The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-11
CUBAN STAMP STEAL
-,rs rHRows MUCH LIGHT ON
hHN FRAUDS.
MAKES CLEAN BREAST OF 1T.
,,,cr WAS UP IN THE THoUs-
ANDS.

rorernment's Case hViue"i'
III. TestimOny-AmOunt of Sur
,.d stamps Destroyed Was
oonn.-NeeJy said That Rath-
- Was to Be Made Civil Gov
of cuba, He, NeeIy, Would
ro..urer aud Reeves Was 10
lie Auditor.
,,.,.ora Ian. 10.-When the trials of
-. ooses arising from the Cuban post
frauds were resumed in the Au-
s,.rcia Court to-day after having been
s,;ourned Tuesday last on account of
A.. illness of counsel for Charles F.
n Naely. w. II. Reeves, one of the
,.t.rdants was again called to the
.t.nd and testified regarding the
.,amn burning incident He said the
st.mns we're not counted and that
voelv told MIN Estes G. Rathbone ac-
ouiesced in the whole matter.
Reeves Testimony Concluded.
The government has finished the ex-
animation of Reeves, and tomorrow
no will be cross-examined by counsel
or Neelv and Rathbone. 1t was evil
don't throughout Reeves testimony that
tbe charge of the government, against
all the defendants, is based on Reeves
statements. for the fiscal conducted his
examination question by question from
typewritten copy of the accusation,
D..,..-, 1oe+jy,aVx- e.,,J>startiatad
the conclusions drawn in the accusa-
ton Reeves said that Rathbone had
appointed him chief postal accountant,
but that he had originally been ap-
pointed to this position from Washing
ion. He said that he had a conversa-
tOn with Neely about the destruction
Of stamps, that Neely told him Rath-
bone was willing to do business, and
that the stamps had been burned at
the suggestion of Neely. Reeves,
Maried and Neely were appointed
commission. Marfield did not know
about the intended fraud. He figured
up the amount of the value and
marked each package of stamps,
oluOuhtlliS ~ iONdA VI R0lb,DUV
Reeves testified that Neely made up
a declaration and that some days afr
terBard he Neely and MARRIED. signed
it.. Rathbone, he said, ordered him to
credit the amount on the books.
Here Senior Lanuza called attention
70 Reeves statement in Assistant Post
master Rristow's report that Reeves
Old not know that fraud had been
committed IA hon he do ~,
me books. Reeves refused to recognize
tne printed statement as his. Reeves
@ld that before burning the last sur
.naIged stamps, amounting to $50, 1000,
AesY told him that the amount cred
lied for the first burning was wrong
and that there was SIS, 900 to be divided
4 gp between him, Neely and Rathbone.
reeves testified that Neely told him
mat Rathbone had paid off a mort
gage IN Cincinnati with his money.
An Easy Way TO Make Money.
Shortly after this, Reeves said that
hsmoone, in referring to the burning
me stamps, said that it was an
te% way TO make money. He also said
Dat Nicely told him that Rathbone
SolId be civil goverenor of Cuba and
WAY they would benefit thereby, be-
@uSe Neely would be treasurer of the
@,shd and Reeves auditor.
reeves also testified that NeeIy had
Heul'eo $4,000 in his own department,
~ rnargng accounts to the North
NutIlean N1 Trust Company, and that he,
nnVeV mad appropriated this amount.
iMsddlng Rathbone's trip to the
oa's1 states in October, 1899. Reeves
%u mat $1,000 had been withdrawn
f. expenses, and that Rath-
S, e returned him 1872 He said
,, ,ss ne thought Neely gave Rathbone
WV wv OF this amount and that Neely
wv. u mat Rathbone was hard up and
wat ne would return it when he got
am Increase of salary. When the
@Tsuoh Of daily expense allowance
pas, ps up Reeves testified that he told
;saoone that in the absence of any
%uayuons sr". discontinuing this allow
r.. ne should continue it when Neely
tu. t4, 10 the United States. Reeves said
N.r NS.yaer that just before his arrest,
M ms lett an envelope containing S4,-
nr upon his ReevesO desk, telling
ns 10 hN up the accounts. Reeves
hr ny afterwards gave this money
peu. Wood. telling him that Neely
' peeh stealing.