Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-01

as 10 the subject matter or these letters
At that juncture the United States sttor-
ney offered In evidence letter dated Mo-
vember 30. 1901, from George d. Green to
George w. Beavers as superintendent OF
the division of salaries and allowances.
The letter was sent from Binghamton, N.
T., and related to = prospective purchase
by the government Of 100 eancsiiine ma
chimes. The writer urged that the order
! be sent In without delay. giving as rea-
son for the request that the factory hands
would have to be laid or II the work were
not supplied. This letter was identified by
the witness ana was offered as supporting
the overt act alleged in the fourth count
OF the Indictment.
Basis Of Overt Act.
The next paper offhred in evidence as the
basis Of the overt act alleged in the fifth
count Of the indictment was a letter under
date Of December 81. 1901. bearing the Sig
nature of ]. M. Masten, as acting first as
sistant postmaster general and the initials
20. w. b. authorizing the postmaster at
Lee. Mass. to expend $225 for the purchase
OF one Doremus cancehng machine. This
was Identified by the witness, were also
three other letters handed to the witness in
batch and offered, respectively, In sup
port OF the overt acts alleged in the sixth,
seventh and eighth counts of the indict-
ment. They had been previously read to
the jury. The first was dated February T.
1902. and addressed to the postmaster at
Haddenfield. N j.; the second. dated March
1s 1902. was for the postmaster at Sisters
vile. w. Va, and the third. bearing date OF
April 30 of the same year, was directed to
the postmaster at Oneonta. N. Y. Mr.
Gran was on the stand when court took
the usual intermission.
The Reading Of Correspondence.
A considerable portion Of the afternoon
session was consumed with the reading by
Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Nc
Namara Of correspondence between the
Post Office Department and the Doremus
Machine Company relating to the Doremus
machines. Most of these papers contained
references to routine methods. There was
a large batch of the letters, and the read
Ing was taking up much time when Justice
Gould interrupted, asking Mr.. Baker what
purpose the government had In view in pre-
senting the correspondence. The district
attorney replied that the aim was to show
that Beavers had general charge of all mat
tiers connected with the purchase of cam
ceiling machines, with their inspection and
distribution and with the payments there
for. Mr.. Worthington Of counsel for the
defense said that much was readily admit
ted He remarked that Beavers was draw
Ing salary for the performance of the
functions in relation to which the govern
ment was offering a mass of testimony.
Court Interrogates Witness.
H. Clayton Graft was then put on the
stand and Justice Gould asked him the fol-
lowing question:
when letters came TO the Post Office
Department in reference to the canceling
machine what action was taken in the
matter?"
They were referred to the division of
salaries and allowances, where 1 examined
them and acted upon them myself, or re-
ferred them to Mr.. Beavers" was the an
swer.
ssTt doesn't strika mo that If 10 opv In
formation to this jury to read letters SIM
ply because they were filed in the divi-
sion of salaries and allowances"
ut seems to me that this procedure Is
simply taking up the time OF the jury I'M
necessarily, and | shall not allow this mass
of letters to be read If the only purpose is
to show that Beavers had general charge
of these matters" said the court.
''If any of this literature is to be offered
for any specific purpose other than that OF
proving the duties of Beavers. 1 will per-
nit it to be read" Justice Gould added
Several letters bearing on special matters
were then read.
Inspected Many Machines.
Under Characterization the witness
stated that in the discharge of his duties
while connected with the division of sal
aries and allowances he had inspected
many machines other than those of the
Doremus make He said there were seven
or eiSnl machines IN use Dy the department
at that time No attempt, the witness
stated, had ever been made by any person
to influence him in favor Of the Doremus
machines.
He had, he said, treated every apparatus
alike in his inspections.
The witness said that the correspond
ence of the division of salaries and allow
ances came under the head of routine
business, some of which he attended to
himself, referring other matters to Mr..
Beavers.
Testimony Late Yesterday
In his testimony late yesterday after
noon Arthur H. Whltark identified several
letters bearing the signature Of Perry s.
Heath, as first assistant postmaster general
and the initials &c. w. B." Some of these
letters contained orders for the immediate
payment to the Doremus company for ma
chimes purchased and distributed by the
Post Office Department. Others bore the
signature of George w. Beavers, acting
frst assistant postmaster general. and were
directed to postmasters in various parts of
the country authorizing the return OF i'm
haired canceiling machines to the Doremus
Machine Company, in Washington. In each
case 1t was stated that the machines were
to be forwarded free by registered mail
At the conclusion of the reading OF large
batch of the papers the United States attor
ney asked the witness who had charge of
the payment for DoremuS machines, ana
the reply was that Beavers had supervision
of that matter. In answer to a question as
to what was done in reference to complaints
by the Doremus company that payments
were In some instances not promptly made,
the witness stated that he had expressed
the opinion to Beavers that payments should
not be made until the machines had been
tested and found satisfactory.
/ What Beavers Said.
And what did Beavers say to that?" Mr..
Baker asked.
He told me to go ahead and order the
payments as soon as the machines were
delivered" was the reply.
In answer to another question Mr.. Whit
lark said that the direction of Beavers in
the matter was carried out.
In the course of the cross examination of