The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-30
CUBAN THEFT LARGE
RAfHBONE, REEVES AND NELLY
FOUND GUILTY OF HAVING
TAKEN OVER 100000
VARIANCE IN THE METHODS
Greater Portion of the sums Etn-
bezzled and Secured by Fraud,
Fiscal Finds, Were Divided
Between the Three Men.

HAVANA, March 29.-The verdict m the
Cuban postal fraud cases as given out
finds f. w. Nicely, w H. Reeves ana
Estes G. Rathbone guilty OF the main
charge Of enlightenment Of over 100000.
and that Nicely and Reeves originated the
idea of burning stamps, TO which Rath-
bone consented, prOhting thereby. though
to what extent could not be specified
Nicely and Reeves, according 70 the YER
dlct, appropriated S2S1.22 by a series or
entries. charging to the postal fund GER
tain amounts for wharfage lighterage
and other matters. for which there weio
no warrants or vouchers. Rathbone also
was found guilty of participation in this
! These entries were made in what IS
| known the miscellaneous account
Rathbone, it was alleged. charged the
department of posts with private eX-
penses, such as washing. repairs TO his
coach, express charges, three boxes of
liquor, Japanese lanterns. gas and Ger
tain household accounts. amounting to
$l57 %. lie was found guilty on this
charge, but was acquitted on that of
paying for furniture for his house and
other articles on the ground that num-
Der of army officers in Cuba had obtained
similar articles at the expense Of the gov
eminent and that these expenditures had
| been passed subsequently by the senate.
Use Fraudulent Checks.
Nicely and Reeves We're found guilty OF
having issued duplicate checks for the
! salaries of postoftice employees and for
| payment to the Ruiz company and the
! gas company the amount involved being
| $102I68. They We're also held responsible
| for 81 .S5S32 for stamps sold.
| Nicely alone was held to be guilty OF
! fraud In the issuing Of four duplicate
warrants for $S,O57.6l for salaries Of clerks
! i'm the Havana postoffice and for the pur-
| chase Of mules. He was found guilty also
| of having drawn duplicate check for
| $1,000 nominally issued for the transfer
! Of funds from the postal account i'm the
! bank to the account Of the treasurer and
] of having given COrydon NJ. Rice his
| former assistant, $1,000 worth of stamps TO
sell. He took his salary Of $3.50 before GO
| ing TO the United States the last time.
1t was alleged also that he received
| commissions in connection with the Neely
! Printing company and the Keylcss Lock
| company, prohung by this means To an
amount greater than $l3.2S2. For this.
| however. Nicely was not indicted by the
| fiscal, as he was extradited on the charge
/ Of embeZZlement. 1T was also charged
| that he asked Reeves to arrange the
books, giving him $4,000 to do SO. lie was
| acquitted Of this, for the reason given.
| 1t was charged that Nicely also APP
| propriated $l,SO0 in money resulting from
the sales of stamps by Moya and Mescaro,
| stamp clerks at Havana.
| still Fight the Case.
Rathbone was found guilty Of having
| paid the expenses Of his wife and family
| on trip to Santiago and on a second
| voyage TO the United States, he being
unable to. separate mis- private from his
| official expenses. and also of issuing two
| warrants for $500 each.
| Reeves appropriated 1913, which was re-
| turned to him by RathbOne. The latter
| was acquitted on the charge Of having
! uulaWfully taken a daily allowance Of
| s. after the postmaster general had dis
! allowed his claim
| Rathbone, Reeves and Nicely were found
| jointly guilty, under the postal code Of
1 the embezzlement OF $l02gI4, which
I amount was divided between them Nicely
was guilty alone Of embeZZlement of s2l.-
| ST. Reeves Of s673 and Rathbone Of $lG0).
while Nicely and Reeves jointly embeZzled
! 81 026
! In summing up the court said the facts
| brought out showed that various means
| had been used by Reeves, Nicely and
! Rath bone to appropriate the postal funds
! but that these should be taken to con
! stitute only one infractiOn Of the law
| each item not being regarded separate
! ly.
! Rathbone's attorneys have applied to
the court for a writ Of habeas corpus