The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-01
.LORENz TELLS OF
THE POSTAL FRAUDS
Turns States Evidence in i'm
poriant Case
DESCRIBES WHOLE PLAN
SAYS Machen Was First Man Who
Suggestion Division of the Spells
Obtained Under craw-
ford Contract.
DESCRIBES WHOLE PLAN

Washington, May 31.-George E. Lorenz
! of Toledo, O.. who was convicted with
August w. Machen and Samuel and Dill
Ter B. Croft on charges of conspiracy to
defraud the government in connection
with contracts for furnishing supplies for
the postoffice department. today turned
| states evidence in the trial of William
G. Crawford. who Is charged with con-
splracy.
Maohen and Lorenz were indicted point
ly with Crawford. The former pleaded
guilty and was sentenced to an additional
two years in the penitentiary at Mounds
vile. w Va. and Lorenz was granted a
severance for trial. 1t Is generally credited
that Lorenz is testfying for the govern
ment under an agreement that he shall
not be prosecuted under indictments
| pending against him He has been SEN
fenced to two years at Moundsville I'M
der conviction for conspiring with Ma
chen and the Groffs.
Did Not Spare Himself.
Lorenz did not spare himself in the
least. He declared that an agreement had
been formed by himself. Machen and
(idNlOIu To gam tOulIdtlS II AhiiiiSlt Ut
ter carriers satchels to the postoffice de-
partment, and that they had shared in
the profits. The contracts were gained
by reason of Machen's connection with
the suppl division of the postoffice de-
partment and were filed by Crawford, who
was the general manager of the postal
device and lock company of New York.
According to Lorenz he was the go-bc :
tween, although there were meetings be-
tween the three at the room of Lorenz
when he was stopping at a hotel In
this city in the early part of June, 1902.
The court room was crowded when Lo-
REM took the stand. For several days it
had been rumored that he would tell all
he knew of the contracts maue wilt the
government by the company of which
! Crawford was manager and by so doing
would escape further prosecution, al
/ though this was denied at the office of tbs
district attorney.
The preliminary examination was in
relation to Lorenz' acquaintance with
Machen. The witness said he had known
Machen since 1886, and they had been in
innate ever since. Lorenz said he had
| seen Crawford in Machen's office, but
met him first in Crawfords office in
Washington, where they discussed the de-
/ tails of an agreement to put in bids for
postal supplies.
/ who first suggested the division OF
the profits under the contract obtained
/ b. Crawford's company" asked Mr..
1 Conrad.
Machen was in my room and said
! there should be some agreement as to
/ the division of the spells. He said, 'Craw-
| f. rd may suggest that he receive one
| fourth, you one-fourth and that one-half
shall come to me. If he does that, that
| will be satisfactory to me-
''Machen then said that whatever the
arrangement he and l should divide our
shares equally. That Is If three fourths
| came to us. we would divide it."
! Further questioning brought out the
! statement from I.orenz that Crawford
had made the suggestion of the division
when they met the next day. and the
| figures were in accordance with those
which had been named by Macnen. He
said that three men came to terms ac-
| ccrding to that agreement The eXamina-
| ton Will be continued tomorrow.