The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-05
SITTING THE BIG STAMP STEAL
COLMAN GIVES CASH BAIL TO GO TO
HIS FATHERS DEATH BED.

His Partner at Washington Says the
Alleged Stamps Are Only Proofs
and That COImRn Was Guilty of No
Crime in Obtaining Them-COIman
stamp Collector and Spectator
For Long Time and His Repu-
tatiOn Heretofore Untarnished.
New York, Feb. 4.-Hamilton F. Col
man. who was arrested yesterday for hav-
ing 5000 worth of government period
cal' stamps unawfully in his possession,
to-day furnished $1,000 cash bail for his
appearance before Commissioner Shields
for preliminary examination on Wednes-
day next. He departed at once to visit
his father, who is reported to be dying
at Cooperstown. He is a nephew of Com
missioner of Agriculture Colman of Mis-
souri,, who held office before the incumbent
was made a cabinet officer.
Washington, Feb 1.-The postoffice in
spectors at Washington are still in the
dark concerning the alleged robbery of
periodical stamps by Hamilton f. Col
man, who was captured in New York yes
terday. This is the first case of any inn
portance that has come directly under the
Washington division for a long time and
completely battles these officials. They
cannot ferret out the source through which
these stamps were obtained. They were
in consultation with Third Assistant Post
master General Craig all the morning, and
also with A. G. Townsend, said to be
partner of Colman, but will not diVulge
any part of their proceedings
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Maxwell said this afternoon that the post
office officials had so far been unable to
ascertain where the stamps had been
stolen, but would work the matter out to
a satisfactory conclusion. Various theo-
rleS were advanced as to how they were Sc
cured, but proof could not be obtained.
Some of the alleged stolen stamps are
now under inspection at the department.
At this place of business, Mr.. Townsend
talked very frankly about his connection
with the affair and stated emphatically
that the stamps which Mr.. Colman had
were not stamps at all, but proofs of news
paper and periodical stamps.
Il am not at liberty to say all l know
about this matter at present, said Mr..
Townsend, but | can say, without any
hesitation, that the postoffice department
has made a mistake in regard to Mr.. Col
man. L am satisfied he had nothing in
his possession that he had not come hon
estly by and that he had not a perfect
right to have. l cannot state now where
we got these proofs, but that is what they
are, and it will be found that Mr.. COlman
got them honestly and has a right to have
them. 1t is true that these newspaper
and periodical stamps are stolen by burg
lars and 1t is also true that postmasters
sell them. But those found on Mr.. Cole
man were not obtained in that way They
were, as | said before, proofs, perforated
and glued.
Agitation of the subject has developed
number of methods by which stamps can
come legitimately into the hands of col
lectors. They are found in many stamp
collections, the owners of which learn now
for the first time4that there is a law on
the statute books making it misde-
meanor for private individuals to have
them in possession.
Townsend says Colman has been a stamp
collector and Spectator for a long time
There remains to be explained the guam
tity of these stamps, or proofs, as Town
send alleges them to be, in Colmans
hands, and the manner of obtaining them.
Upon these points Townsend and Coman
are silent and the postoffice people pro-
TESS to be ignorant.
There has heretofore been no cloud on
Colmans reputation and his family assert
that he was called to the bedside OF his
dying father in the interior of New York
state, and his stop in New York city was
intended to be only long enough to call
on the New York correspondent of himself
and Mr.. Townsend and secure an unsold
consignment