The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-02-04
FOR TAPPING MAIL BOXES.
THE HEARING OF l.. A. DONALD
son AND ]. w. COLLIER
AT WACO.
COLLIER CONFESSED EVERYTHING.
Told of Opening Mail Boxes in Waco and
Austin Under Direction of Donald
son-Bail Was Fixed at $1,000
for Each of Them.

Waco, Tex, Jan. 31.-(Special.)-J. w.
Collier and l.. A. Donaldson were before
Hon. j. Il. Finks, United States commits
sioner, yesterday to answer to the charge
that the two defendants Ibid forge keys
to the United States mail boxes, and did
steal United States mail matter" The
witnesses testifying were j. w. Collier,
one of the defendants; Inspector l.. s.
Woods of the United States postoffice de-
partment, and Postmaster John Il. Har-
rison.
The testimony showed that l.. A. Don
aldson is a resident of Waco, and j. w.
Collier halls from WaXahachie. Post
master Harrison testified chat during last
December locks were taken from the
street letter boxes ut the corner of Sew
enth and Webster and at the corner of
Sixth and Dutton streets. The disap-
pearance of locks were reported to the
department, and officers assigned to the
duty of tracing the matter up.
Inspector l.. $. Woods testified that
he went to New Orleans, and in company
with deputy marshal arrested l.. A.
Donaldson. The inspector identified sew
eral thin steel saws, several files, keys
and strips of metal as the property OF IL.
A. Donaldson and found in his possession
when he was arrested on the 9th inst. ut
New Orleans. A key which fits locks of
street letter boxes was identified by In
spector Woods as having been found on
the person of Donaldson at the time of
his arrest With this key the inspector
opened several locks taken from letter
boxes of the government, 5 V X combine
ton, and testified that they would open
any street letter box at Waco or Austin,
rs the same combination was in use at
both these points.
j. w. Collier took the stand and under
oath incriminated himself as an accom-
plice in the robbery of the letter boxes.
He testified in part as follows:
Il have been off and on for seven years
u resident of Waxahache, Ellis county,
Tex. | became acquainted with Il. A.
Donaldson last spring i'll Waco. and lived
with him on North First street | help
ed him paint his house. lie told me he
knew way to make money easy without
working, and told me to ring him two
letter box locks | cut the locks off the
boxes with file Donaldson gave me. and
he burst them open and filed keys to
them, using brass from which to make
the keys. We went together and open
ed a box on Austin avenue and another
on South Eighth street, taking out letters
which Donaldson opened and destroyed.
He gave me two of the keys he had made
and sent me to Austin. | was told by
Donaldson to rob letter boxes at Austin,
San Antonio and Galveston, and to re-
turn to Waco in time to report to him
here the day before Christmas day.
opened one box at Austin, and was ar
rested by Chief of Police Lucy"
The witness identified files. keys and
saws as the property of l.. a. Donald
son. He gave his age at is, and stated
that he was Il farm hand. The COM
missioner placed the bail of the two de-
PENDANTS at $1,000 each. They could not
furnish bail and both went to Jail
The charge of ,robbng letter boxes with
forged keys is rare and excited much in
terest, the commissioners court room be-
ing crowded during the hearing.