Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-08
THE STAMP ROBBERY
The Trial of Smith Commenced in Court
pc. -.e Today.
Witnesses for the Government Ex-
-amined-What 1t is Expect
ed to Prove.

VIM. B. Smith, a young white man, was
placed on trial before Judge McComas In
Criminal Court No. 1, this morning, on an
indictment charging him with the larceny
of 10000 2-cent postage stamps from the
bureau of printing and engraving in Sep
TENDER last Assistant District Attorney
Jeffords represented the prosecution, and
o. B. Hallam and r. r. Revill appeared on
behalf of the defendant.
In his opening address Mr.. Jeffords eX-
planned to the jury that Smith was, In
September last, employed in the bureau as
a laborer, and that in the performance OF
his duties he assisted in the handling OF
the printed stamps. The indictment al
legged stated Mr.. JeffordS that on the first
of September last Smith stole from the
bureau 10000 of the stamps and $1,000 on
the 26th of that month. The government
would show, said Mr.. Jeffords, that Smith
mad possession of a large number of the
stamps, selling here $50 worth for SIS. 1t
would also be shown, said MIR. Je!TordS,
that Smith carried great many of the
stamps to New York in a bag where he
displayed them and unsuccesSfully endeav-
ored to dispose of them.
Mr.. SulIivan's Evidence.
The defense reserved their opening, and
the government called as the first witness
Thomas J. Sullivan, the assistant chief Of
the bureau of printing and engraving.
Mr.. Sullivan described in detail the meth
cd of counting and packing stamps at the
bureau and the way in which they are
transferred, in registered packages, to the
Post Office Department. On croSS-eXam1-
nation the witness was asked what precau-
tions taken by the officials to prevent
the purloining of stamps from the vaults
at the bureau.
In reply Mr.. Sullivan said that stock IS
gone over once each week, but the pack
ages are counted as containing $4,000
stamps each and are not opened to verify
that fact. There is a keeper, an assistant
keeper and several subasSistants at each
vault, said the witness, each OF whom
have been in the employ of the bureau
from 10 to Is years.
Employees Supposed to BE Honest.
All of them were supposed to be entirely
honest, and the defendant, Smith, was in
cluded in the number. The entire business
at the vaults was conducted on the suppo-
sition that the employees were honest, and
no watch was kept over them. According
to the witness, Smith was in the vault
alone several times daily, when the keeper
and the other assistants were In another
part of the office.
Stamp Agent Davis.
Wesley R. Davis, stamp agent of the
Post Office Department, next took the
stand, and told Of a confession made to
him by Smith, describing the visit of the
latter to New York in company with Beach
and two women. According to Davis, Smith
denied having taken the stamps from the
department, but admitted, however, that
he purchased a quantity from Longstreet
for the purpose of specializing, and did sell
them at various places in this city
Mamie Mann, who is in charge of the
packing room at the bureau, stated that
Smith had often packed stamps. TO her
personal knowledge, in August, 1894. The
witness added that Smith on several oc-
casions neglected his duty so far as as
sisting her to pack stamps was concerned.