Evening journal., 1919-12-01
FREE I'm BAIL AFTER
1900 NILE CHA-E.
Benjamin Weinstock Held
Under $500 on Charge
of Stealing $50
FIRST SAYS GUILTY"
THEN REVERSES PLEA


After having been irailed for dis
tance Of 1900 miles and brought bact
10 Wilmington from Honolulu Hawaii
Benjamin WeinstocA. a former sub-let-
ter carrier Of this city. was this after
noon given his liberty under $1,000 bail
10 answer charges Of pilfering $50 from
the mails.
Weinstock, a mere youth IN appear
ancC. and whose age j. Variously given
as from i6 20 % years, was arralgncd
before Judge Morris. in Nle Federal
District Court sh6-ly after noon today
Edward Glenn Cook was his counsel.
District Attorney Charles r. Curley ap-
peared for the government After read
ing Of the indictment against WeinstOck.
Justice Morris fixed $500 as the bail
figure and allowed Barnet WeinstOck,
father Of the accused youth, TO 20 his
bond Mr.. Cook told the court the elder
Wcinstock possessed at least $4,000 ap-
proved real estate over and above his
debts
Young Welnsl0ck was brought TO
| Wilmington on Saturday from Call
f0rnia by a United states marshal and
a deputy and given into the custody Of
Marshal Fairy, Of this district. Mar
shal FAIRY took him TO the county
workh0use over sunday.
/ 4 brief conference was held just
prior to the hearing this afternoon IN
I the judges chambers. at which the
prisoner and counsel agreed upon
| plea Of mot guilty When however.
Judge Morris convened court and Vein
stock was called upon 90 plead. he
promptly responded guilty Mr.. Cook
protested there must De a misunder-
standing. and the court permitted Dis
! lrict Attorney Curley TO explain to the
lprsoner the nature OF the charges
against him and TO change his plea II
/ he desired. Weinstock thereup0n plead
ed mot guilty
The charges which led to the chase
Of 1900 miles 20 bring back Vein
stock 90 this city grew out Of the an
/ tstraction OF a money order for $50 from
/ a letter delivered here last May. At
that time Weinstock was ia service as
a sub-carrier Tie letter came from
: Rochester. y. Y. and was addressed 10
Mrs. Evetina G.. Merrill, No. 1921 Ban
ming street.
shortly after the theft occurred, the
money order was cashed in Penns-
grove. Suspicion fell upon Weinstock.
who disappeared. Later a bundle Of
| clothing came through the mails ad-
1 dressed 90 Barnet Weinstock, mer-
| chant of this city, and father Of the
1 youth. IN address on the outside show
| ed that young WeinstOck had enlisted
in the army and was at a military
I camp in New York State.
I Oflcers were sent after the youth.
/ but it was found he had been ordered
with his regiment 10 san Francisco.
BY the time the san Francisco author
! tiles were notified. he had sailed with
| his regiment on a trOopship for the
/ Philippines. 4 cable was sent TO Homo
lulu. where the troOpship made its flrst
! stop. and WeinstOck was arrested upon
the arrival 0f the vessel there. He
was returned TO san Francisco by the
Navy Department and brought here by
the California deputies.
WelnstOck is Doyish in appearance
and his slenderness was emphasized 10y
the olive drab military uniform he
wore in court today. No attempt has
been made 10 obtain a confession from
him. but 30 was said at the District
Court today that he has given evidence
Of breaking down. Hence there was
I little surprise on the part Of the court
attaches when he pleaded guilty and
afterwards changed 10 TO not guilty
/ Weinstock will be tried at the Jan
uary term Of court II convicted he
will be liable 60 a sentence Of not more
than $500 fine, five years Imprisonment
. or both.
A more serious phase Of the case is
the question Of his age. II he is less
than 81 years. as is claimed. he will
be liable 90 charge Of falsifying his
age in qualifying for the civil service
examination preliminary TO becoming a
sub-letter carrier. II he should be
shown TO be under IS years he will
likewise face a charge in connection
with his entrance into the army.
should Weinstock be freed OF The
charges against him. he will still 0e
in the Navy and liable to recall all the
way to the Philippines TO reioin his
regiment. thus adding 1900 miles 10
the Journey Of 1000 he already has
taken since leaving Wilmington.