Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-01
|CONSP SP|RACY--BR|BERY
Testimony Today in the Green
Doremus Trial.
HOLDING OF CONFERENCE
Name of Former State Senator Linked
With That of Beavers.
AS TO POSTAL IRREGULARITIES
Letters offered in Support of Counts
in Indictment Alleging
Overt Acts.
OF CONFERENCE
IS TO POSTAL IRREGULARITIES

testimony tending to show that former
State Senator George E. Green of Bing-
hamton. N. Y, and George w. Beavers
then superintendent OF the division Of sal
aries and allowances, Post Office Depart
ment. held several conferences In the Office
of Beavers between 1899 and 1903. was In
troduced today In the trial of Green and
Willard D. Doremus, IN Criminal Court No.
/. under indictments alleging conspiracy
and bribery In connection with the postal
Irregularities.
Fl. Clayton Graft, former inspector OF
canceling machines for post offices, testified
to having seen Green and Beavers In con-
verSation In the office Of the latter on a
number of different occasions. This witness
was unable to state the nature of the mat
ter discussed.
The government today introduced in evi-
dence number of letters in direct support
of several counts in the Indictment alleg-
ing overt acts.
The first paper of this class presented was
a letter bearing the superscrtption Senate
chamber" and dated from Binghamton, n.
Y. November 80. 1901. 1t was addressed to
George w. Beavers. at the Post Office De-
partment. and bore the signature of George
E. Green.
Asked That Order Be Sent.
In 1t was the request that a prospective
order from the department for 100 Doremus
canceling machines be sent in at an early
date. The statement was made that a de-
lay in filing the order would result in incon-
venience in the work of the factory of the
Doremus Machine Company.
Other letters introduced as the basis of
alleged overt acts contained orders from
the Post Office Department for the pur-
chase of Doremus canceling machines and
their distribution.
The deviation from the usual custom of
the court not to hold sessions on Friday
was determined upon by Justice Gould in
view of the advancing term and the slow
progress being made in the trial.
Cross-Examination of Mr.. Whitlark.
The cross -examinat ton of A. H Whit1ark
who was on the stand the whole of yester-
days session, was resumed when court
convened this morning at 10 o'clock. AS to
his statement, under direct examinatie
that he had prepared letters under the d.
rection of George w. Beavers for the pur-
chase of Doremus machines the witness
said that Beavers was not always at the
department when the letters in question
were sent out. In such cases they were
prepared in line with others acted upon
by Beavers and were therefore considered
by the witness as being under the general
supervision of the former
In his redirect examination the witness
stated that when cards were sent down
from the Postmaster General directing that
machines be forwarded to certain places
the orders were acted upon by Beavers
II. Clayton Graft, a bookkeeper in the
post Office in New York city, formerly en-
ployed in the Post Office Department as an
inspector of canceling machines, was the
next witness. He was assigned to that
service in July, 1900. his salary being ad-
vanced from 81, 200 per year to $1,000, and
later to 81, 800 Before his appointment as
inspector he had known Beavers, under
whom he discharged his new duties.
Duties of the Witness.
The witness testified that 1t was a part
of his routine work to visit the manufac-
pany in this city and examine machines In
course of construction for sale to the gov
ernment Sometimes he said, he went to
the factory every day. and again he only
visited the plant two three times in a
month. He testified that Beavers had
charge of the ordering OF the machines.
The witness said he had occasionally talked
with Beavers in reference to the acceptance
of certain machines. He had never, he
stated, advised Beavers in such matters,
but he had expressed the opinion that II
he were postmaster he would not want to
pay for some of the machines submitted.
When asked If Beavers ever TOOK any
action in line with such suggestions the
witness said that Mr.. Beavers had in some
instances directed the return of machines
complained of for repairs. the cost being
charged to the respective post offices.
Green and Beavers Together.
The witness said he had seen Green ana
Beavers together several times between 1899
and the fall of 1903 He had seen them,
he said. in conversation in the Office OF
George W. Beavers in the Post Office De-
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