The San Francisco call., 1903-09-15
REMAINS
At HIS DUTIES
Indictment Is Not Re
ceived From Wash
ington.
Accused Man Is Prepared to
furnish Necessary Bail
Without Delay.

Contrary to expectations, the indict-
ment found by the Federal Grand Jury at
Washington against James w. Erwin of
the postal service in this city was not
ceived by the United States authorities
during office hours yesterday. Conse-
quently no steps were taken toward Sc
curing the custody of the accused man.
and nothing will be done until to-day.
when in all probability the papers will be
received.
In the meantime Erwin is awaiting pa
tiently as he may the arrival of the
proper papers so that he can be arrested
on the charge preferred against him and
be released on bail Although it has been
announced by telegraph that Postmaster
General Payne has forwarded Erwin's
dismissal from the service no official no.
tice of such action has been received in
this city. Erwin is inclined to credit the
report of his dismissal, but until he is
officially notified he is continuing in ac
tive duty and reported at the Office of the
inspectors yesterday and performed his
accustomed routine.
When he arrived at his desk he found
large bundle of letters from influential
persons all over the State offering him
sympathy and whatever assistance he
might require in the matter of bail or
funds. In addition he was in receipt of
numerous telephone messages during the
day from wealthy friends expressing
their utmost confidence in his integrity
and soliciting some opportunity of show
ing their good will toward him in the
present difficulty.
AS tears gathered in his eyes and his
voice broke, Erwin said yesterday:
Never before did realize how many good
friends | have. This is a cruel thing During
all hQxn fak =tYr,
in my position and endeavored TO I'LL it in
every shade of the requirements. and then to
announcement of my indictment with
such startling suddenness that 1 am only now
beginning to realize the full intensity Ct the
! have been perfectly frank in all my state
ments made iE connection with this charge and
1 have endeavored to conceal nothing. I have
admitted accompanying Richardson to Wash
ington in 1899 in the interests of the patent
device the disposal of which caused the storm.
/ received leave of absence from the depart
ment. and In my application for leave l frank
ly set forth my reason for asking for it, In
Washington l introduced Richardson to forty
or fifty postal officials and assisted him in
showing the device and urging its advantages.
took a good deal of pride in it because OF my
participation in its invention. At that time il
never struck me as being in any way culpable
to advance the interests of something that /
felt. and still feel, is a decided advantage to
the service.
vesttgation 1 began to think that possibly I
had been indiscreet in taking such an active
me that my actions could be construed as being
criminal in any way. At the very most /
Thought l might receive censure and did not
feel that that would be really deserved.
Imagine my CONSERVATION then when con-
ironted with the fact that Indictment had
been returned against me charging me with
felony | have no fear of the outcome of the
prosecution because ! have not been criminal
in the slightest degree. But over and above
this 1 have been pilloried and dismissed after
an honorable service extending sixteen
wears and my punishment now Is far greater
than any fault may have committed-
The whereabou of Richardson is the
topic of conjecture among the postal em-
ployes here. No one seems to know when
he will return, and 1t is only guess where
he is now. Telegraphic advices asserted
that he left Washington more than two
weeks ago. Since then his friends in Cal
ifornia profess not to have heard from
him. He is said to have family cOnnec-
tions in the State of Washington. and he
may have gone there for a visit. 1t is
probable he will delay his return to San
Francisco as long as possible. as he can
not certainly be anxious to face the storm
of disgusted disapproval that will un-
The best way to make Boston Brown
Bread is shown in our new cook book.
San Francisco Gas and Electric Co.