Evening star., 1902-02-27
PLACED UNDER BOND
LETTER CARRIER CHARGED WITH
A SERIOUS oFFENsE.
Arraigned for Secreting and Embez-
zling Letter Containing Five
One-Dollar Bills.

John r. Russell, a colored letter carrier
employed at the local post office, was ar
raigned before United States Commission
er A S. Taylor at II o'clock this morning,
charged with secreting and embezzling a
letter from the United States mails ad
dressed to Miss BERTHE C. Baird, Massius
Hill. Va. Information was furnished by
Post Office Inspector D. C. Owings. AS
sistant United States District Attorney A
H. Semmes represented the post office au-
thorities, and Gen. w. W. Dudley appear
ed for the defendant.
The herring was postponed until Thurs
day, March 6, and the defendant was
leased on bond of $1,000, with his father,
Aaron Russell, as surety.
Russell arrested last night at II
oclOck by Inspector Owings and Officer
Thompson of the first precinct, and was
placed in cell at the police station with
instructions that no one be allowed to see
him. He was not permitted to consult an
attorney until this morning just before his
arraignment.
Russell is thirty lone years old and re-
sides at 1224 r street northwest He was
trusted carrier, having been in the ser
vice for several years, and assigned to duty
as a collector in the business section of the
city, using of the small mail wagons
In making his rounds. Lately he has been
suspected of tampering with the mail, but
after close watching the inspector was un-
able to obtain sufficient information against
him to warrant making an arrest and ac-
cordingly the decoy-letter test was applied.
The inspector mailed a special delivery let
ter containing five 81 bills, in a letter box
at the corner Of 9Th and D streets north
west. at 1O:45 o'clock. This box was on
Russells route and he was due at the post
Office at IL o'clock. The inspector, in COM
pany with Officer Thompson, returned to
the post office to await Russell's arrival.
Inspector Makes the Arrest.
When Russell's well-f1lled mail sacks had
been emptied and the contents gone
through by the inspector he was unable to
find the decoy letter. He Immediately went
outside in time to prevent the carrier from
driving away, he having finished his work
for the night. Selling Russell by one arm,
the inspector informed the carrier that
he was under arrest and called Officer
Thompson to hold the other arm as
to prevent him from removing the letter
from his pockets, should he have 1T Sc
Creted there. in this manner they escorted
him to the station house just across the
street.
What game are you putting up on me?"
demanded the prisoner.
Where is that letter. asked the in
spectOr.
Il have no letter. Russell replied.
When the prisoner was searched in the
lieutenant'S room they found in his pOck-
cts a great many receipts. quantity OF
blank paper and several old letters ad-
dressed to himself but the decoy letter
was not revealed. Failing 10 find the OBJ
ject of their search the prisoners per-
son the inspector and one of his associates
returned to the post office building, re-
moved the empty sacks from the cart and
brought them into the station, where the
letter was found in one of the sacks upon
its being turned inside out. The letter
was intact and had not been tampered
with.
Russell was put in a cell and orders were
"a circumstances
Cne to be permitted to see him. Russell
displayed exceptional GOODNESS throughout
the ordeal, and at the preliminary hearing
this morning showed no signs Of excite
ment. His father was present at the hear
ing and calmly answered the questions of
Attorney Semmes relative to his ability as
a surety on his sons bond.
When a collectors work Is finished for
the night the empty sacks are loaded into
the mail cart and taken to his home, in
readiness to start out on his regular route
the next morning, without first reporting to
the office. The carrier, Of course, has keys
to the mail sacks and could remove any
thing left in them. Letter carriers say it
to remain in the sacks after the mail has
been dumped on the sorting table.
A Similar Case Recalled.
The decoy-letter plan was used to secure
the arrest Of Herbert H. Warren. the car
rier arrested about two months ago by In
spector Owings. The plan was partly un-
successful in his case, and 1t was found
necessary to change the charge against him
from rObbing the mails to that Of OBTAINING
and delaying the mail. Warren was bound
over to the grand jury under bond of 81 900,
and is awaiting action. When seen this
y,,nr incr he tat tod ha ~ no lie