New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-05
HARTMAN INVOKESLAW
SELLER OF LETTER HELD.
Stenographer Partly Confesses on
Arrest- Jerome Investigates.

Frank w. Hill. a stenographer. who was for
merly employed in the office of E. H. Hartman,
was arrested late yesterday afternoon for SELL
ing to a New York newspaper a copy OF Mr..
Harriman's private letter to Sidney Webster OF
the date of January 3 1906 which was pub
hshed on Tuesday morning without Mr.. Harri-
mans authority and which called forth state
ment from President Roosevelt. Hill made a
partial confession at the Criminal Courts Build
Ing and was locked up at the Oak street police
station last night. He will be arraigned at the
Tombs Court this morning
The prisoner is charged with a misdemeanor
under a paragraph of Section 642 of the Penal
Code, which reads:
A person who wilfuHy and without authority
SItner takes letter, telegram private paper oe-
fishes the whole or any portion thereof is guilty
OF a misdemeanor
Mr.. Hartman said on Tuesday that he thought
II a great pity that mans private correspond
ence could not be protected. and later. in reply
to the Presidents statement. he said:
About ten days ago was told that DISCHARGED
a reproduction from his notes Of one Of my pri-
yate letters I could hardly believe that any mat. 1a
! made every effort to prevent 1t. When learned
paper had transcript of these notes l notified
the publisher at once Of the facts and urged upon
OF II under such circumstances would involve.
Not content with that. Mr. Hartman had a
complaint lodged with District Attorney Jerome
who assigned Paul Krotel, one OF his assistants.
to make an investigation. II was ascertained
that Hill had offered TO TO sell copy Of the Har-
rlrlan letter to a Brooklyn newspaper before
Offering II for sale in Manhattan and that in
addition 70 selling the copy to one newspaper he
had left another copy at the office Of another
newspaper This second copy was obtained by
Mr.. Krotel yesterday 1t in Hills own
handwriting
Hin was arrested at p. at the office OF
DcCorpet & Dorcmus, No. ~ Broadway. where
he had been employed about week The arrest
was made by Detective Sergeant Flood on a
warrant sworn out by Alexander Miller, secre-
tary Of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company.
Of which Mr. Hartman is president. Hill had
been employed by the Southern Pacific about
twenty years. as an Office boy and stenog-
raphcr. He was discharged about year ago
because he die not get along well with other en-
ployes in tho office AT No. 12O Broadway He has
a wife and two children living at No 694 Quincy
street. Brooklyn
When Hin was taken to the office of MFR.
Krotel and confronted with the copy Of the Har-
riman letter in Mr.. AiIllers presence ne admitted
having written the copy from his own notes
He did not deny having offered the copy for
sale AZ more than one newspaper office. HIS
only excuse was that he had been in hard luck
and out of employment for nearly a year with
a wife and two children 10 care for.
Don't ask me To talk" Hin said to reporters
rs he was being taken 20 the oak street station
20 be locked up last evening. Il am In bad
hole az a Is. Don't try 10 make II any worse"
Mr. Hartman said last night that he did not
want 70 talk about the arrest of Hill II was
said on behalf Of Mr. Hartman that he wanted
TO make II impossible for any newspaper to pub
fish more Of his private letters, II having been
reported that Hill had saved his notes of other
correspondence and had offered copies Of other
letters for sale