The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-01-16
TO ROB TIE CUBANS
Was Plot Fermed By hessr.s.
keely Rathbone and Ree.'fes.
TRIAL REVEALS Br'slD SCHEME
vi '''e Il Reeves Swears that
'o ><as the Government BY
Surning Stamps and All
Got a Draw Down,

A special from Havana says: A.
the opening Of Saturdays hearing OF
the charges arising from the Cuban
postofhce frauds. the government
asked for further examination OF W
Il. Reeves. He submitted several let.
ters from Charles F. W. Nicely. the
governments purpose being to show
the Intimacy which existed between
Nicely and Reeves.
In reply to question of the court,
Reeves said he did not get any por-
;tion Of the $4,000 from the stamp
burning incident. Reeves said Neely
told him he had given it all to Rath.
bone.
The cross-examination of Reeves
by Moya and Mascaros, attorneys, did
not bring out any new evidence.
When cross-examined by Rath-
bones attorney, Reeves said he was
appointed by Perry S. Heath, the first
assistant postmaster general.
The contention Of the government
side to prove the intimacy between
Reeves, Rathbone and Nicely By intro.
ducing correspondence between them
brought out a letter from Rathbone
: TO Reeves which the government had
in its possession, but failed to intro
duce Friday. Rathbcne's counsel de-
clared that the letter itself shows that
Rathbone was not desirous of con-
cealing the fraud.
The letter was written while Reeves
was i'll in Florida, in February, 1900.
Rathbone wrote that Colonel Burton S
examination of Reeves books had dis
closed discrepancy Of $500. Colonel
Burton thought that the error lay
with the bank and suggested that the
matter be left open until the next in
vestigation. but Rathbone insisted
upon finding the discrepancy and
; then waiting until Reeves returned to
explain. Reeves admitted having re-
ceiyed thS letter and said he thought
it was az honest expression from
Rathbore.
To Fool the Government.
Reeves further said that after his
arrest Rathbone suggested that all
three get together and they could fool
the government. He said that as au.
ditor he had authority to allow GER
tain claims without vouchers when
the accounts were approved by Rath-
bone. The defense contends that the
law forbids this. Reeves declared that
no orders had been issued to audit
the monthly accounts Of the postmas-
ter of the island. He did not recog-
nize the alleged order shown by the
defense and he said that it never was
posted On the postoffce building
board, as other orders were.
Neely's counsel sharply cross-exam-
ined the witness. Reeves recalled
the stamp burning and said that the
packages were sealed, though he was
not sure whether with the Washing
5on seal or another. He took down
the amounts marked on the outside,
and the number, he said, correspond
ed with the amounts which it was re-
ported were destroyed-s310,0 900. He
knew, he said, that fraud was intend
ed, but he did not exactly know how
it was to be committed.
The court has allowed Rathbone's
lawyer to send to the PHILIPPINES for
a deposition by Abraham L. Lawshe,
deputy auditor for the postofice de-
partmelt, who was sent to Cuba to
investigate postal affairs there and
who proceeded to the Philippines lat
er to make an investigation.