Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-22
The O... or Cant. re x,es.....

INC NSe Of capt. j. L. kitchener.
ais EXAMINATION ON tbs CT ARoB or RoBBIse
LBrrEas.
THIS morning, at II O'Clock, the ease Of Capt
j. f. Kitchener, chief opener OF dead letters in
the Post Once department, Who was arrested
last week by special agents McPhsil aud Myers,
OF that department, on the charge OF taxing
money from letters at the dead letter ofice. was
called by j. j. johnson. U. 5. Commissioner,
Mr.. Harrington representing the gov eminent.
and Mr.. A. q. Riddle the defendanS. There
was large number OF persons present..
Mr.. Riddle inquired what specific charge Nd
harrington would proceed under, and the stas--
ute.
Mr.. Harrington answered that he expected to
show that the accused had taken money from q
letter, and that the statute was one providing
that for such offences the punish ment shall be .
imprisonment tor from one to nve years.
THE rIRsr WITNESS
was Isaac Myers, special agent, who test ded
that on Saturday morning, December IS, he
placed himself in position in the Dead Letter
ONCE 90 that be could the openers table,
where there were seven persons employed
Saw in a few hours that Mr.. Michener's N amer
Of open ng was different from the others. Saw
him take something, but WAS not satisfied IL
was money. On Monday morning, the 18th In
slant, was at the dead letter office saw Niche
ner sort q pile of letters putting some in PIGEON
hole; saw a coin fall out Of letter; then N .ch-
ener stopped and picked something from the
floor, as also the coin. Saw him open other
letters, one containing bank bills, which he put
in his s--fe, and after walking about the Off ce
he went to the safe and took some money aud
went out. After dinner he came back and
opened some letters, one containing a IS note;
witness saw "K" on it. Another note was
below. and he put the letter in the safe and
subsequently he put his hand in the safe, COX
the money with some chestnuts and put the
money II. his pocket. He went on opening let
tiers until he struck one containing 25 cent
note. Mr.. Kitchener was then put under ar
rest, and witness went to Mchener's safe and
took charge of the box. He admitted taking
the coin. Witne as found S15 in his pocket, one
a So bill marked with X; Kitchener said he
gave the money he got to the clerks around the
table.
WITNESS WAS CONSTRAINED
by Mr.. Riddle, during which he stated that he
had been caulker; was appointed a specl1i
agent about * years ago; had had about 100
cases arrested, among others the postmaster at
Harrington. Del; McPhsil called his attention
to this case on the 18th instant; said he was sat
istied that something was wrong, and asked
witness to assist him: witness was to watch; Col.
Henderson was detailed on the 18th. Witne
explained how he was located, about thirty feet
above the desks; McPhail watched awhile;
there were two ladies watching the defendant,
one in the gallery over him; had glass to assist
him; it was agreed that when Miss Gay saw the
hrst letter taken she should hang up q newspa-
per, the second another psps-, the third to take
one down and the fourth to take all Off; Mich
ener acknowledged taking one coin, but denied
that he took nything else, he explained that it
was custom to keep these until q certain time
and turn them all in; witness did not tell Mich
ener anything about making it right, but Mich
sner proposed to resign; they did not are to
what he had, and he went into his pockets,
taking out $50 in two packages, the coin and
some small change; witness and McPhail ex-
amined the safe on Friday night previously by
taking the hinges of; witness had not stated
that Capt. Kitchener chew up bill when ar
rested.
ANOTHER WITNESS
James l.. HcPhdd testified hat he asked Mich
ener for the coin, and he produced 1t.
Cross-examined:-This occurred in his Office,
about 2:15. Witness said he regretted that he
had been caught. Defendant asked what he
could do, and witness said it was not for him to
advise. Kitchener said he would go to the Post
master General on his Bonded knees and ask to
resign. Witness placed Myers to watch the de-
PENDANT Miss Gay and Miss Long also watched
him.
The government rested at this point.
The defence offered no evidence.
The Commissioner said he wouli have to hold
Capt. Kitchener for the action of the grand jury.
TIE BRIDGET PRICE hABEAs CoRpUs.-This
morning, before chief Justice Cartier, in the
Criminal Court, Messrs. Enoch Totten and P
H. Reinhard appeared and called the attention
OF the court TO the case of Bridget Price, who
was last week committed to Jail by Judge Ohm
Of the Probate Court, for contempt of the order
OF the court in refusing to pay over to the COL
the assets of the deceased. 1t wll be recollected
that on Friday last An application was male to
Judge Humphreys for a writ of habeas corpus,
and the writ was granted, returnabe to- NOR
row before Judge DIN. The counsel for the
petitioner, however, were not satisfied with this
order, as The return was to be made to morrew
btlctt INC JUSTICE WHO fsSueu the order. and
they therefore appeared before Judge Cartier
this morning. On calling Judge C.'S attention
to the case, be ordered that the petition be en-
tered on the minutes of the Criminal Court. the
prisoner to be brought on Wednesday.
SUIT AGAINST A RAILRoAp.-To-day, in the
Circuit Court, the case of j. A. J. Brotherton
against the Ii. & q. X. r., was commenced
Mr.. Brothert)n charges that in February last
he tresiding in Prince Georges county, and
beng IN the habit of stopping at Highland
Stattonl went 10 the depot to purchase ticket
but failed TO obtain one; that he got on the
train and offered to pay his fare to Highlands
did not stop there and demanded 10 cents fare to
Hyat'svilie, and deemng this excessive he
refused TO pay and the train was stopped and he
was elected. For this he claims damages
Messrs. l. Imbert and Browning for plaintiff,
and Messrs. Buchanan And Cox for defendant.
A POLICE STATION ON FIRR-About nine
O'Clock this morning the cells at the Isl Usland)
precinct station house, corner of 9th and T. sts
southwest, caught fire between the ceiling and
roof, caused by a defective hue. There were
hve persons locked up at the time who were
hastily removed to the station, and the flames
were extinguished by the officers without turn
ing IN an alarm. This is the second time the
cells have taken fire, and appeal after appeal
has been made to the authorities to provide bet
ter cells. AS they are at present they are a dis
weather when the fres are kept up.
CERIsTMAs BEEP.-Among all the delicacies
and lasting satisfaction than q choice cut of
beef, such as is advertised in another column by
Mr.. Hunt, the well-knOwn caterer in meats to
the best tables in Washington. His beeves for
this occasion were brought from the far-famed
valley of the Miami, in Ohio, a region that is
celebrated among stock men ard butchers
everywhere for the quality Of it's cattle. But a,
Mr.. Hunt Gays, little need be said on this point
The meat will speak for ITSELF either to the eve
or the palate.
REAL ESTATE TRANsrKRs.-RobertH H. Ward
ct ux. to George Follansbee, lots Nos. 2 and l.
In D. II. Thomp-on's subdivision OF square GIG
S4,iI2; Geo. Bartlett to Sarah f. Herbert, part
OF lot No. o, in square No. 429, 49, John Hay
eel ct ux TO Catharine RYAN, part of lot Is, in
square S67, &, 200: Isaac Pearson to George C.
Humphries, part of lot 20, square II, 81 800; l..
,. Chapman ct NIX. to Jacob Slater, part of lot
23 and part of lot %, square 36l, al ,2OO H. ii.
Brewer ct al. to Margaretta Herth, lots 10 and
IL, square 90, IS.
BY THE ADvERTIsKMEsr elsewhere il will be
seen that District scrip will be taken at 30 cents
on the dollar for the fine solid silver ware gold
and silver watches, rings, chains, books etc.
10 be sold by w. l.. Wall & Co. this evening
and wednesday and Thursday NOR nings ami
eyenlngS-the prOperty of Rohart Euifnp orY