The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-12
TYS0N'S TRIAL STARTS TO-DAY
CASE WILL BE NOTABLE IN THE
FEDERAL COURTS HISTORY.


Charged With Conspiracy TO De-
fraud-fegan With the Arrest of
J. r. Hammond Five Months Ago.
Two of the HutchinsOns Next in
the Toils-Then the Grand Jury
Indicted Bakers DOzen-Eighty
five witnesses Summoned in Be-
half of the vernment-Defense
Will Have Half as Many More.
The trial Of Daniel A. Tyson and twelve
others. indicted with him for conspiracy
TO defraud through the use of the United
States mails, will be begun in the Federal
District Court, before Judge Emory Spear,
this morning BY the district attorney the
case is rated one Of the most important
of a criminal nature tried in this tribunal
for many years.
OF the bakers dozen of people indicted
but two remain now at liberty, W. l.
Jones and c. B. Rewis. The others are
either in the common jail Of Chatham
county, TO which they have been commit
ted under the bench warrant issued for
their arrest, or have given bond for their
appearance in the District Court this
morning 1t is expected confidently that
all Of the eleven upon whom the authori-
ties have either an actual or a legal hold,
in the shape OF a bond with security, will
be on hand when court is convened at 10
o'clock.
The men indicted include D. A. Tyson,
J. H. Hutchinson, Morris W. Hutchinson.
w. f. Hutchinson, ]. NJ. Harrell, c. B.
Rewis. ]. s Wheeler. w. L. Jones, J. I.
Hammond and three others. The speclhc
charge is conspiracy to defraud through
the use of the United States mails and a
dozen or more overt acts, in pursuance Oh
the conspiracy, are alleged in the indict-
ment that the grand jury returned.
In this connection, as the case goes to
trial something of its history and of the
met nod in which the conspiratofs are said
TO have gone about their fraudulent prac-
tees may be interesting. II had its in
ception in an apparently harmless httle
hearing had before United States Commits
sioner J. F. Lewis, in which the defend
ant was j. II. Hammond, one of the men
subsequently indicted, and the fraudulent
use of the mails the offense charged. The
hearing was had back in last october.
The arrest of Hammond had been
caused by Postoffice Inspector Fred. D.
Peer, who had been led to investigate the
case through complaints made to the de-
partment by the firm of Steiner, Lobman
&, Frank of Montgomery The firm had
made a shipment to Hammond, at Glen
wood, and though it had written num-
Der of pleading letters had never succeed
ed in getting payment for the goods ship
ped. Satisfaction of any other character
was just as woefully lacking.
When Hammond was Intercepted by
the commissioner he laid the blame for
any fraudulent practices in which he had
participated on the shoulders of the broth
ers Hutchinson, who, he said, had Sc
cured the use of his name for the pur-
pose of carrying on their business by the
promise of a salary of SO per month and
half of the profits. AS the profits of the
business equaled the value of all the
goods received. less the freight paid upon
them il may be seen that the offer was
quite advantageous. Needless to say 1t
was never carried out.
Hammond was held under bond to await
the action Of the federal grand jury and
warrants issued for the arrest of J. H.
and W. r. Hutchinson. They were ar
rested and given preliminary hearings and
upon the strength of their statements to
the commissioner at these and from the
evidence afterwards secured by Inspector
Peer the grand jury found the ind,ct-
ments.
The plan of operations that the indict-
n1ent charges was not very complex or
involved, but it appears to have been
quite successful. Through the use oil at
tracdvely Autographed stationery and
high-fiown representa- tions as to the good
ness of their credit the various parties
interested in the success of the conspiracy
would secure cOnsignments from whole
sale merchants and manufacturers in the
North and West. As soon as a shipment
of this character reached its destination
it would be reshipped to another of the
conspiratprs at some other point, where
it would be sold. In some cases the
shipments would be made to man who
did not live at the station where they
were consigned and there received by
another of the conspira tors upon what
purported TO be an order from the con-
signee. In either case, unless a small
payment was made as a bait to secure a
larger consignment, the merchant or man
ufaeturer would never hear of his goods
again.
The witnesses in the case began TO
reach the city yesterday aud last night.
Eighty-fiVe have been summoned on be-
half OF The government alone, and it is
expected that at least half many more
win be brought 10 Savannah by the de-
Tense The government witnesses come
from almost every section of the country.
North, East, South and West and en-
brace men in almost every line Of bust
ness. who cloim that they have been
swindled by one or another of the de-
PENDANTS.
Eleven agents of the Georgia ana Ala
bama Railway. from the various GOWNS
and villages in which the conspirators are
said to have operated. came in on lasj
nights train over that road. They are J.
b. Gore, Collins; A. z. Thomas, j. L.
Lunsford, Manassas; G. G. Tippin. Daisy;
J. NJ. Sconyors, ClaXton; c. d. Hyman.
ClaXton; l.. II. Dozier, Pembroke; r. c.
Tcngue. Mt Vernon; ID. NJ. Bedeuburgh.
G.enwood; r. II. Holmes, Helena and f.
w Hancock Alley
To a Morning News reporter Mr.. Gore
exhibited some of the documents thae will
be offered in evidence during the progress
of the trial They include an order from
w. l.. Jones TO deliver to ID. a Tyson all
freight received AT Collins and consigned
to him, until the order was countermand-
ed. The order was given in March, 1899
and was never countermanded. Under its
instructions a very large mum Der of cases
and casks Of beer wines and liquors were
delivered o Tyson, who received also ship
ments of groceries made TO Jones. Jones
/ does not live In or about Collins and is
MOI known TO Mi. Gore. who has never seen
D,