Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-06

MAN-wHAr HE SAID TO STAR REPORTER
ABOUT HIS TAKING THE MONEY - PROMISES
MADE By THE COMPANY.
At $50 this morning there alighted from the
Pittsburg express, at the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad station, a slight. smooth-faced young
man dressed in blue, outing shirt and straw
hat. and two men Of middle age. The Young
man was Edwin J. Ryan. the clerk Of the
United States Express Company who on the
2lst Of last month. appropriated to his own IRE
$4,000 Of treasury notes received by the COM
pany that day from local banks for transporta-
ton. Tho gentlemen accompanying Young
Ryan were Chief Detective Byrnes and s. W.
Trenery, route agent of the company. These
gentlemen Immediately turned their charge
over to Bailiff Springman of the marshal's Office
who, in company with Q STAR reporter had
been awaiting Ryans arrival A brother Of
Ryan also awaited his coming. and 10 him the
young man handed his only baggage. a small
bundle Of soiled clothes wrapped in paper.
CROWD AT THE DEPOT.
The announcement in The STAR Of yesterday
that Ryan would arrive this morning caused a
throng Of more than 500 people to assemble at
the station, all anxious to catch a glimpse of
the young man, and great part OF the crowd
followed the officer and his prisoner TO the
court house On the way Ryan had very little
to say. While he undoubtedly fully appreciated
his unpleasant position still he was perfectly
calm and self-possessed. Reaching the court
house he was conducted to the marshal's office
and there he talked quite freely TO Bailiff
Springmsn and The STAR reporter.
TALK WITH RYAN.
He stated that he was twenty years old the
14th Of last May, and that he had been in the
employ Of the United States Express Company
for about eighteen months. He said that the
taking of the money was matter Of sudden i'm
pulse, such a step never having been planned
or even contemplated by him previous to the
moment it was received by him at the COM
panvs Office. WHY" he said and tears filed
the boys eyes, Il have handled hundreds of
thousands of dollars intrusted to the company
before this thing happened, some times as much
as SlO0. 600 being in q single package, and
never thought Of doing such a thing"
WHAT THE COMPANY PROMISED.
Being asked il the company had assured him
that they would deal leniently with him he re-
piled: "They told me that if would go along
quietly, without putting them to the trouble
and expense of getting out requisition papers
and il would assist them in getting the money
from the safe deposit company at Pittsburg
they would do nothing more in the case. but
would leave it all to the district attorney. did
all this for them and now propose throwing my
self upon the mercy of the court"
Bailif Springman suggesting that he had
been rather careless in exhibiting tine money he
had In his satchel on the train, Ryan said:
That is a newspaper lie. I missed the train at
Pueblo. on the way 10 Denver. leaving my bag
in the Pullman car. The conductor cut the bag
open, which he had no right to do, and you
know the rest"
ONLY Used sl2o OF THE MONEY.
Il used but sl20 Of the money They got
%, 200 at Denver, and yesterday got them the
money deposited at Pittsburg, s41, $40. The
sS40 can't account for. think somebody
robbed me Of it on the cars.
After a moments reflection RYAN turned to
Bailiff Springman and asked: ''What is the PEN
atty for this thing?" Springman replied that
he thought 1t was five years. but told the boy
that he would hardly get that much. well"
replied Ryan, Il hope not. 1 think they ought
to treat me well, for have done all could to
mend matters
Ryan stoutly denied having had a confederate
in the matter. saving again that the thing
on a sudden impulse. without the slightest
preparation. and with the knowledge of not a
single outside party.
WHAT THE EXPRESS AGENT SAYS.
The local agent o: the company on being in
formed of Ryan's arrival by The STAR reporter
and of Ryans statement Of the leniency prom
ised him stated that the young mans prosecu-
II
and that everything would be left to him. The
agent stated, however. that whatever
promises Chief Detective Byrnes had
made to Ryan would be kept by the company
What those promises were, if any had really
been made to Ryan, the agent here knew MOTH
ing of.
RYAN IN cotRr.
Whatever may have been the promises made
by the officers Of the company to Ryan ii is
very evident from what District Attorney Cole
said in the Criminal Court this afternoon when
counsel for the prisoner asked that the amount of
bail be fixed. that the young man will be prose-
cuted to the fullest extent Of the law. Mr.. Cole
said that in view Of the amount embezzled, he
thought that $4,000 would be the proper
amount.
Mr.. G. r. French. counsel for Ryan. replied
that nearly every dollar of the amount alleged
to have been embezzled had been returned, and
lie suggested that the amount Of bail
named by the district attorney was ex-
cessive. The young man had willingly re-
turned, he had done all in his power 10 return
the money, and he would be on hand whenever
he should be wanted. He therefore thought
in view OF these circumstances and in view of
the fact that the maximum penalty was but five
years imprisonment and Is 600 fine that 81 900
would be sufficient bail. 1t was not the amount
embezzled but the penalty which should regu-
late the amount Of bail.
INSISTING on HIGH BAIL
81 suggest, your honor" said the district at
torney, ''that the amount embezzled should be
considered 1t was considered in the Ott-
man case a few years ago when the same
amount was, l think, taken, and all Of that
amount. excepting q 900, was recovered. The
offense here charged is a very serious one. and
the defendants presence when wanted should
be safely secured.
Judge Cox stated that it had occurred to him
that $4,000 or $4,000 would be a proper
amount Of bail in the case, and he would for
the present fix that amount.
Ryan was unable to obtain the amount Of
bail fixed and at the adjournment of the court
was taken to Jail In company with . number Of
other prisoners.
y. n. c. A. Base Ball.
W. H. Lewis, who has had the management
Of the Y. n. C. A. base ball team for two sea-
sons previous TO this, has found il necessary TO
resign on account Of business engagements,
which will take him out Of the CITY for ct least