Evening star., 1902-01-15
DRAMATIC SCENE IN COURT
REEVES CONFRONTs RATHBONE on
THE WITNESS STAND.
The Two Men Contradict Each other
Under Oath-Question of
Stolen Stamps.

\ dispatch from Havana last night says:
The examination of Estes G. Rathbone,
formerly director general of posts of Cuba,
was continued this afternoon, when the
trial of charges growing out of the Cuban
post office frauds was resumed. Private
correspondence between Rathbone and for
mer Postmaster General Smith was intro
duced- RathbOne said he did not take part
in any campaign having for its purpose
his appointment as civil governor of Cuba.
Some overzealous friends began one, but
ne did not indOrse it, and wrote TO the
President and Postmaster General saying
he did not want the position.
The government introduced Charles F.
". Neely's letter with a petition to the
President. asking for the appointment of
RathbOne. Rathbone said he did not know
of its existence until six weeks ago.
a dramatic incident of the trial this after
noon was the confronting of Rathbone with
Reeves regarding the statement Reeves
alleges Rathbone made after the Iatter's
return TO the United States in November
1889. ana TWO months after the stamps
were burned
When Reeves took the stand Rathbone
was sitting opposite him. Reeves said that
Rathbone told him that Neely had ar
ranged the mater of the burning of the
surcharged stamps so that fraud would not
De discovered Rathbone here asked Reeves
II ne was willing to swear to this state
ment. Reeves replied, Yes" to which
RathbOne said: God help you.'
Reeves occupies himself during the trial
with making copioUs notes. He is a most
enthusiastic witness for the government.
RathbOne admitted having received the
letter from Nicely after his arrest He said
ii was in answer to cablegram he sent
him to return when Inspector General
Charles Burton reported a shortage in the
postal accounts On the bottom of this let
ter was written: Destroy this letter"
Rathbone said this letter was delivered to
MN by special agents. and that he opened
1t in their presence. He said Neely wrote
that he did not want to return them. but
that inspector General Burton was making
an unnecessary stir, and that he would ex-
plain everything satisfactorily by letter.
RathbOne said he sent a copy of Neely's
letter to former Postmaster General Smith
and that he had a conference with the
heads of the different departments imme-
d1atety the frauds were reported. He said
that NJ c. Rich. Neely's assistant, stated
that ne had seen Neely do something which
ne did not understand. but that he did not
remember Rich stating that Neely wrote
on the books. Approved by the special
agents.
Rathbone said he had stated to Inspector
General Burton that in charging the Ha-
Nana othce with stamps. it did not make
any difference to Washington whether they
were in the form of surcharged stamps or
otherwise, and that the total amount of
the value OF the stamps was charged. He
said he had consulted General John R
Brooke. then governor general of Cuba
about burning the stamps, and that he had
also written former Postmaster General
Smith on the matter.
Every one had pride in circulating the
new Cuban stamps, said Rathbone and
when they Were issued he advised burning
the old stamps, as they took up too much
room In the vaults. No secret was made
OF the burning of the stamps he added
and it was natural that Neely and Reeves
said that Marfield's honesty had never been
questioned.
At this point Rathbone's annual report
which IS alleged to show that there were
not on hand an amount of stamps equal to
the amount burned, was brought, and the
fact was disclosed that this report was not
published at the time
Regarding the debt Rathbone is alleged
to have paid off in 1899, the court granted
MS request to give him until tomorrow to
furnish figures relative to the amount of
TINS debt, his income, &c. Rathbone said
ne had no interest in Nee1y's brick yard
The matter Of his having a third interest in
this yard was once suggested but after
ward dropped.
The matter of the duplicate warrants
was gone into at length during this after
Moons hearing. Some of these warrants
were indOrsed by Fourth Assistant Post
master General Bristow Rathbone ex-
planned that if these warrants had been
properly recorded by the auditor such
action would have kept the accounts
straight