The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-11
THE LATE POST OFFICE ROBBERIEs,

eTHK LATE POST OFFICE ROBBERIES
~~~~~~~~~~c~~~~~~~~~~-~
United States District Court.
Before Hon Judge Ingsrsou
I I'm UNITED STATES AGAINST THEODORE A. RossIE
JAN. lo-rhs accused in this ID young maa, sp
parsny about twenty six years of age of gsntse appear
and rather good looking and charged with having
sbstrscted from letters in the Post Once where hs va,
Celsrk, certain articles Of value.
jury being empanellsd Mr. Dunnpg Associate United
Attorney proceeded to state the case for the gov
ernnent Of which the following is but brief outlines
After recaptuating the Indictment and pointing out the
cot Of Congress of 3D. March, 1885, which made the
srsctng from letters felony he said he entertained
doubt that no would be able to produce III direct and
pove proof a. could leave doubt the minds Of the
Jury In regard to the guilt Of the prisoner trial
also pointed out how exceedingly cautious Congress
Had been In framing this act guard against depreds-
ions OF this kind Offences OF this nature Of FIRE.
ausnt occurrence and consequently 1t became the jury
Land the Court when the clearly made OUT to
that the law was properly and efficiently enforced. In
post Office such in this city 1t becomes necessary that
the labor should be divided that certain clerks should
have certain portions under their CONTROL and other
clerks 9th or portions Buch the with Rosie
Bis duty as that OF taking charge Of all the German
paid letters that to be transmitted by the Prussan
mail II was his duty to that these letters were put
Ia the mail bag. No other clerk was permitted to
interfere, except under certain circumstances, but
Rosse II discovered that many Of these letters
whsp they reached Germany had been opened and
rihsd Of their contents. Complaints made to the
Pet Onice of this country by the German and russian
authorities This led the department at Washington to
make Inquiries into the matter The Postmaster 1T
ogns enclosed eozsn envelopes that had through
this Poet Office and had been rasd Of their contents
oGwhch Rosss had the control The PostOfcs authori
me. for that purpose When these cases brought
the knowledge CT the governmsDt Of thsr special
Rosie clerk OF very limited salary-soms ave or
hundred dollars aear-yst he living very
Mr.. Hobrook came the city Of New York The IT,
are made on the OF the departure Of the steam
psd etsrs Ssr. ed and Il rs found that ssyersi
Of them ed It the duty OF the clerk who makes
them in bundles Of about hundred and put his
initials on tho bunde for instance Rossie made the
bundle up he would put "R on it It was found upon
the occasen speak Of that several letters had been
Cd In tbs package which bore Rossies initial having
been made up BY him. This another suspicion The
called, and placed them where they would 90 through
bit on M d ss' was 81 the
I hat The letters were Iiasd. Another set Of de.
gold sa The, 1sls
to Mr. Conn., and he deposited Eve letters among the
osnDs Mr. Conn ss'G Kept bis on
them until Rosie Dame; Mr. Coffin then watched him;
the special agent also watching from the Postmas
ters room above. Rosie went to breakfast aud the
letters were examined and found that two Of these
letters had been rsd; the large gold riog had been
the other The prosecution would prove that other
person had touched these letters but Rosss Another
o% nj" b Of ,Ss On t5 bis him
WAS wanted In the Postmastsrs' room, and he
/ exhibited signs Of nervousness, and attempted to
mako his escape, and 1t not until he hai
raj blocks that he taken His drawer was searched
and In il found several articles saoh sent BY
and nineteen hundred dollars peculiarly put up in small
PARCELS, ard principally city money. This Is Of
Importance to this youDs man for he Is yet young bat
Of irportanos to ibis community and Of impor
fed Of his guilt then they should not hesitate to pro
nounce Let others that punishment 10 sure to
follow such offences and SHALL have less Of them per-
petrated.
Mr.. James n Smith and Mr.. Augustus Schen appeared
- counsel for the prisoner
,sg dsposedTha he il ID cisl agent Of the Post ONCE
Department. have been plsysd about ysrs.
Had you anything to do in reference to Rossss A. Is
II in reference TO the oomplants We're you employed
pioysd T. trsss out frauds In the Post oiaos here
The sud. rsspsons the Two letters Laid in the indic
ment-one with the gold rrg, the other with the gold
Ths Judge thought that he had right to say that he
w,s explored 70 w.toh and By whom he was employed.
coz S s,.h AS inc
son committing these frauds consulted Mr.. Fowler, the
Postmsstsr and NJ Conn., the chief clark the foreign
pAia letters passed ascsrtained and became satis6ed
they through the hsnos Of Mr. Ros,s prior
the German paid letters made. (Objssted toy
Mr. Dunntsg commended that they had right to show
that when Rosse was not ~ the Post Office the letters
tina
ont Of four the letters rsd aud the other
Ths Court did not admit the evidence.
Witness ccntinusd-On the llth Of Nay wrote several
z s.s :s:
dollar, and IN gold rings plain gold ripg there
IT. cot it It place in John street, Psckan Co.'S,
for the purpose and put mark It; tbs letters
put among the German paid letters; gave them to Mr.
CONN to pat them among the German paid letters;
weighed the letters found shis weigh double and
paid sixty csnts postage for III on the morning Of the
the Postmaster's ROOM from that room could have
distinct view Of where Rosie was at work;
stationed myself at the window: Rosie had large
numbsr Of letters before him and observed some Of tn
pigeon holes whore the German letters kept were
empty this vas about ssysn O'Clock In the rniDg the
pigeon holes were directly at his back had foil view
Of those from where stood after workins three
minutes at the letters noticed oked at the seals
which he weighed In kis hand It was IKE this color
(yelow) he looked his shoulder and stepped few
steps 70 Tie ngns where no disappeared Tor psrhAps half
minute; he back with the letter In As hand and
turned his back towards me-, and with match lit lamp
and sealed the letter he then tunnel round and placed
the latter among the letters that lay before HIM In
moment or tvo more he tthrough the prooes
with ano her letter with the exception Of sealing he
took il up and locked at and passed out OF my sight
again he sorled short time ger At the letters and
he then left he walked down the ocs per; then In
fev minutes he put on his coat ard LETT the Office IA
dhgram produced by viii n the witness described the
cce proper and the place whsrs Rosie engaged At
work Era nication ooD,nued The calss wer. in my
sw 80 that when he went out of my view he did not go
to the scales
At this point Of the the examination IT Mr.. Hol
brook was suspended In order examine hs ne
who vas presed for time and desired to leave
Isaac " Fowler examiped, deposed-I otmas,er a.
this city; took possession Of the fce the Of May
last; Rose ctrK ihsi time in Post on % he
to the tia rof his THU CHARGE
hv sssry 80 tnins, so0e year. Mr. Colin has the
prrcpsl ehsTge Of tina 10 elan letter
Crosf mined b. Mr. Smith, believe thare