Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-09

the Crawford contract" of which Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General BristoW, in
his now famous report on the Post once
Department Irregularities, spoke as fol-
lows:
ION June 30 1892 the contract with
Stern expired. andfa new contract was en-
tered into for period~of four years from
that date with the Postal Device and Lock
Company of New York. represented by
William G. Crawford of Washington D. G..
Crawford was the deputy auditor for the
Pest Office Department under the last
Cleveland admnistr ton, Serving from
June -, 1893, to September Is. 1897. Since
that time he has lived in Washington, his
business apparently being that of a de-
partmental attorney or lobbyist. AS dep
uty auditor he became familiar with the
affairs of the Post Office Department and
intimately acquainted with Machen.
Contract Specifications.
1.-The specifications for satchels, upon
which bids We're received for this contract,
were the same as under the two previous
contracts, and the description of the
shoulder strap to be furnished with the
satchel exactly the same as formerly. Pre-
viously the satchels had been leather, bu.
inserted in the specifications this time was
the following vague and ambiguous para
graph:
. Proposals to furnish satchels of other
material than those specified in these speci-
that the materials are better adapted for
satchels used in the free delivery service
Nine bids were received, all but one for
leather goods as advertised. This para
graph, which did not attract the attention
of any one but Crawford, proved to ne an
important provision in the specifcat tions
and was doubtless placed there for pur-
pose.
Crawford of the Postal Device and Lock
Company submitted proposal to furnish
satchelS made of pegamoid or fabricoid'
leather. This 'pegamoid or 'fabricoid is
an English patented process by which cot
ton duck or other materials are coated with
a waterproof substance in imitation of
leather. 1t is waterproof and is used by
the Navy Department as covering for
cushions used on vessels. 1t is not SO eX
pensiye nor is it so durable as leather.
Members Of the Committee.
1.-The committee that year was composed
of John D. King, employed in the rural
delivery. service, who at that time had great
confidence in Machen; Emanuel Speich,
subordinate clerk in Machen's office, and
who is now one of his bondsmen in the
criminal cases that are pending against
him, and James E. Bell, superintendent of
carriers of the Washington city post office.
This committee, after examining the mer-
its of the pegamoid' satchel submitted by
Crawford, recommended that he be given
the contract. and on June 25 it was award
ed to him at the following prices: Class
A, s. 10; class 3, $3.16; class C, 81. 10. Thus
contract was entered into for period
of four years to supply carriers satchels
made from an untried coated cloth, at
prices higher than had been paid for leath-
er satchels under former contracts.
1T is presumed none of the other bidders
thought that satchels made from this ma
terial would be accepted by the depart
ment, since they submitted bids only for
leather satchels. The inspectors, when ia-
vestigating this case, secured figures on
satchels made of this material from three
of the firms that had bid at this letting,
and the prices offered were 1.16ls. $1.75 and
81. 19 respectively, on the "A satchel for
which Crawfard received $219 No effort
seems to have been made by the committee
TO get bids from other manufacturers n
cloth Satchels, but under the vague para
graph in the advertisement heretofore re-
ferred to the contract was awarded to
Crawford.
Satchel Not Success.
''This pegamoid satchel has not proven
a success The coating wears off easily
and it cannot be successfully repaired. On
an average they last about half as long as
the leather satchels.
Three days before the bids were opened
an agreement was entered into between
Crawford and George e. Lorenz of Toledo,
Ohio, whereby Lorenz was to receive all
profits from the proposed contract in ex-
cess of 25 cents per satchel in cOnsidera-
ton of which Larenz agrees to give tho
said party of the first part all his best
efforts and services toward securing the
award to the said party of the first part.
etc.
Another Agreement Made.
AFTER the contract had been awarded 10
Crawford. but before any satchels were or
dered. another agreement was made be-
fwaen Torauz and Crawford and s,,hstt-