The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-09
CRIME CAUSED
BY M0RPH|N
Postmaster Kept Letters Not
His Own.
HIS CASE NOW ON TRIAL
THE WITNESSES FOR PROSECU-
TION EXAMINED.
HIS CASE NOW ON TRIAL
TESTIMONY FOR THE DEFENSE TO-DAY
Attorneys for the Defendant Intimate That They
Will Plead Temporary insanity ofPost-
master RoGdie, Caused by Pro-
Ionaad Use Of Morphine.
Ionged Use of Morphine,

The Federal court consumed all yester-
day in the trial of two eases: United
States VS.. George O'Briant, of Person
county, for illicit distilling, and United
States VS.. ]. p. Boddie, late postmaster
at Nashville, y. c., for violation of the
postal laws.
O'Briant was acquitted and the trial
of Boddie was not completed. The GOV
eminent will this morning put on the
stand the last of its witnesses and the
defense will then introduce evidence. All
of which, together with argument Oh
counsel. will probably consume part OF
tomorrow's session of the court.
The case will be stubbornIy fought by
counsel District Attorney Bernard and
Assistant District Attorney Spears are
prosecuting, and ex-Congressman =. II.
Bum, Capt W. III. Day, Mr.. j.. III.
Pom and Mr.. Il. \. L. Cooley are de-
Tending.
The bill of indictment charges Boddie
with embezzling or OBTAINING IN his pos
session a dozen letters, as follows: One
letter addressed TO Miss Harriet Eat
man. one to Mrs. Pattie ID. Is. Arlington,
two to Cook and Cooley, six to the Ma
tional Bank of Nashville, one to Atkins
u Co. and one to NJ. c. Marlborough.
Postoffice Inspector FL. A. Gregory
was the first witness put on the stand
He makes very fine witness, under
stands the rules of evidence and tells
what he knows about case directly, ac-
curatcly and in logical sequence.
Mr.. Gregory told first about Mr. Bod
dies connection with the postal service
that he was first postmaster at Nashville
and later assistant postmaster.
Il was sent to make an inspection OF
his offlce-once on July 9TH, and again
on November 10th, 1893. The first time
Boddie was postmaster; the second time
he was assistant postmaster, but III
charge of the office.
Speaking more particularly OF ms
second visit. for that was the time on
which the letters claimed to have been
detained were found, Mr.. Gregory SAID:
while / was looking through the de
livery boxes, ! observed Boddie take
down letter, lying on a shelf over the
delivery window. This letter he took
into the part of the building used as a
store and laid it on desk. Then he went
ont the back door. In few minutes he
came back and / asked to see the letter,
and going to the desk where he had
laid it, / picked it up and found 1t an
official letter from the executive man
sion at W Washington, addressed to Mrs.
Pattie d. h. Arlington, and postmarked
November 9th This was on November
10Th.
ASKED why this letter was there and
not properly delivered. Boddie told me
he was waiting to deliver it in the pres
ence of witness. For Mrs. AIRING
ton is the last person in the world whose
mail / would tanner with he added.
II then pulled open some drawers II
the store,in which were letters address
ed, either to Boddie or to his firm, Bod
die &. Ward. These were tied up in
bundles united them and among then
| found the following letters:
"Cook & Cooley. postmarked Balti
more, May 5, no back stamp showing
time received.
.'Cook & Cooley, postmarked Chicago
May Z. no back stamp
Bank of Nashville, postmarked Bal
timore, April 2, no back stamp.
''The Bank of Nashville no postmark
and no back stamp
Bank of Nashville, postmarked Colds
boro, May 20, no back stamp.
Bank of Nashville. postmarked Gin
cinnati, March 4, no back stamp.
Bank Of Nashville, postmarked Bal
timore, April /, no back stamp.
Harriet Eatman. postmarked Wash
ington, \. j., April 2, no back stamp.
Atkins & Co., postmarked Norfolk
October Z, back stamp October 8.
M. C. Marlborough, no postmark Oh
back stamp.
None of these letters were broker
open and / asked Boddie to account fol
his failure to deliver them.
He said Marlborough had authorized
him to take charge of his mail.
Miss Eatman's letter, he said, con
tanned n receipt for the purchase none,
he had sent on for her for an organ
and he was to keep that for her.
.'As for the Atkins d Co. letter HI
said there was no such firm in Nashville
and he was holding it to find out wher
to send it.
THE letters of the Bank of Nashville
and Of Cook & Cooley he thought, wer
placed in the drawer by accident, alon
with other letters"
Mr.. Gregory then told of his inter
views with the owners of these letters
how they were opened and how he cam
to be in possession of them as eyldenc
in the case He also referred to hi
examination Of Bodies accounts am
said he had some trouble and delay il
securing a settlement.
The letters displayed. by Mr.. Gregor
in court were filed as evidence.
The next witness was Bryant AIRING
ton. son of Mrs. Pattie ID. b. AIRING
ton. He was put on the stand to prov
that he Went daily for his mothers mail
that he called the day previous to In
spector Gregory's finding the letter ad
dressed to her in the office.
Mr.. Hamilton. formerly assistan
cashier of the Bank Of Nashville, wa