BAGGAGEMASTER ARRESTED
Charles Botteiger, baggage master on Day’s train on the Summit Branch road was arrested upon the arrival of the train at Lykens at 12:10 noon Thursday of last week by Postal Inspectors M. W. Malone of Harrisburg and M. C. Duryea of Williamsport, on the charge of robbing the mails. He was taken to Harrisburg, where he entered bail in the sum of $1,000 for his appearance at the December term of the United States Court to be held at Harrisburg.
Botteiger had been working his game for months, and had taken a large number of packages from the mail bags which were carried on the train on which he ran. Officials have been at work on the case since September when a large number of packages directed to the post-office at this place [Elizabethville], Lykens, Williamstown, Wiconisco, Berrysburg and Tower City were reported lost.
Botteiger reported for duty at 5:20 in the morning at Millersburg, the rest of the crew coming on duty at 6 o’clock, thus giving him ample time in which to rifle the mail pouches which were in his charge.
Botteiger had been paying attentions to a woman named Lizzie Esterline, who wore some of the jewelry and dress goods taken from the mails and which was identified by persons at Lykens as the goods they had ordered. The Inspectors called upon the woman who confessed that Botteiger presented her with the articles and restored a numbers of others she received from him,
Upon his arrest Botteiger denied all knowledge of the robbery, upon being informed that the woman had confessed he took the officials to his home, where in a tool chest which he always kept locked he brought forth a large lot of plunder which he had taken.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, July 3, 1903, via Newspapers.com. The Harrisburg Daily Independent reported on December 17, 1903, that in United States Court, Botteiger had entered a guilt plea and was sentenced to six months in Dauphin County Prison.
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