The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-30
IN IRWIN'S TRAP.
Dentist George w. Leek
Arrested.
OPENED OTHERS LETTERS.
Kept an Epistle Sent to DIR. Walsh
Six Days.
HIS ASSISTANTS COMPLAINT.
The Accused Denies the Charge-Be-
trayed Himself to His Accuser.
Held for Trial.

Dr. George w. Leek was rudelv torn from
his luxurious dental parlorS at Otarrell
street yesterday afternoon and conducted
by Deputy United States Marshal TO the
Federal building, where he was charged
with opening letters addressed 10 his as
sistant, DR.. Robert L. Walsh, and where,
in spite of his solemn declaration that be
had done nothing of the kind, Commits
sIoner Heacoek held him TO appear for
trial in the United States District Court.
The evidence against Leek was obtained
by Postoffice Inspector Irwin, who had
little trouble in making and setting the
trap into which the too curious dentist
fell. About two weeks ago DR.. Walsh.
who was in charge of the mechanical de-
partment of Leek's establishment, called
upon Irwin with a complaint that some
one. probably his employer, was opening
his LISTERS. BE also stated that letters ad-
dressed TO other employees when re-
ceived by them bore visible signs that they
had passed through tampering fingers.
Al want to register kick against this
last business" the angry dentist remarked
when be told his tale. Irwin registered
the kick" and sent trusty subordinate
TO watch DR.. Leek. The subordinate
learned that there was letter-bO at
ing in which the dentists parlOrs are stu
ated and that the accused opened the box
daily and carried the letters that were ad-
dressed to himself and his employees up
stairs. Having established this fact the ln-
spector had a letter written TO Walsh by
DR.. I 0ung, also a dentist, and placed in
the box. In this epIstle the writer offered
Walsh a more lucrative position than That
which he held in Leek's office.
DR.. Leek took this letter out of the box
and gave it to Walsh on the folio wing day.
II had apparently been opened by running
pencil under the flap. Walsh said noih-
! ing at the time, and was not surprised
when day or two later Leek came TO him
and said, II hear that you are looking for
| another position. II that is so, l think
can do better for you. Stay with me-"
| DR.. Walsh, who was beginning to find
! bis position interesting. concluded that he
| would take the dentist at his word. He
stayed with him until yesterday, when
! for obvious reasons he Dresen ed his re-
signatiOn.
The letter from Dr. Yourg was not the
only Ppistle addressed To Walsh that fell
| into Leek's hands aud was opened by
MIN. Decoy letter IS were sent by the iD-
| spectOr and ia every instance they were
opened by Leek before reaching Walsh.
On last Friday afternoon Leek took =
latter addressed to Walsh out of the box
and went upstairs with H. 1t was not q
decOy letter. but the inspector had seen
| Leek take 1t and Informed Walsh. The
| latter half an hour before Leek's ares
yesterday afternoon asked him if he haC
seen this letter.
Leek said that he had not. bnt a few
moment later drew il from under S0mi
papers on his desk. where he said he haC
| mislaid it. This letter had also beer
| opened.
Why Leek opened the letter addressed
to his semployes is purely matter of con
lecture. He may have thought that by 81
doing he would have gained some infor
nation of value while his brother was in
vOlved in the Adversely mystery.
Commissioned HeacOck set Leek's bal
at $1,000. If be is found guilty the cour
can impose a penalty of $500 fine and ont
years imprisonment at hard labor TO
every letter opened by him.