James Noble Tyner (January 17, 1826 – December 5, 1904) was a 19th Century American lawyer, U.S. Representative from Indiana and U.S. Postmaster General.

In October 1881, President Chester A. Arthur requested his resignation because of his involvement in the Star Route postal frauds and for giving his son, whom he had appointed superintendent of the Chicago Post Office, a $1,000 salary increase.

Postmaster General Henry C. Payne requested his resignation in April 1903, after which Tyner was indicted for fraud and bribery.

[2] Tyner, considered a reformer in his first two terms, gave few speeches in the House and was noted for his statistical accuracy and "sound reasoning".

[6] On May 16, 1870, Tyner stated in a speech to the House, "Much as we desire to see the country lying between the Mississippi and the Pacific teeming with an industrious population, it would be far better to reach that end by slow marches than to rush into a policy that will eventually retard its prosperity and check its growth.

"[6] On March 3, 1873, Grant signed a bill into law that increased the President's pay from $25,000 to $50,000, raised Congressional salaries from $5,000 to $7,500, and included a $5,000 bonus for House and Senate members.

Newspapers widely publicized the $5,000 bonus, and the bill was repealed in January 1874, though the president's salary raise remained in effect.

The unpopularity of the salary grab led to many members of Congress losing their seats, and Tyner lost the Republican nomination when he ran for re-election in 1874.

Brady was later involved in the Star Route postal scandal that was revealed after President James A. Garfield took office in 1881.

After the end of the Grant administration, he was appointed to First Assistant Postmaster General by President Rutherford B. Hayes, serving from 1877 until his resignation in October 1881.

When President James A. Garfield took office on March 4, 1881, there were rumors of fraud in the postal department, where corrupt contractors had made excessive profits on Star Routes.

[9] On the evening of June 12, 1882, Tyner was seriously injured, suffering a concussion and bruising on his face after being thrown from a buggy while riding near Brightwood.

[12] Tyner instructed his wife to retrieve his official papers from the safe room in his Washington D.C. office on the fifth floor of the Postal Department.

[12] The head of the Post Office Bureau, George Christiancy, discovered the theft and informed Postmaster General Payne of the events.

[13] In mid-1903 Tyner was investigated for corruption in the Post Office by special prosecutor Charles J. Bonaparte and Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Joseph L.

[14] Allegations against Tyner and Heath ranged from gross negligence of office and criminal collusion, to actual participation in frauds, bribery, and financial profiteering.