The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-28
ALLEGED THIEF is
HIS OWN ATTORNEY
H. L. Hill Admits He Stole
Postage Stamps, but Not
From Uncle Sam

H. l.. Hill, arrested at Randolph,
Mimi, Monday, charged with com
piicity in the burglary of the postoffice
at Royalton, Mimi, the morning of
July 81, at which time the safe was
blown and more than $1,000 in cash
and stamps stolen, was given a par
tial hearing before United States Com
, missioner Spencer at the federal build
ing yesterday afternoon. The hearing
will be resumed Saturday forenoon.
The man under arrest frankly admits
that Hill is not his true name, but he
refuses to disclose any other. During
the hearing yesterday the prisoner
leaned back in a comfortable chair,
rolled cigarette after cigarette, and
personally questioned the gov
ernments witness with tact that
would have been credita BILE to an eXpe-
rienced attorney. Hill showed that he
was fully aware of his rights at the
hearing, and he took advantage of
them.
= Although admitting the truth Of tes-
tlmony adduced to show that he had
nearly 500 worth of postage stamps in
his possession at the time of his arrest,
That he had disposed of several dollars
worth, and that he had ATTEMPTED to
engineer deal for the disposition of
more than 5000 in one lot, the prisoner
cooliy stated that he would be able to
prove that-he was in st. Paul the night
the sale IN the Royalton postoffice was
pioWn He submitted the names of a
number of witnesses upon whom he
depends to prove his alibi, and he po-
iiteiy requested the government to see
that his witnesses were present AT the
hearing on Saturday.
-. Acted as His Own Attorney
Hill was not represented at the hear
ing by an attorney, but his case did
not suffer on this account. The pris-
oner looked sharply after his own in
-terests
Hill openly declared that he had
stolen the stamps, but denied having
taken them from the Royalton post
once He said he had stolen them
from a woman named Rafael, who was
stopping at the Reardon hotel The
woman, he said, had taken the stamps
from three crooks at the hotel, who
mad stolen them from some postoffice.
till described the men from whom he
said the woman had stolen the stamps.
and the description tailed exactly with
ehat OF three men who were seen in
| ",
The strongest point made against
Hill at the hearing yesterday was the
testimony of e! c. Fithian, hotel
keeper at Royalton, who positively
identified Hill as having stopped at his
hotel the day, before the robbery.
Others from, Royalton also identified
Hill. 1t was also shown that after the
|, ToDpery, which. occurred at 1:30 in
the morning. that person could easily
reach St Paul early in the morning, as
there are two trains which would have.
landed him here before the time he
was seen here on Thursday forenoon.
To-, rJames ,HaaN. manager of an Install
m 3el1 house IN, st. Paul, said Hill ap-
pied to him for job about o'clock
Thursday forenoon, which was about
eight hours after the safe had been
blown in Royalton. He was put to
work, but quit at noon. explaining
that he had been riding the
bumpers all night and wanted to
change his clothes and clean up.
f. : Had Stamps to Sell
He did not show up at the INSTALL
ment house again until Saturday.
when he asked Mr.. Haav to purchase
Sl2 worth of stamps. He offered the
lot for SO, saying he had once been in
the advertising business and had ac-
cumulated the stamps in that manner.
Mr.. Haav paid So for $40 worth of
stamps. and that same evening Hill
returned to him and asked him quietly
If he knew anyone with $3.50 in ready
cash that would be willing to invest it
IN stamps, providing a liberal discount
was offered. He told Mr.. Haav that
he knew of party who had the
stamps. and suggested that there
would be, something in it for both of
them if the deal could be made
Haav became suspicious. He made
i nm zlFATN aftRN<A IL, N
lowing Sunday morning, saying he
would have purchaser with him.
Then Haay notified the police and a
trap was laid for HILL The following
morning Hill. accompanied by a stran-
ger, described as being fine locking
fellow and we'll dressed, met Haav at
the postoffice, but there were no Off
GERS present and Haav asked him to
call at his store early the next morn
Ing, saying the man whom he had ex-
pected to take the stamps had gone to
the lake that day. Hill promised to be
at the store the next day. but evident
~ became suspicious. and that night
he left town.
/ Chief O'Connor learned of his de-
parture and telegraphed adjacent
| towns. One of the recipients of these
| kilograms. requesting the arrest of any
| person trying to dispose of stamps,
was ]. G. Johnson, the village marshal
a. iee1iiioiph, q Siiidil toWn over IN Da-
kota county Mr.. Johnson is also a
| hotelkeeper. Hill left St. Paul on a
freight and being unable to trade the
| conductor stamps for a ride was
| elected from the train at Randolph.
He found his way to Johnson's hotel
| about 3 O'Clock Tuesday morning. anu
after securing cup of coffee went to
] bed.
On the floor beside the table where
he had his coffee Landlord Johnson
found three stamps, and in the hall.
| just outside the room assigned to Hill.
another was found. 1t was then that
| Marshal Johnson commenced his work
of deduction. He already had the tel
| egram from Chief OConnor, having
| received 1t an hour before Hill ar
rived.
| The next morning. when Hill came
| down to breakfast he asked Mrs.
/ Johnson IL she UnilId IiIza to h,,.r e1-rn