The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-05-28
AUGUST MACHEN
Is NOT A MARTYR
Richly Deserved the Punishment
Awarded Him.
is OF UNDOUBTED ABILITY
CONFESSION CAME AS A GREAT
SURPRISE.
lsnecial to The HsraId.)


Washington, May 27.-The tTansfar-
nation Of August W. Machen from a
self-styIed martyr into a self-con-
fessed thief came as a great surprise
to the people of Washington, where
the former superintendent of free de
livery in the postoftice department was
well known. When the investigation
into the affairs of MaChens office be-
gan. the majority OF people who knew
him believed him innocent As the
| investigation progressed. as more and
more became known Of the manner
in which Machen's office had been con-
Quoted. there was d slight change of
public opinion. 1t was not until his
first trial, when all the damaging facts.
including the telItale checks were laid
bare that most Of Machens friends
gave in and acknowledged that he was
guilty as indicted and convicted
Air of injured Innocence.
But. following the conviction. when
MaChen started for the MoundsviIle
prison. he gave out a final interview
~ which he reiterated his prOteSta-
tons Of innocence. and declared in
most solemn terms that the time would
come when the public would realize
that he was an innocent man. unjustIy
martyr pure and simple
But when arraigned on second in
dlctment, Machen threw to the winds
ms pose as a martyr; he confessed
that he was guilty as indicted. admit
ted that in all his previous testimony
he had lied. and branded himself as
a common. though very accomplished
thief Nothing short of this confession
could have shaken the confidence which
many men TepOSed in MaChen- had he
maintained to the end that he was in
nocent many would have believed him.
But at last. under heavy strain, vet
knowing that other indictments are
still pending Machen confessed his
guilt. and surrendered all claim to
sympathy.
Machen Man of Talent. "
August Nacheu. Gus. as ne was IA
mlliariy called, viii be remembered in
Washington a. one of the most ac-
complished officials who ever held inn
portant place i'm the government serv-
Ice. As an administrative officer he
stood head and shoulders above every
other man in the poStOffice department.
1t was he who personally took hold of
rural free delivery in its infancy. car
Tled it through the experimental stage,
and made il a success. He was master
of his work. and he conducted his Of
t1ce tfrauds eliminated as no man has
handled it since. Had ne been honest
Machen would have dTifted into sue
ceSSful business career. He had talent
he had brains. and he had unlimited
ability But his accomplishments were
turned to a dishonest purpose. and now
| that he stands before the public a self
confessed criminal. he faces a long pri-
son term and when that is over. ne
must cope with a cold UnsympathetiC
world
NaChen made his thousands nv
crooked means when he was i'm the
/ government service, but he Is paying
dear for his untimeiy gains. His fam
lily suffers more than he. His is an ex-
ample to ponder over its lesson is
clearly drawn Tt emphasizes as
strongly as anything that has occurred
in many years that il is a very risky
thing TO attempt to cheat the United
States government MaChen was one of
the sliCkest, but even he was discov-
cred.