New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-15
THE COURTS.
ALLEGED Theft OF A VALUABLE LETTER

ALLEGED THEFT OF VALUABLE LETTER
In the United States Commissioners Office,
yesterday. before Commissioner Shields, William H. Hig
charged with opening letter addressed the First Ma
onal Bank N " before such letter had been aeyeTed
To the bank which 10 was directed. Assistant District
Attorney Phelps conducted the prosecution Inc prisoner
was was undeiended william H. Howell OF ne Se9" Ter
the 26th Of May last he sent letter addressed
to the First National Bank, CONTAINING on an
On the of June the President Of the bank received
ron person ealing Se c a. = fSt e Ian
arrested suspicious character az the corner Oh broaa
way ana Canas, and that ne had I9uq ~, on nun Seah
cec5 ana draft which be descrbed ne oISied W 10
tufn them on receiving letter addressed 10 tue POOk
reply was sent ron iao pan" rau Uy ID
ana on the goth of Juno they received second eter III
closing the checks and stating that he expected 10 DC
rewarded Tor ms action III the mater, IN y, p Nv
letter he requested that reply should be sent 10 BOX NO.
placed the case in the hands OF james Tmylet
Special Agent Of the Post-Ohce Department !.
the address given by defendant IN his last lette l9
ING him that there was registered letter a the r9st
Office for him. On the 29h Of June defendant called at
me P0stOce when he saw him ana askeu MN 70 s'eP
into his office. He did so, and volunteered the state
officer, and that he had obtained the checks from per-
son he arrested at the corner Of Canal and broadway
signed Robeman, but that bis real name was higgins
aud that he nephew Of f. s. Higgins, OF e. s. ing
firm OF g. b. Chittenden & Co. They went together. de-
PENDANT staying outside He spoke TO Dudley Chittenden
got tie letter along with a number Of others
for S. b. Chittenden Co.. bHt that he did not open II
he subsequently, said that he had opened the letter MN
SELF and had given in that state to the defendant MI
Dudley Chttenden OF Brooklyn nephew Of s. b. Chltten
den OF the firm OF Chtcuden Co., the next Wess
examined. lie stated that he employed by the rln
Of s. b. Chttenden Coz and that the latter part OF
May he received letter addressed to the First NaOn
Bank, n Y; it was given TO him at the Post-Ohce In
Chitendens bag; he looked in the bag the PostOce
the letter. and put IL in his pocket he afterward
showed the letter TO defendant; 1t opened
there; he told him that he had found tho letter
on fGp ppst( Mice
he bad done very wrong TO open the letter. and advised
him to wait and any reward offered. lie agreed
ths and asked Higgins 10 keep the letter, ana prom
sed TO share the reward with him. Some time after TINS
he asked Higgins what he was gong 10 do, ana they
agreed TO wute to the Bank. The letters suDse
quCHty written by Higgins, who at the suggestion OF
witness, used the name OF Nobeman, who had previously
received letters under that name. He had shown the let
10 two other persons his store but had not tod
defendant that he had done In examination the
stated that lac had opened the letter This closed
the for the prosecution, and the hearing was ad
jOurgCd until to-day at y. IN.