The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-17
ROBERT BoURKE ACQUITTED.
No POSITIVE EVIDENCE THAT HI
ENBEZZLED LETTERS.

Government Mail bag With "A Sar-
dine Can 40 Get the Money Out.
Louis r.. TOOmer Indicted for
Forging Name 10 Pension
Checks-A True Bill Against Miss
| Mamie OIiveira, Charged with
Sending Obscene Letters ana Pos
tai Cards Through the Mails.
I The session Of the United States court
/ yesterday was devoted to criminal busl-
ness Of which there is quite a large
amount on the docket.
Robert II. Bourke. formerly cancel
/ ling clerk in the Savannah postohice.
was tried under an indictment charging
| him with embezzling and unlawfully car
rying away letters. The case against
BOurke was made on evidence secured
/ by Postomce Inspectors Barry and Jones,
who watched him from a peep-hole in
the postmaster's office. while he was at
his desk in the postofice. They were
confident from what they saw
that he had carried or two
letters while they We're watching him.
and secreted them under his blouse He
was arrested and searched, but no let
tiers were found on his person.
There was no evidence TO prove that
Bourke had taken any letters at any
time, except such as We're addressed to
himself, and the evidence on which he
was turned over by Commissioner Beck
EFT, and on which he was afterward in
dicted, was that of the two inspectors
who had watched him from the post
masters Office. District Attorney Gary
said he would not insist upon a conviction
in the case under what evidence had been
presented, and Bourke was acquitted. He
was defended by Hon. f. G. duBignon
and Mr.. p. J. O'Connor.
Charley Hicks Of Quitman pleaded
guilty to the charge of injuring a Uni
ted States mail bag and an ATTEMPTED
larceny Of letters. He was broke. he
said, and some one told him to cut open
the mail bag and get the money out
OF the letters in it. He cut the bag open
with an old sardine can, but said his
serach failed to reveal any money. and he
left the letters alone He said he had
nothing to say as to why sentence should
not be passed, but begged for the ex-
IRENE mercy of the court. Judge Speer
gave him the lowest sentence possible
under the statute and Hicks will spend
one year and one day IN the Columbus
penitentiary.
The case Of George Runge. a white
man charged with larceny of govern
ment property from Fort Pulaski. was
brought up on request of Mr.. A. L. AL
exander Runges attorney. Runge's
bond was estreated a day or two ago
on account of his failure to appear in
court when his case was called. and
yesterday morning Runge who Is a rod
man in the employ of the county at
convict camp No. !, was arrested by
Deputy Sheriff Dayton. The attorney
stated he had not been notified of the
indictment, and hence had not notified
Runge to appear In court. The defend
ant was in the city, however and he said
he would appear whenever wanted. On this
statement of facts Judge Speer said he
would grant an order for his release II
his surety consented to give a new bond.
The grand jury returned several in
dictments, reported to the court and was
discharged for the term.
A true bill was found against Louis
b. Toomer, who is charged with having
forged the name of Reuben Gibbons to
three pension checks. The checks were
sent out for Gibbons, and Toomer acted
as his notary to witness his signature.
Gibbons charges that his money for
three-quarters was drawn and appropria-
ted by Toomer.
A true bill was also found against AL
eXander II. CASTOR, who is charged with
a violation OF the pension laws. He was
instrumental in obtaining a pension to
the amount of about 81 900 for a woman
named Visa Strickland, and he charged
her. it is claimed, $1,000 Of the amount,
whereas he should have charged her only
SIS.
Miss Mamie Olveria was indicted on
a charge of sending obscene letters
through the mails. The case is a we'll
Savannah n
long time conductors and motormen, and
some officers of the law continued to re-
ceive obscene letters and postal cards,
and the matter was finally placed in the
hands of the postofhce inspectors. On
the evidence they secured Miss Oliveira
was turned over to the court and in
dicted, though she has all along pro
tested her innocence of the charges.
James ]. Morgan and J. Frank Mason
We're indicted on charges of making,
having in their possession and passing
counterfeit silver dollars. They will be
remembered as having been arrested last
May by Detective Wetherhorn on
statement made by Aegro who claimed
to have been with them. They have never
given bond and have remained in Jail
ever since they were arrested.
p H Allsbrook of Glynn county, Jerry
Harris of Coffee. ID. II. Bennett and
! George Parks were also indicted on
charges of having in their possession and
passing counterfeit money.
In the matter of the application OF
! T. j. Williams for bail, Judge Speer
! granted an order allowing him to give
| bail in. the sum of $4,000 for his appear
/ ance before the United States court in
| Macon, and further in the sum of $1,000
! to guarantee the defendants good be-
| havior and submission to processes OF
/ the United States courts. Williams is
/ charged with conspiracy and murder he
| having been concerned in the dispute
over lands of Norman W. Dodge in Tel
! fair county, which resulted in the killing
\ of a negro. named Tom Young
j. r. Folsom of Quitman was indicted
on charge of forging the name of a
notary to an affidavit in the case of the
pension claim of Sarah Powers. whose
husband was said to have served in the
! Mexican war. Mr.. Folsom is the father
! of Montgomery NJ. Folsom, the well known
/ Georgia journalist, and is between 60 and
! 20 years old He is in very Strengthened
circumstances financially and his msfor-
tune is the subject of general regret.
Getting Back the Pressure.