The Washington times., 1902-10-01
DIR. F. S. COBURN
WELL KNOWN HERE
Served Short Term in Columbus, o.,
Penitentiary for Embezzlement From
the Government.

DR.. F. S. Coburn, the vice president o
the Bonanza Mine and smelter Company
who Is reported to have committed sui.
eide In St. Louis. had an interesting ca.
reer in this CITY, where he lived for 6
number OF years. He first came to the
notice Of the public when, In September
1897, he was arrested, charged under the
revised statutes with embezzlement from
the Government At that time DR.. Co
burn. who was a man of much intelli-
gencs and graduate in medicine, was
employed in the office OF the Auditor for
the Postoffice Department He also con-
Quoted the drug store at the southwest
corner of Ninth Street and New York
Avenue.
1t developed during his trial. which
occurred more than year later, that DR..
Coburn, who was postmaster at the sub
station in his drug store. hid for a con-
siderable time been obtaining money by
means Of fraudulent money orders. His
scheme was to Issue money orders, gen.
orally for $100 each, In some fictitious
name. and payable at nearby Offices.
Having Issued a number of such or
ders and mailed the duplicates to the
Offices in Baltimore, Philadelphia, or
elsewhere, he would leave Washington
for day or two and draw the money
upon them himself Hd had method
OF keeping his postoffice books which
enabled him to cover up his embezzle-
ments until the orders were finally re-
turned to the Auditors office for the
Postoffice Department, when. In handling
them himself, he was able to avoid de-
lection.
His system had been carefully worked
out, and was calculated to continue for
a long time without detection. Unfor-
tunately, however. for DR.. Coburn, he
made a slip which led to the detection
of the fraud and his own arrest
AT his trial he was defended by Mr.
Tracy L. Jeffords, who, although DR.. Co
burn was convicted, succeeded In get
ting only minimum sentence for his
client. Coburn upon conviction in the
courts was sentenced to i'm
prisonment for one year and one day In
the Columbus tOhio) penitentiary. There
he was assigned to the hospital. and Is
said to have Jared remarkably well dur
ing his brief period of confinement. his
sentence having been commuted for good
behavior.
While still under sentence he was
brought to Washington, and enjoyed
brief outing during the trial OF Muir
1erer Smell. Coburn was for time,
while under trial, confined at the. Dis
trict Jail, and came In contact with the
whose defense was insanity |
DR.. Coburn was brought back from the |
Columbus penitentiary TO give his opin-
on as to SHELLS mental condition
Because OF the fact that Coburns pill |
erings from the Government were early |
detected, 1t is said that the total amount |
which he obtained by his system of
money orders did not exceed
a 200. During his trouble his case ex-
tied considerable interest from the fact
hat a young woman of his acquaintance
lung to him during his trial and i'm
and was afterward reported
o have been married to him.
After being released from the peni-
entiary Dr. Coburn returned to Wash
ngton, and for time Is said to have
abbled In stocks. He succeeded In in
eresting a number of people in the Bo-
ANA Mine and Smelter Company, of
'hich he was made vice president. When
4 Washington he seemed to have plenty
money. He has not been heard of
,uch In Washington for more than two
cara