The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-10-23

street that lie nlu OHcTeu THESE STAMPS NJ
eleven cents, aud | replied that we had bet
ter stop the business if it was known to the
public of Richmond. Roche said it was all
right; he knew the man. Bannasch said,
"Yes. it's all right; the man who knows it
is Il revenue officer" | insisted upon know
inc the name Of the officer. and they gave it
to me. 1t was Burke, and ! understood
him to be tobacco Inspector. | then asked
Roche if he was a revenue officer. lie re-
piled evasively that he wasn't known as one.
I pretended to be doubtful Of the company
I was in, fearing that they might be rcye-
nue. officers.
SOLEMN OATH.
Roche proposed, to make the thing Sc
cure, to bring the Bible, which was done.
and we all swore that we would not divulge
what had been or would be done in the
matter. There was some difficulty in iiud-
ing Bible, but finally Bannasch brought in
n book of some kind, which didn't ex-
anime, and we all sworc, Roche administer
ing the oath. | then wanted to know the
Roche replied, "This party has 400" lie
didn't name the party, but suppose he
meant the one he got them from. He then
made the calculation that $50 stamps 60
pound) at lie. per pound would come to
1880. He demanded then TO see the money.
and drew out package containing 81 900
and handed it TO Mr. Bannasch, who count
cd it, and said that there was Il thousand
dollars there. Roche was anxious to have
The entire thousand, and | agreed to give it
to him for two more stamps: one hundred
and tfty-two came 10 81 ,G0320, and | offer
cd him the even thousand, but finally con-
sented to give him the full amount. / then
put the money back in my pocket and told
-,
He took his hat and said he would be gone
about fifteen minutes which time passed,
and we became uneasy, fearing foul play on
his part. After an hour, however, he re-
turned, and drew the package Of stamps
out Of his piStol-pocket and handed them
to me.
ROCHE's LITTLE GAME.
I looked them over and found one imper-
feet sheet, to which | objected. Mr.. b.
also inspected it. Roche then told me
how could Use it without having it de-
tected by the revenue officers. 1t was to
put the stamp on with thick coat Of copal
VarniSh, and before the yaYnish had set to
cancel it with the die. as required hv law,
but to drive it in pretty heavy, and let the
die jump. After this (by Mr.. Bannasclfs
advicc) | took the stamps, and handed
Roche 81 ,O03.2O, according to agreement.
lie took the $500 from under the package,
put it in his pocket, counted the balance
81 ,0O0), and said he must figure up the
profits. He took the envelope of the money
and made calculation. and handed me
back the envelope, saying that it had
my name on it. He had been 4 detective,
and knew how they looked out for these
little things.
EXCHANGE or COUETEs1Es.
Mr.. Bannasch and | then took Il drink
of whiskey, wished each other good luck,
and made an appointment for him to
come down to the hotel ut I O'Clock
or little after TO sign the contract
for the purchase Of the tobacco. de-
laycd. hoping Mr. r. would 20 out on the
street with me, but he did not. | badc
them Good-day," and Mr.. B. went to the
head Of thc stairs with me. | went out, and
as | was crossing the street Detective
O'Dwvcr arrested me, and the Chief of Po-
lice and United States Marshal entered the
house. What transpircd there do not
know. The arrests were Of course prCcon-
certed. l stopped in Richmond by order OF
the Department, being on my way to all
other point.
4 sheet of the counterfeit stamps pur-
chased by the witness from Roche was here
exhibited. The countcrtcitS are so well cN-
ecutcd thIt only the most accomplished cX-
DcrtS would be likely TO detect the forgery
Witness resumed: Mir. Hoppe was to
make the boxes not to exceed seventy
pounds net, so that these stamps could be
used, and was to furnish the necessary adj
ditional stamps-a genuine ten-pound stamp
for each box. | did not sign the contract,
the appointment for the evening being a
Mere rilsc. Mr.. Taylor had 10 connection
whatever with the stamp transaction.
Hoppe declined to be present ut the sale
and delivery of the stamps, saying that he
didn't wish to be mixed up i'll il. lie had,
however, participated in the negotiations.
After the arrest of Banndsch and Roche he
came TO the hotel and asked me where Ban
nasch was told him didn't know where
the " lookup" was, and referred hin to
the marshal. He said "lt is too bad, too
lad; and l have been the cause OF it all, y
or words to that effect. ! understood that
he (fIoppe) and BannaSch were partners III
the tobacco business.
At this point in the examination 4 recess
Of one hour was taken.
THE QUESTION OF BAIL.
At 4 O'Clock the crOSS-eXamlnation OF
Mr.. Beach was about to DC commenced,
when. on motion, the case Of ar. Hoppe
was continued until to-day at II o'clock,
the prisoner being allowed TO 20 Oh the bail
already allowed.
The question of the amount Of bail to be
required of Mr.. Roche was then brought W
by Mr.. johns, one Of his counsel.
Mr.. Nccsou said he thought that the
amount Of bail, in view OF the facts already
elected, should not be less than 10000.
Mr.. Johns protested that this was eNccS-
sivc bail, and called the attention OF the
Commissioner to the fact that Roche had not
a bit of property, and had not even money
enough to pay his counsel fees. Was II JUST,
under these circumstances, to require ol
him bail in so large an amount! lie re-
marked, too, that IL celebrated homicide
case before the Mayor Of this city only So
600 was required.
Mr.. jenkins also insisted that the amount
was too large. 10 tiX it ut that amount was
virtually refusing TO allow him bail at all
for there were few men III the city who could
rive bail III so large an amount if they were
before his Honor on this charge. 1t was not
customary in Virginia 10 require more than
SO, ,0UO even in the case OF Il h0rse-tlllcl OF
murderer.
Mr.. Burdy appeared for NIr. Bannasch,
and insisted that whatever was done in the
case of Roche his clients bail should be
fixed at $1,000, because If he was at all III
plicated he had only yielded after seventeen
day's temptation, and because his connec-
ton with the crime was, admitting the truth
of the evidence, very slight.
Mr.. Neeson, in reply to the arguments OF
the counsel for the defence, said he desired
only to do his duty to the Government, and
had no motive whatever to make the bai
excessive. The evidence tended to show
that these men had feloniously cOnSpired to
defraud the Government tofintcrnalrevenuc,
and that in pursuance Of that conspiracy
they have actually sold 4 quantity OF coun'
terieit stamps and received therefor the sum
of 81 900. The genuine stamps have only
been before the public and III use for i
few weeks, and they have already been
accurately initiated, and the country Is
Hooded with them. It is not, then. only