The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-09-04
Fifty-Seven Letters Which he is Alleged to
Have Stolen Found Among Ills
Personal Effects.

Jean sabate, the young Frenchman
who has been in trouble several times
before with the authorities, was arrest
| ed yesterday at noon for a violation of
the postal statutes, and stands a good
chance, if the charges are proven, of
spending a long term in Oahu Prison.
Sabate was arrested by Marshal
Hendry with a quantity of mail mat
| ter, the property of others than him
self, in his possession. He was taken
for trial before Commissioner Gill yes
terday afternoon but upon his demand
for counsel the hearing was continued
until nine o'clock this morning. Near
ly all the letters, numbering fifty-seven
found upon Sabate, were dated Deem
Der 2, and were chiefly local. There
t,are, however, instances of other thefts
of letters covering at least two months,
some of which probably came from the
States.
This is not the first conflict Sabate
| has hau with the postal authorities.
| He was arrested December Goth, of last
year on the charge of failing to mail
| a package which had been given him
| for that purpose. he at the time serving
| in the capacity of a letter carrier. The
grand jury failed to indict, upon the
advice of United States Attorney
| Breckons, who discovered technical
| legal objections to a successful prose-
cution. The package, containing tapa
cloth, had been given to Sabate to mail
by a friend, and it was afterwards
discovered in Sabate's desk at the post
office. There was a fatal defect in the
proof of the crime, for no stamps had
been placed upon the package, though
twenty-five cents had been given to the
carrier TO pay the postage. Though
the evidence showed the larceny of the
money, the package, unstamped could
not be construed as mailable matter
within the statute and the grand jury
consequently failed to indict.
Because of Sabates connection with
the lrst charge he was discharged from
the service on December End. 1t was
on that day that the letters found yes
terday had been given 70 the carrier
to deliver, as was indicated by the
date. The greater number of the
letters contained bills set cat the first
VI the liiOllll " 'J.'-'.''N II DuSllleSS
firms Many of them came from the
Hawaiian Electric Co, while others are
from Levers & Cooke There were
several letters for D. H. Case. others
for Curtis J. Lyons, etc. AS far as
known none of them contained any
thing of value and not all of these had
been opened, though the queries for
missing letters addressed to the postal
n, ? n ia 70
Empty envelopes found with the let
tiers with inquiries which had been re-
ceived by the Postmaster indicate hat
some at least contained drafts, and
checks. AS far as known, hows yer,
none of them were cashed By Sahate,
as in the cases where local firms we're
affected new drafts had been made out
and paid. Until all the parties having
sent the letters in Sabate's posse sion
have been notified. there is no way of
learning the extent Of the robbery.
The letters found also included ONE
that he had collected but failed t de-
liver at the postoffice. Among SAT lte's
belongings We're found articles of ~ ear
ing apparel which could not have been
used by him. These consisted of trnus-
ers and shoes and linen Of many differ
ent sizes. Upon his arrest Sabate told
the United States officials that he knew
nothing Of any stolen letters. When
the bundle was found in the basket he
said he did not know how it came
there.
At two o'clock Sabate was taken
before United States Commissioner Gill
and then the following complaint was
read to him:
Comes now Louis Kenake, of said
district. and upon his oath complains
and says that Jean Sabate. late of the
district aforesaid. heretobefore. towit,
on or about the first day of December,
| A D. 1901. in said District of Hawaii,
! the said Jean Sabate being then and
there a person employed in a depart
ment of the postal service of the said
| United States, to wit, as a letter car
rier, Of an for the postofffce Of the