The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-12
EGBERT WAS BOUND OVER.
TO THE UNITED STATES COURT IN
THE SUM OF $1,000
tered Package in His Custody as
Railway Postal Clerk.


The preliminary trial of D. Egoert. Jr
charged with rifling a registered package
entrusted to him as railway postal clerk,
was resumed yesterday before United
States Commissioner Tracy b. Dunn and
the following testimony was taken, after
which the defendant was bound over to
the United States court in the sum of
$1,000:
The first witness was Captain L. W.
Shearer conductor on the Columbia Tap
! international and Great Northern). and
who was in charge of the train when Eg-
bert was apprehended by the postofficc
/ inspectors. He testified that the custom
was TO stop at Chenango Junction and
back up to have baggage and mail put of.
on arriving there at $50 p m, February
| {, witness stepped off the train and about
that time some one rushed by him, going
to the head of the train. Witness thought
| it was some one trying to beat his way
and hailed him, saying: Where are you
going there2" After getting passengers on
and OF, the train was moved back. Wit
ness then walked up toward the baggage
GN'NiAtS
he heard some one say; "Hold the light
here" He held the light and saw man
between the car and the platform. He said
You see that down there Witness saw u
small roll and said: Yes, what is it?"
the party said: Get down and get it,"
said: u won't do it," He then insisted on
holding the light lower down and asked me
the second time If saw 1t. / told him
yes" He requested me again to get down
and get it, l told him to pick it up himself.
He then picked the package up himself
and handed IT. to nae. asking me please to
hold IT. When took 1t l discovered that
| Ii was money. by that time the man who
picked the money up had gotten on the
platform and asked me please to go in the
mail car. Went in and he followed me- |
saw Mr.. Bell in there and spoke to him.
! II told me about the test letter and asked
me to count the money I took the rubber
band off and counted It and found 500 Bell
then asked me to count the number Of bills,
1 which | did and told him there We're
{ twelye-three tens seven fves and two
/ twos He then asked me to check the
numbers OFF by q list he had with him,
which did, each bill corresponding with
/ the list he had. MIR. Bell then gave me
an indelible pencil and asked me to put
my initials on the back of each bill which
/ did. At his request I also punched them
with my punch. I then handed him the
money. Witness examined the bills in
court and Identified them as the same he
had punched and placed his initials upon
in the postal car at the junction.
BY tho defense-The train had just
stopped when the persons rushed by me
did not know who they were. thought
they were negroes trying TO get on the
blind baggage. II was about two minutes
after the parties rushed by witness that
he walked up toward the front OF the train.
Several passengers got off the train there,
lint M Witness EtOnnct
at tho Junction about twenty minutes, The
party found the roll of money ON the
ground near the door of the mail car !
afterward discovered that the man who
picked up the money was Postofflce In
epector Fitzgerald discovered this when
he followed me into the mail car Witness
did not know how the money got there. 1t
was rolled up and secured with a small
rubber band which witness produced In
court. Witness did not know that II was
Postoffice Inspector Fitzgerald who was
picking up the money. He did not discover
this ',-''l he got up into the car where
he could see his face.
~
Mr. Charles Fitzgerald. postofnce IN
spector. was the next witness. He testi-
lied as to his being detailed with Inspectors
Bell and Jones TO make an investigation
and ascertain II possible who was respon-
slble for certain thefts and depredations
ON the mails between Houston and Column
bia. In company with Inspectors Bell and
Jones witness left New Orleans last Satur-
day evening. Got TO Houston Sunday
morning and went TO Bristol Hotel During
the day we sent tor Postmaster Strong and
had conference with him and discussed
possibility OF these depredations having
been committed In the Houston Office. Mr..
Strong satisfied us on that point and then
suspicion pointed to Mr., Egbert, the rail-
way postal clerk between Houston and
Columbia, and We agreed to test Mr.. Egg
bert We agreed on tho form and manner
OF testing, the details of which have been
explained by Inspectors Bell and Jones.
We agreed to put $50 In the test letter,
each OF us keeping a detailed description
OF the money. IL was understood that In
spector Jones was to remain in Houston
and on Monday. February 6. he wac to
complete the preparations in the case with
Assistant Postmaster Story and arrange
for Postal Clerk Egbert to take the letter
out en- his run that afternoon. Inspector
Bell and l left Inspector Jones Sunday
night after having prepared two kilograms,
one to be sent to lis at Chenango Junction
In the event the letter WAS rlhed, the other
10 be sent in case the letter reached its
destination at Sandy Point all right MIR.
Jones kept copy OF the forms Of tele-
grams TO be used. In the event OF loss this
telegram was TO be sent: 'Bc sure and go !
to Columbia Lang lost dollars" The
telegram was 20 BIO signed IL, Jordan"
II the package reached destination all
right. tho telegram was to reed: Every
thing all right Don't so 10 Columbia"
At o'clock Monday morning Inspector
Bell and myself left by rail for Alvin and
drove across the country from there TO
Chenango Junction. Got there late In the
afternoon and soon after 6 o'clock we re-
ceived this telegram. SANDY Point. Texas,
February 9. 1S99.--C. r. Franklin. Che
mango Junction: Be sure and go to CO.
lumbia Lang lost 500. Signed L. Jordan"
on arrival Of the International and Great