The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-07-25
Branic Gives His Evidence.

BRanlc Gives His Evidence.
Branlc conducts a private express
business under the name OF Branic's
New York and Brooklyn Express. at 212
West Thirty fifth street When pc read
in the newspapers that the name A. A
Tatum had been found upon the mys-
terry trunk he straightway communl-
Gated with the police and told them that
he had received letter signed A. A.
Tatum, the name which appeared as the
shipper on the trunk with the woman's
body.
This letter bore a Detroit postmark
and had been mailed on June 10, the
date on which the woman's body was
shipped for this city. II enclosed an
express company receipt on A. a.
Tatum of Detroit for a trunk addressed
to James Douglas OF New York city
The trunk containing the body had been
addressed to James Douglas.
The text of this letter, which was
turned over by Branic to Capt. Arthur
Carey of the Police Homicide Squad;
was not made public. According to the
expressman, the writer informed him
that he had been recommended by one
of his other customers. and that he
would like him to get the trunk called
for in the receipt, and to put II In stor-
age for him. The writer stated that he
would pay for his work and for the
storage at a later date when he would
arrive in New York.
Branic called for the trunk at the
Office OF the American Railway Express
Company Immediately after receipt OF
the letter, he said but was unable to
get 1t at that time. He then pigeon
holed the letter.
Meets Two south Americans.
Branlc told the police that he had
made the acquaintance, in the fall Of
1918. Of two men whom he knew as A.
]. Fernandez and Joseph Yanez, who
told him that they were South Ameri-
cans and that they had just arrived
from San Antonio. Tex. He said that
they asked him to store trunk for
them for about a month
Later, he said. Yanez went,to Phila-
delphia to obtain work in an airpIane
plant and Fernandez went to live in the
Spanish colony in either West Sixty
third or Slxty-fourth street From
time to time. he said. Yanez visited this
city and stopped in to see him and they
became we'll acquainted.
In June, 1919, he heard that Fernan-
deZ had been arrested in Coney Island
as a result OF a motor accident, and
that he had given the name Of o. ].
Woods.
Branic said yesterday that he be-
lieved that Fernandez had remained IN
Jail for about one month awaiting bail,
and that when he obtained his liberty
he borrowed $50 from him and asked
him TO take his trunk and store II for |
a while Some time later, he said, af- T,
ter paying him back half of the amount
that he had borrowed, Fernandez moved !
to Detroit. On January last, Branlc |
says, he received letter from Fernan-
dez enclosing s25. and asking him to,l
forward his trunk TO "E Leroy at the !
Detroit Y. NJ. c. A.
He learned, he told the police, that |
"E. Leroy" was another name BY which |
Fernandez was known. Branic turned |
over to Capt Carey several letters he |
had received from Fernandez so that the |
could be compared with the |
In the letter which was
signed "A. A. Tatum" and which re-
ferred to the mystery trunk
The police here express the belief that |
the mans suit bearing the label OF a ,
little country store was put in the trunk