New-York tribune., 1902-03-25
JUSTICE DONE IN CUBA.
SENTENCES or RATHBONE,
NEELT AND REEVES.
TEN YEARS IMPRISONMENT AND HEAVY
FINES FOR EACH OF THE THREE
POSTAL THIEVES

Havana, March 24.-The trials before the Au-
dencia Court Of the cases arising from the en-
f4zzlement Of Cuban postal funds have resulted
in the following sentences:
CT ". Nicely, ten years imprisonment and
10 ray fine of Sl6.7O1.
WI. Reeves. ten years imprisonment and to
pay fine Of S$3516.
Estes c. Rathbone. ten years Imprisonment
and 10 pay a fine Of S:'3.32+
The case a. established against Neely showed a
shortage I'm mis- cash account Of sllq27S a shortage
IN mis- general account OF $4,000 and fraudulent
credits for -urcharged stamps amounting 10 s1OoSl3
As tha frauds arising from the burning Of sur
charged stamps. the extent Of these Will probably
never re definitely determined but are supposed 10
have involved more than Sl0OH3 NeeIy said he
destroyed $4,000. and was credited on the Havana
Vostofloe accounts with that sum. but the records
Of the stamps sent him from Washington show
that there could not have been within s1C0oco Of
that amount in existence Besides these three
general -tir.ts it was shown that ne and others
made false entries Of expenses incurred. and issued
Duplicate checks and duplicate warrants for money
son,etines Ne,y got al and sometimes the pro-
ceeds were divided with his confederates. Neely
wrote a friend in Muncie to Come down TO
Cuba. there is lots of money he made here"
Getting salary IF <1sJo year. he soon in
terested fin briCkyard, cocoa plantation and
other enterprises ANA mad $1,000 in a bank in
Muncie. Ind
Meanwhile Rathhore was living In grand style
al the expense Of the Cuban treasury. Every trip
he took 20 Washington cost the island 5000. and
from the iu-ulRr funds he furnished mis- house,
bought carriages and even secured mis- hosiery At
last NeeIy hearing his office was TO he inVestl-
gated. frd. and was caught at Rochester on
New-Y0rk Central train on his way TO Munce,
Pathboua Was arrested. and likewise Reeves The
ronfes-5 rat Ny had place g. coo on his desk
the dag hs sailed away. and told him TO make
Further light on these postal frauds. in which
NE M M. ~ 40 Ts id 80 Tn -,
succeed RatLoone. and il was noted that, while
! iS9 to april 30 800 tn average monthly
gosta rerets - [e qyfrage n m@RtRi5y 251 PI5
ESTES G. RATHBONE.
Estes G Rath5one the most conspicuous Of the
trio Of officials upon whom We're imposed the heavy
sentences by the court II Havana, was Director
General of Posts in Cuba. His home is in Hami
ton, Ohio, and before he received the Cuban ap-
poinrment he had become well known in the poll
tics o. this country. He began his public career
as detective connected with the Secret Service.
Then be became chief of the special examiners OF
the Pension Bureau IN Washington. and afterward
was appointed Fourth Assistant Postmaster Cen
oral-the man who PLAYS the headsman among
country postmasters. IN this ofiice he became un-
popular. one Of his acts being TO turn out Of Office
a one legged Union veteran oxford, Ohio In
consequence Of this unpOpuarity Rathbone
DEBATED by the Democratic candidate Paul Sorg
r. the for Congress from his home district BY
pluralt. II 1000 votes. Rathbones wife was a
daughter Of eN-C Congressman Lewis d. Campbell, of
Ohio.
Rathbone was relieved from duty in Cuba last
Nav : q result of official Investigation of the
charges involving Neelv and Reeves and dismissed
from the service In June
CHARLES ?. ". NEETlY
Charles F W NeeIy was chief Of the finance
division u the Postoffice Department OF Cuba His
home in Muncie Ind. where seventeen years
ago he established the first daily newspaper of
that town. lie was member 0: Governor Mounts
staff. and prominent politically and socially.
Perry Heath, former First Assistant Postmaster
General. looked upon his hacker in poll
tics. and interested with him in business.
Neey sold his paper TO M. Heath. but remained
president OF the Nicely Printing Company. on the
dis cf mis- frauds in Cuba in May ne fed to
this country. and arrested in Rochester, and
after eEtradition proceedings before Governor
Roosevelt he was taken hack TO Havana for trial.
". Il REEVES
~. 4. Reeves. who turned States evidence went
clerk from Washington to Havana IN January,
1882 with appointment at $500 year from
Perry s. Heath On his arrival there he was al
most Immediately made chief Of the bureau Of
postal accounts. II the testimony OF
Reeves chiefly that conviction was obtained He
gave a full account the witness stand OF the
operations Of The three officials.