The Washington herald., 1908-04-14


Mr.. Maddens Book
That George B. Cortelyou. now Secre-
tary of the Treasury, while he was POST
master General headed a conspiracy
against banker and publisher and
pushed that conspiracy to its objective
point without regard for law and in di-
rect violation of the statutes of the
United States. is the astounding charge
which Edwin c. Madden, late Third As
sistant Postmaster general makes in a
book which has just come from his pen,
entitled The Governments Shame"
The writer sets forth alleged facts to
show that his resignation from the Post
office Department was a result of his re-
fusaI to lend his aid to the alleged con-
spiraey. He says his resignation was
demanded by Mr.. COrtelyou after he had
steadfastly opposed and retarded the
scheme which ne sets forth in the volume
referred TO. He was requested he says,
not 70 let it appear in his letter of resig-
nation. addressed to the President. that
he had been asked to write the resigna-
tion.
Seldom if ever. has a Cabinet officer
been so savagely attacked as il this re-
markable output of the ex-Third Assist
ant Postmaster General
Based on Lewis Case.
Mr. Maddens book contains 524 pages.
and purports to be detailed statement
of the facts in the celebrated and long
continued activity of the Post-office De-
partment under Mr.. CortelyOu's admin
istration. against r G. Lewis. of St
Louis, and his so-called Peoples United
States Bank" and his publishing house.
which issued cheap magazines for women.
The writer declares that he has no pur-
pose OF defending or championing the
cause of Lewis. against whose industries
fraud orders were issued by the depart
ment. If the case which he makes out,
and in some degree backs up with "ex-
hiblts" in the form OF letters. afidavits,
and records of the department, can be
substantiated, he shows that Lewis has
been an ill-used man, to say the least.
Says He Ignored Statutes.
It is charged in Mr.. Madden's publi-
cation that Mr. Cortelyou not only
ignored the statutes of the United
States regarding postal matters in his al
legged campaign to break Lewis, but that
he refused the accused man access TO the
charges against him or opportunity to
make adequate defense; it is stated that
the former Postmaster General employed
confidential agents in going into every
phase OF Lewis business, without legal
authority and that he suppressed facts
-, -
others in order TO make out a case
against Lewis in accordance with what
Madden declares to have been the prede-
termination 10 debar Lewis from the
mails and break up what the writer of
the book declares to have been a prosper
Gus and a legaily-conducted business en-
terprise.
Perhaps the strongest statement which
Mr.. Madden makes is that Mr. Cortelyou.
have secured from him a draft OF in
structions TO those who were prosecuting
Lewis in St Louis. doctored that letter in
such a way assto make It operate against
Lewis.
WfeIds Immense Power.
The writer calls attention to the i'm
mense power welded by the Postmaster
General through the fraud order system,
and TO the alleged fact that when Con-
gress made a move toward limiting this
power By making it subject to a court
review, the Assistant Attorney General
for the Post-offce Department, Mr.. Good
win, communicated with a committee of
the House IN an effort to prevent the
amending of the law.
Not only malicious prosecution, double
dealing" and many offenses against Of
fetal morality are charged against Mr.
Cortelyou as Postmaster General. but the
writer accused him Of criminal response
bility.
Innocent Man Indicted.
He says:
An indictment against Lewis and
others for conspiracy 10 defraud the
United States OF postage was secured. In
all this calendar OF sinfulness. there IS
nothing eQualing this.
so not only were the Lewis ENTERPRISES
to be ruined, but the man himself was to
be slaughtered through the blackening Of
his name before the public A desperate
game was on and it was being PLAYED
with s. desperate hand. As a matter of
truth Lewis had violated no law nor
had the others indicted with him violated
any law
The indictment could not have been
secured without decelving the grand jury,
both as to the law and the evidence 1t
charges the mailing Of too many copies at
publishers rates. No law would have
been violated had Lewis mailed a thou
sand copies for every one he did mail at
those rates. Scr1e persons must have
perJured themselves; the records Of the
jury room VIII show. What part. If any.
the United States district attorney played
IN securing this false Indictment is not
known; but when professional honor is
so cheap and men In public Office will
stoop so low to hold Office or curry favor
il would seem to be time for the Dro
fession itself 10 act for the preservation
of its own integrity.
Thinks Prison Is Needed.
IF there be no statute 10 punish sueh
deed as the securing of this indictment
was. our laws are defective. No man
who took part in that outrage. Postmas-
ter General, postmaster, inspector. OF dis
trict attorney, whatever he be, but should.
If justice we're meted out to him, be do
Ing time in some penitenuary, at least