The evening times., 1899-11-05
Held ONDBR HEAVY BAIL
Letter Carrier Marshall ArraigRed
for Mali TheftS.
rostonice OmciaIs Appear A-ainst
Him Before United States Commits
sioner Mills-Inspectors Tell of
Trapping the Colored Man-Had
Three Letters in His Possession.

William H. Marshall, the colored letter
carrier. arrested yesterday evening by
United States Postoffice Inspector D. c.
Owings, was given a hearing this morning
at 10:45 o'clock before United States Com
missioner Samuel C. Mills. Marshall was
charged with violating sections 1891. 3.S92,
5.467, 5,469, and 5,471 of the Revised Stat
utes. Attorney John A. Clarke appeared
for the defendant, while the Government
was represented by Assistant United States
District Attorney Semmes. After hearing
the statements of witnesses for the Gov
ernment, Commissioner Mills ordered that
Marshall be held for the action OF the
grand jury Bond was fixed at 81 500. which
was later furnished, and Marshall re-
leased.
Marshall, who is thirty-fve years Of age.
has been connected with the Postofiice De-
partment for eleven years He Is married.
and resides with his wife and children at
246 Fourteenth Street southeast. For sew
eral years past he has held the route re-
signed yesterday when he was arrested.
The man had been free from suspicion
until recently, when, according to the tes-
timoiylof Inspector Owings, the first wit
ness NSamined this morning, his actions
and tie fsct that certain mail handled by
him could not be accounted for, an investi-
gation was decided upon.
Mr.s0wings testified that Marshall came
into the City Postoffice yesterday aft
ernoon about AIS O'Clock He then drew
his care" assorted his mail. and went out
on his route to make a collection. He re-
turned at about 6:15 o'clock and performed
his duty of facing up the mail.
Mr.. 0wings watched him and saw him
put two letters in his mouth. He also, he
said. saw the defendant pick up bundle OF
letters and walk down the aisle with them
in his hands. The two letters were still
held in the mouth of Marshall. He then
returned to his table after depositing the
bundle of letters and left the building. Wit
ness followed Marshall to the corner OF
Twelfth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue,
when he took him into custody, assisted by
Edwin c. Bartlett, foreman Of the city de-
livery division Of the City Postofiice.
Witness further testified to taking Mar
shall into the room OF Sergeant ]. L. Sprin-
kle at No. / Station. There Marshall was
searched and three letters found in the left
hand pocket of his coat.
The letters which were submitted in evil
dence were addressed to Miss Helen G.
Hurley, 769 North Mount Street, Baltimore.
Nd" Miss Sarah d. Graham. 10S West
jackson Street, Richmond, Va" and MRS.
A. R. Elliott, 2S29 Calumet Avenue, Chica-
60, ILL.," Witness states that the first two
named letters had been mailed by himself
as test" letters. The third letter he knew
nothing of, except that it was United
States mail matter.
All OF the letters bore the regular 2-cent
postage stamp and in addition a 10-cent
special delivery stamp. None of the
stamps was Cancelled. which, the witness
explained, was due to the fact that they
had been appropriated by Marshall before
they got to the canceling division The
witness positively identified the letters.
Foreman Bartlett corroborated the eyi-
dence of Inspector Owings concerning the
test and regular letters. which he iden-
tined. The witness watched Marshall at
work and saw him take two letters and
turn them face down on his table.
Sergeant Sprinkle and Patrol Driver
Vernon. of No. l station, testified to seeing
Marshall at the station and to witnessing
the search. They saw three letters taken
from the coat pocket Of Marshall. The
witnesses positively identified the letters.
On cross-examination Sergeant Sprinkle
was sure of the identity of the letters as
he had placed his initials in the upper left
hand corner of each Immediately after
they had been taken from Marshall. Fore
man Bartlett had done similar thing.
When questioned by Attorney Clarke, In
spector Owings answered that the name
Miss Helen G. Hurley on one of the
test letters was genuine. The address,
witness stated. was fictitious. The name
Miss Sarah d. Graham" and the address
in the second test" letter were both gen.
uine.
At the conclusion Of the hearing. Mr..
Semmes asked that bond be fixed at So, 500.
MI Clarke, for the defendant, objected.
and asked that it be made 1900. Judge
MiIis listened to argument on both sides
and finally fixed the bond at 81 500