Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-19
Details Of the Stamp Robbery Com
ing Out Today.
HEARING IN THE POLICE COURT
Evidence Showing the Robberies
Not All Recent.
S o NJ z WIT y Z S s f g

the case involving the alleged wholesale
robbery Of postage stamps from the bureau
OF engraving and printing was called. But
the case Of John Shea was also to be called.
and Il was not certain which case attracted
the most attention. In the Shea case some
Of the females from Louise alley were ex-
pected as witnesses. and three women from
the Division were known TO be called In
the stamp case.
William u. Smith and George w. Long
street the men charged with the stamp
robbery were in the dock during some pre-
limlnary skirmishing concerning the right
Of the court to hear the case. This question
was raised by counsel for the defendant,
Smith. who interposed a plea to the juris-
diction of the court
Chief Hazen of the secret service division
Of the Treasury Department occupied a seat
beside Prosecuting Attorney Mullowney. The
witnesses were all called and sworn. one OF
them was Detective Weldon but Dr. Wes-
ley II. Davis, the United States stamp agent,
whom Detective Weldon wanted examined,
did not respond when his name was called,
and IL was ascertained that he had not
been summoned.
Judge Miller overruled the motion oc
counsel. temporarily. and proceeded 10 hear
the evidence.
r. ,. Sullivan Testiae..
The first witness called was Thomas J.
Sullivan, assistant chief Of the bureau OF
engraving and printing. Mr.. Mullowney
examined him concerning the work OF the
bureau, and he said that among other
things postage stamps Of all denominations
are printed there. He said when ques-
toned that a shortage OF 5000 2-cent post
age stamps was discovered about the 9th
of this month
Mullowney asked witness II he could say
where they were printed.
4 can" was his answer. "a portion OF
them were printed by the American Bank
Note Company in New York and the others
were printed in the bureau"
Witness knew longstreet. He first knew
him as a packer OF postage stamps at the
bureau. Smiths duties there were TO assist
in removing stamps from the vault to the
packing room.
what is the value Of the 5000 stanpsg'
witness WAS asked.
"One Thousand dollars" was his reply.
On crOss-examination witness said he was
able 10 tell the stamps printed In the bu-
reau because Of triangular ornament In
one corner.
Are you able TO say that these partlcu-
lar stamps were printed in the bUreau?"
Yes, sir"
May they not be counterfeits?"
mo, sir. None OF these stamps mad been
issued and the cOunterfeiters had not lad
an opportunity to get them"
The shortage. he said, was discovered by
the Postmaster at Iona, Mich. who failed
to get the stamps he ordered
When questioned by the court witness
said that stamps sent out from the bureau
were last handled by the defendant, Long
street, who packed them in MANILA paper
and put them in the registered mail.
Continuing, witness explained more fully
Smiths connection with The work In the
bureau, and said that when the work OF
printing stamps was transferred to the
bureau the Columbia Bank Note Company
turned over between JOO.uOO.OOO and UOOOOU.-
coo stamps.
Witness said he had been in the bureau
for twenty-five years. The records show a
shortage of -, 100 stamps.
The Iona package was returned and wit
ness said he rad the wrapper at the bureau.
He judged, from the size OF the wrapper,
that only 5000 stamps had been wrapped
In it, These stamps were packed about
September .. ana there were four or five
packers at work at that time Defendant
Smith sometimes assisted the packers. but
he did not know that Smith was packing at
that time. The stamps missing from the
bureau were bank note stamps.
Counsel IhereUpon asked tnat the bureau
stamps 800 OF them in court, be stricken
from the case, but the Judge said ne would
not do so at this stage of the hearing The
Iona package was delivered for shipping on
the 18th OF September.
Big Orders.
On that particular day there were more
than 100000 stamps SHIPPED the Iowa
order calling for loooo9 2-cent postage
stamps. The bureau had sent out as many
as 22.O0O.oO0 stamps in a day, and had sent
as many as JoooDe or GooUoO to one post
office. He could not tell which one Of the
several packers had put up the Iowa pack
age. Since the bureau took charge of the
work of printing the stamps eight or ten
complaints have been received Of alleged
shortage Of stamps. In such cases witness
| said the facts were reported the United
States stamp agent by a circular letter.
| Witness had not brought a copy of this
| letter with him, but as Lawyer Guion Mil
| Ter, Longstreet's counsel. was anxious to
have IL In court witness sent TO the bureau
| for it. Witness said that In answer to
these circular letters he had received re-
| sponses that some OF the packages had
been sent wrong. and had been recovered.
| Following this, witness was questioned at
| length concerning the manner of shipping
the various packages Of stamps and OF the
manner in which they are counted, a rep
resentative OF the Post Office Department
| counting the sealed packages.
| Defendant Longstreet drove 10 the reg
I istry division Of the city post office with
| the stamps. The packages were In a
| wagon, and the defendant did not have ac-
| cess TO them.
Lawyer Miller asked what the defendant
| would could Rave done with a package
Of stamps had he taken them In the bu-
| reau. Witness c,uld not tell. for he said
| there are about ten other persons In the
room. The first issue OF these stamps. wit
ness said, was sent to New York.
1 What is Smiths official position In the
| bureau?' the court asked.
| Hes a laborer."
/ what is his salary7
| $3.50 a year"
| "And Longstreets?
Hes an expert handler OF these pack
| ages" replied witness. ''and as an induce
ment to bringing him here from New York.
| where he was employed by the. Bank Note
/ Company, he was given $40"
| William Il. Hazen, chief of the secret
/ service, was next sworn, and Mr.. Mullowny
| asked him II he had had a conversation with
| Defendant Smith. and objection was made
to his giving evidence OF a confession until
| the prosecution had shown @ larceny. The
| prosecuting attorney then showed witness q
| package Of 500 stamps, ar asked him from
| where he got them. He replied that he got
| them from his chief clerk. MFR. McWLliams.
| z. G. Guin, who has the cigar store In the
| Hotel johnson, was then put on the stand.
| and he said he boueht the 500 stamps for
| S. and the nan from whom he purchased
| them said he was a prfr ter, and gave wit
| ness his card, which bcre the name will
| lam b. Smith. 1424 Rhode Island avenue"
He could NOT poSftiyely identify defandan M