The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-23
oncial, warning in size bun or yellow, with printed
announcement .tOllcial DuainesS.n

endorsement ''onlcial business"
TESTIMONY OF HENRY KAYLER
Henry Kayler, q CLERK In the foreign mails de-
partment for ten years, deposed that he had known
Mr. Riley ever since he HAD been In the Post once;
ness knows Robert Kennedy. and was in the Post
ONCE at the Tune Of RlleyIs arrest; when Witness
came IN kennedy 1ns was s9g on oox es ps
ton, with his hands casped over the back OF ms
head; passed Kennedy and took OF my oyercoat;
own table that ! was working on that day-the
second tabIe-and had just time enough to pick up
q paper when the arrest was made; heard con-
fusiOn the box that Kennedy sat on was nine TO ten
feet IRON the partition between him and Riley;
NEEDY that morning; IRON where he sat be could not
see anything lying on Rieys table but could see any
thing breas, nigh before I slsy In case Riley was
male this test. and Lord and Gilderseeve.
Cross-examined-l did not SEQ Kennedy when
came back from hanging up my oyercoaE
TESTIMONY OF EDGAR KIRBY.
Edgar Kirby, clerk In the Post ONCE, testified
that he mad known defendant four years; Is In the
foreign isIter department.; had been in the room
with Riley three minutes before his arrest. and had
stepped ont; before that was working right along:
side or Riley; did not see MN open any letter;
was three TO i've feet from HIM on MS left; there
was no one between us; l have seen domestic let
tiers come there by mistake with the envel0pes OPEN
sr hp would Zeal hs np sy s
them "open when received at this onice,U SO that
they might 90 10 that mall, and sometimes ! have
mall went out II ne was IN great hurry; Rileys
reputation 10 unsuspected.
tross.examine.-I never took letter to Riley
which was OPEL ana sQa MN 1. TO take money out
- TESTIMONY OF THOMAS A. PLATE:
ra CLERK IN the Re 4H e sest or
six yS Rss Ssa was gS
about ten feet from the parttl0ni sat In that
place and could not see through the window any
one open letter on the table unless he held 1t up
.Cross-examined-Wh hen stood up and walked to-
wards the window could see.
standing up where Kenaedy was You couid See
man open q letter on the table.
TESTIMONY OF EDWARD j. MERCER.
Edward J. Mercer, CLERK In the Foreign Depart
ment OF the Post OLlce, testified that on the day OF
Rileys arrest he worked az the same table, ABOUT
fifteen feet from him, at the time Of the arrest we
some times receive letters with post mark obi.
terated; we send them TO the dead letter oflce; did
not see defendant open any letter that morning
Cross xamined- could well see what Riley was
doing; heard Riley say there was mistake
TESTIMONY OF THE DEFENDANT.
The defendants counsel then proposed 60 exam
Inc Riley on his own behalf az. ;hey was sworn
the witness that the evidence which he gives will
be taken down and may DO used against him on the
trial.
The defendant then said:--i am ffty-two years of
ase; reside IT. ITO FORSYTH street; nave resided
OF s SeaE Of
New York Post ONCE; have been in the Post ONCE
years 1a nave been u AS
are to see that all the fore gn mails are
properly got up ana sent forward to their destina,
tlOn and report the same TO the superintendent;
have also to SEND out misscnt letters and dead let
tiers. and see that they are RIGHTLY disposed Of; re-
ceive q great many missent letters. and sometimes
| envelope and send back to the place where tley
/ receive, frequently .unseaed letters; these
seal up; sometimes l examine them; when
1
them; If there is any suspicion examine them
consider have that discretionary power; II is rot
tom consider that by. tne custom OF the Office
have right 70 take out the contents Of unsealed
letter II think there Is anything sus 'icious In re-
gard 10 1t; have sent such up to Mr.. Gaylor; at
other times seal them ana send them OF; on the
sixty letters OF circulars rom dnsrisston: sspa
rated them to see II they were all circulars, as we
blanks sealed up slightly, with no address; felt Of
snS to ese nem Snnag NO eo
them them away as waste paper, below tue table, as was
my duty. The witness then described the circuln-
an open letter; 1t was all unsealed except at one
corner; turned It over on the table to seal II up
sssr sHa ~
@ X Ss asa qf%s sa4 hot sr s%ssl
R IN 81 . i sss ses Ke SSS
he meant; told him not to tear the letter. that l
| why spoke so; thought lie was joking; had no
| idea he meant to arrest me; had not had chance
to read the letter. was going 10 See Il there was
| anything wrong about 1t; was going TO take that
with other letters up to Gayor; was not going to
steal that money; have known "decoy' letters
sent through tue Post Office; have seen other
clerks open letters that had not been prepaid, and
the Post Ofilce stamp was obliterated; that was a
| custom.
| The defendant was cross-examined at some
| length, but the examination did not produce any
| variation in the statements he had made.
Mr.. Purdy, at the close OF the examination, re-
quesrcd that the defendant should sign his dep0s-
| ton.
| Counsel for defendant objected to this, on the
| ground that the other witnesses had not been re-.
1 CURED to do so.
The Commissioner sustained the objection, and
the hearing Of the case was further postponed to
| the oath inst .e.-r.~