Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-14
ELIASON,S CASE.
The Trial Of the Case i'm the Criminal
COurt-TestimOmy for the Defense.

ELaASON'S CASE
The Trial Of the Case i'm the Criminal
COurt-TestfmOny for the Defense.
- Yesterday, in the Criminal Court, the trial OF
Jas. c. Eiiason was continued He is indicted for
violating sections 5467 and 1891, r. s. L. s., In
having emoezzled letter, ana also with conceal
ing letter.
Mr.. Jas E. Bell, superintendent OF the city
delivery OF the city post-of1ice and T. F. Shyrock
night clerk, testified TO receiving the or decoy
letters, and placing them in the mail for the West
washington office.
Thos. Troy, post-ofice inspector, testified that
ne Swallowed the college messenger when he had
received the college mail, but saw nothing sus-
picious in the messengers actions from the time
he got the mail until he delivered It. He went TO
the Georgetown Office with Smith and they entered
at separate doors. Eliason saw smith enter and
became greatly excited, and made movement as
II TO draw something from his pocket, but dropped
his hanC on seeing the witness watching him. He
kept a watch on him until Smith motoned wit
ness to bring him into the room where Mrs. Black
ford, the superintendent. was The rest OF his
evidence was c0rrobOrative OF Inspector smiths.
Z When the testimony for the prosecution was
concluded the defense moved tor the discharge OF
the defendant on the ground that no case had
been made, and that there was no proof that the
decoy letters had ever lett the city post-ofce.
Justice Montgomery, oyerrued the motion and
The attorneys for the defense addressed the Jury
and claimed they would prove the good character
OF the defendant: that he did not take the decoy
lettef, and they would prove the party that did
take II; that Ellason found the marked money IN
the stamp drawer, and TOOK 1t out to send 10 the
city for theater tickets and that the letter ad-
dressed to Mrs. Shepherd defendant put In his
pocket inadvertently While waiting on customers
at the delivery window.
TESTIMONY TO-DAY.
This morning the trial was resumed and the de-
PENDANTS put on tthe stand Commissioner Wheat
ley and T. ". Jones as to the good character OF
the accused.
Mrs. II. W. Blackford testified that she was the
superintendent OF the GEORGETOWN office: that the
stamp drawer was hot altogether Ia charge or de-
PENDANT; that while defendant was responsible for
the reception OF the mail, the carriers performed
was in the habit OF receiving the early mail.
She was quite sure that Mr.. ElasOn did
not receive the mail on the morning OF No
yemOer 8. Witness described the dumping
OF the MAIL sorting II on table, the placing OF the
college mail In the college box, &c. There were
some persons in the Office who did not assert the
mail. Among them Mosely, the janitor. lie, how
ever did some stamping. Mr. EliasOn was held
responsible for the stamp drawer, but he was
never had sufficient force. The early mail arrived
usually at @ or G:l5 O'Clock; the defendant
at Sa s9cqSs and the college mes
$50 o'clock. Stamps were not sold prior
70 the arrival OF defendant or herself.
Mails were sent TO Washington at q, g. IL 40 a. M,
go. $3.50 pm. Mr. EliasOn was responsible for
the drawer TO the amount OF So and he may have
used money from il.
Eliasons duty TO place the college mail IN the
box, but 1t was sometimes done by Others The
carriers are due AT 6:45 O'Clock and they usually
leave before or at O'Clock, before the messenger
from the college arrives. Mr.. EiiasOn had no con-
troll OF The mOhey-Order drawer, but had access to
II, and this drawer was sometimes short The morn
Ing OF the arrest the stamp drawer was yOme sI:i
short. Witness opened the registered poJch about
7:30 O'Clock that morning and went TO breakfast,
that the o o'clock mail had been sent when the
Inspectors came TO The Office. Witness was shown
the shepherd letter. and said that should have
left at IL a.; IL was EllaSon'S duty TO stamp IL
and put IL in the Washington bundle. When In
spector Smith came In the Washington bundle had
not been tied mp, and Mr.. Eliason was looking
over the Tenleytown mail for which the messenger
was waiting.
u. W. Brewer, civil engineer, testified TO the
ONCE.
ELIAsoNs STATEMENT.
The defendant took the stand and testified that
he was forty-nine years OF age, and had lived In
Georgetown all his life excepting one and a half
years; went In the Office as n carrier in 1878: was
promoted to a cerkship In six months; was the
only clerk. Mrs. BlacKford was superintendent
with four carriers, Chas. Mosely, the janitOr and
himself employed IN the Office. ON November s.
witness said the first mail was received about Is
O'Clock by Mr.. Appler, carrier. He was due at
6:45 ana usually found the mail hal been dumped
out. Was quite sure on November he found APP
pier and Wilson there. There was rush TO get
the mail out The second mail was received at
10, ana this too was assorted and sent out at &
O'Clock. witness said that on his arrival he went
TO work asserting the mail in boxes. then took the
college mail which he had been INSTRUCTED to ex-
anime because or complaints. Witness received it
after it had been sorted and took it to Mrs Black
ford's table and laid the letters down, and
examined the backs; did not notice that any OF
them had been tempered with, and left them for
Mrs. Blackboard to look over, and went about other
duties attending the delivering OF letters and
stamping up the letters rs they came in Witness
desiring TO go to the theaCer that night went to
the stamp drawer and took four 81 notes out and
went out OF the Office To grocery store and
bought some meat for chicken feed, but returned
In q few minutes to meet the 1880 O'clock mail
Then went TO work on that mail, and then the
TenieytOwn mail came In, and a short time
after that two carriers came In. Witness
saw Mr.. Troy when he came in on a rush and re-
work, but Troy kept watching him. In about ten
minutes Mrs. BlackfOrd said that Mr.. Smith wanted
to SEQ witness in her room, and went In. Mr.
smith said he had mailed letter to the George
town College with 81 IN II, and asked II witness
had 1t. Witness denied IT, and Smith asked him to
show what he had in his pockets and he did so;
Smith identified the notes and said, ''Here it is;
you might as well own up" Mr.. Smith then
came pack with another note, saying he
had got II from the stamp drawer. Mr.
smith left Mr.. Troy, remaining for about an
hour, when witness was taken before Commits
sioner Mills and gave bail. He regarded the stamp
drawer as his, for he was responsible for it, He
believed that Mrs. Blacktord tried to prevent
others using 1t, but he knew that stamps were
sold from It In the evening. The drawer had been
q source OF trouble to him because OF the shorts
and lie had taken some OF the money out and put
IL In announcer place. MI. smith maze an inventory
OF the contents, which, with the $40 in an
other drawer, footed up about sss Witness
said II the ONeill letter was In the
mail it must have passed through his hands but
he had no recollection or II. He did not open that
any other letter at that or any other time VIII
ness certainly did not open the letter. but got the
money ia the manner he stated from the stamp
drawer. Sometimes while sorting the mail he
would be called TO the window. He would keep
them In his hand and II the call for stamps he
would lay them down or put them in his
pocket He had Just attended call at the
window when Mr.. Troy came In. THIS letter
was intended for the Washington mail He
did not take the money, nor did he
have the letter Tor the purpose or detailing it.
ELIAsOS CROss-EXAMINED.
On REORGANIZATION witness said when he got
to the ONCE on November Appler and Wilson
were there; he did not know on what table the
mail was but was certain the mail was in the
office. Witness, with the four carriers, assorted it
In the box. witness would not say who took the
letter or put tho money IN the drawer. Witness
repeated that the letter to Mrs Shepherd was In
his hand when called TO the box. Witness was
directed 10 take IL, and asked II IL did not have
money In it. He answered that 1t felt like 1t had
an enclosure. He reiterated that II was an acct
dent that he put the letter In his pocket; and said
he took the money from the stamp drawer intend
ing to buy theater tickets, thinking thar he had
about that amount over.
This closed defendants case.
TESTIMONY IN REBUTTAI-
In rebuttal, Mr.. Arthur M. Appler was called,
and testified that Mr. EIlason cut the string of the
bundle, as was his duty; that the letters were
stamped by MT. Hudson. and they all went to as
sorting. Witness had no access TO the stamp
drawer and put no money In 1t.
On crOSS-examinatiOn witness said he usually
reached the Office half on hour before the mail ar
rived. that he remembered distinctly that Mr.
GlfaSp ont which ha