The times., 1899-01-15
HELD FOR THE GRAND JURY.
The Hearing I'm the Case of Letter
Carrier Charles +. Bremcrman.


Carrier Charles r. Bremcrman.
Charles Frederick Bremerman, the letter
carried who was arrested last Friday by
Postoffice Inspectors owings and Smith
and charged with embezzling letters and
packages containing checks and money
orders was yesterday arraigned before
United States Commissioner Samuel Mills
and granted a preliminary hearing. He
was held in the sum of 81 500 to await the
action Of the grand jury.
Bremerman was taken 10 the Office of the
commissioner by Deputy Marshal Spring
man at an early hour and placed in an
anteroom to await the hearing, which was
set for l o'clock He was still attired in
the uniform of the carrier service Of the
postofiice department. His father and two
sisters appeared at the Office Of the COM
missioner and an affecting scene TOOK
place when the accused man met his fam
lily. One of the sisters gave way TO her
emotions when she embraced the brother,
and at the suggestion of Commissioner
Mills. the family retired to a back room
until the hearing began. Some of the wit
nesses were not present When the case
was called and the hearing had to be de-
layed until their arrival a half an hour
later.
Assistant District Attorney ShillinGton
represented the Government and Attorney
Campbell Darlington appeared for the ac-
cused. Maj. James Z. Bell, the superin-
tendent of the delivery division Of the city
pcstofiioe, was the first witness called He
informed the commissioner that the let
ter carrier had been suspected and watched
since the early part of December. In
spectors were assigned to the case. They
shadowed the carried. A decoy letter was
! ~ .1.
to the George Howard Publishing Com
| pany, and though it was net to any house
or store on Bremerman's route, it was
placed with his mail The defendant"
said Mr.. Bell, did not take any steps TO
find out where the letter belonged.
Superintendent Bell was asked what was
| the usual course pursued by carriers when
tney rec sived mail tnat could net be deliv-
cred. He replied that tie custom and the
rule of the Office in such case was to re-
turn the letter or package as the case
might be, to the office and indorse it Can
not be found"
A second decoy letter addressed to per-
son at No. COS Fifteenth Street northwest,
on Bremerman's route, was mailed
last Friday. No such person lived at that
address The people living in the house
were requested by the postofice inspectors
TO refuse the letter. 1t should have been
returned to the postof1ce. ON the contrary,
nothing has been heard of it since.
| The postmaster then determined to have
| an interview with Bremerman and he was
| requested TO appear at the private office of
/ that official in the new city postofflce build
! ing. When he reached that room he was
! told that he was going to be searched. The
search resulted in the finding Of no incrim
! mating papers on Bremerman's person.
bunch of keys in one of his pockets
was taken. however, and with them his
locker in the lower part of the building
was opened. Two hats filled almost 10
overlooking with letters were found. Some
/ of them were still intact and contained
money or express money orders. The in
| spectors took these letters to the room OF
! Postmaster Willett. where the accused car
| rier was being detained. He was ques-
! toned about the packets OF letters and ad-
/ mitted that he had been engaged in the
| practice of taking them for period OF
/ about two months.
Inspector David C. Owings. who is the
chief complainant against Bremerman,
was then called. His story corroborated
/ that of the superintendent. The inspector
presented a tabuiated statement of the
number OF letters which had been found
in the locker at the postoffice and the
amounts of money that had been taken
/ from them. This statement showed that
siXtyseven letters were found represent
ing about $40 in money. The postal au-
thorities stated that they knew where
| about S2066 of the money belonged and,
at the suggestion of counsel, the defendant
offered TO make restitution for that amount
| out of his salary.
When the inspector concluded. Attorney
Darlington said that the only thing that
remained to be done by the court was to
fix the bail of the defendant. He asked
that the court do so at once. Assistant
District ATTORNEY Shillington said that in
view of the serious character of the offense,
which was punishable only by hard labor
in prison, the original bail be increased
from $1,000 to $500. Attorney Caring
ton objected, and, after some argument,
the bail was fixed at $500. In default
Bremerman was committed TO the District
jail to await the action of the grand jury.