The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-13

Comely Young Lady Who Was Dep
uty Postmaster at Muhlenberg
Tried for OBTAINING Letters to Her
scene Letter Writer Goes Free.
Four Months in the County Jail.
Martha D. Kaester Is Let Off with
the Payment Of $1oO Fine-ob-
Sister-in- -Law--Jones Sentenced to
The jury in the case OF NJ. +. Walsh,
executor against the Royal Mutual In
surance company, came in yesterday
morning in the United States Circuit
court and reported that they had
agreed on "a verdict for the defendant
This saves the company from paying
$4,000 on the insurance policy and
about $4,000 in interest and costs AT
the last trial of the case the verdict
was for the plaintiff. The company
was represented in the present trial by
CITY solicitor George NJ. Watson, and
Nathaniel Hubble of Chicago.
Judge Burlington was engaged most
of yesterday in the trial of the case of
the United states against Miss May
Benscotter, of Muhlenberg, Luzerne
county, who was charged with detain-
ing Il letter belonging to her sister-in
law, Mrs. Leona T.. Benscotter, of
Roosevelt, Luzerne county.
Ihe defendant is q conlely young girl
ana apparently of more than ordinary
Intelligence and refinement Her ia ther
is postmaster at Muhlenberg, and q
leader III local politics She was deputy
postmaster, and did most of the post
Office work. 1.eona r. BenScotter is the
WIDOW of the defendants brother, who
died in the United States army service
during the Spanish war.
There was some back pay due the
dead soldier, and some correspondence
WaS going on between the widow ana
the Federal authorities regarding this
ana a pension, for which application
had been made. The widow was also
In correspondence with a young man
at Wilkes Barre, who was a nurse in
the hospital in which her husband died.
GoRMAN ON THE TRAIL.
The widow complained to the post
office authorities that letters addressed
to her were being detained and that
not few of them bore evidence of
having been opened. Inspector Hugh
+. German was put OH the case, and
upon learning of the connection be-
tween the widow and the family of the
Muhlenberg postmaster. and that all
mail for Roosevelt passed through the
Muhlenberg postoffice, he suspected
that IL was someone at the Mullen
berg postoffice who was detaining the
widows letters.
He fixed up Il decoy letter in a house
OF representatives envelope and had 1t
postmarked Washington, D. c. In the |
letter proper he enclosed a gray hair.
This was placed in the pouch for Muhl-
enberg. addressed to Mrs. Benscotter at
Roosevelt. The pouch from Mullen
berg to Roosevelt, in which the decoy
letter should have been forwarded, was
examined as soon as it arrived at |
Roosevelt. but the letter was missing.
The next day the inspector went to
Muhlenberg and made inquiries for the |
letter. After some fussing, Miss Ben
scooter took it out of the drawer in |
which registered letters are kept and |
turned it over to the inspector. 1t bore
evidence of having been opencli and
re-sealed, and when the interior was
examined the gray hair was found to |
be missing.
Miss Benscotter claimed that the let |
ter must have accidentally gotten into |
the drawer with the registered letters, |
and denied cnphatically that she had |
detained this or any other letter. An |
other decoy letter. similarly addressed,
was sent into the Mulllenberg post |
office, with small bits OF marked paper
enclosed. This, however, was never
found, and court ruled 1t out of the
case.
Assistant United States Attorney |
Miller conducted the prosecution. The
defcndantS attorneys We're John T. |
Lenahan and Michael Cannon, of
Barre.
FOUND HER GUILTY.
The jury WAS out for two hours be-
fore it could agree to return Miss BEN
scotter guilty. IT accompanied its
finding with recommendation for eX-
treme mercy. Judge Burlington needed
the recommendation to the extent of
sentence.
Frank III. Jones, accused of detain-
lng and opening letters while a clerk
in the Scranton postofiice plead guilty
and was sentenced to pay fine of six
cents and spend four months i'm the
county Jail. His attorneys, II. l.. Tay-
lor and y. j. Colborn, presented IA
petition signed by many of
the most prominent, men of the city
asking the court to suspend sentence,
and eN-Postmaster Frank NJ. Vandling
made u personal appeal to the same
effect.
Judge Burlington, IN passing SEN
lence, said that as Il man he could not
help but be moved to the exercise of
the greatest clemency by the appeals
that had been made to him and by
The knowledge that had come to him
ot the suffering the young man and his
Ihmily had endured, and in his capac-
ty as Judge he had duty to perform
lnd mainly for the deterring effect
which il would have on others who are
daily subjected To the temptation that
proved too strong tor young Jones,
he would have to impose IA penalty.
When the judge pronounced the
words that confined the young man to
Jail, the gray-hared fother of the lad,
who had worked so hard 10 save him
rom going to Jail, collapsed in his
seat Just outside the railing and
'obbed aloud and piteously.
JUDGE WAS MOVED.
Judge Burlington was SO moved by
he pathetic sight that he had the
ather brought to him in the clerks
'oom, ana there talked To him for half
IN hour offering him such consolation
Is he could. The judge volunteered to
nj nj !