asKeu Il he kneW anything of Howley's qualif1ca- tions for the office of chief clerk. This ouestion was met with a vigorous ob1ec- | ion from MT. Taggart Justice Pritcharo could not see the relevancy of the testl- many. MT. Douglas insisted on the ques- ton, but the court sustained Mr. Tag l gart's objection. Upon further cross-eX- l animation, MT. Wynne in response to a | question as to who imposed the duty on | Mir. Machen of deciding certain questions
 said he assumed the right because he accepted it every day. He further said | that Machen had his authority because of his CWynnes) approval of Machen's act. | He then described Nh detail the duties of
 his office, whereupon MT. Douglas asked if he had omitted any that were very
 vital or whether he could mention the
 various sections of the law or regulations,
 defining his duties. Assistant District Attorney Taggart insisted that the wit
 ness was being badgered while MT. Reach the district attorney vehemently protested
 and charged Mir. Douglass with making
 a side harangue for the jury" This MT. Douglas denied. The court permitted the questioning to continue and MT. Wynne
 said he could not mention the various sec ton sof the law nor could he recall any
 of the duties of his office which he had not given. Besides the purchase of sup
 plies MT. Wynne said that in his office