Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 17.djvu/359

 FORTY—SECOND CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 335. 1872. 319 shall take the mail, or any letter or packet therefrom, or from any post- ing the mail, or office, branch post-office, or other authorized depository for mail-m=>.tte1·, Q£Y1°;Q?"n'°m with or without the consent of the person having custody thereof, and 2,¥10;,§¤;¤g, open, embczzle or destroy, any such mail, letter, or package which shall &¤·, S¤¤¤ Hmii of contain any note, bond, draft, check, warrant, revenue-stamp, postage- {;E;°§Qg8;$;3,°2;‘t{_ stamp, stamped envelope, money-order, certificate of stock, or other pécu- cle of value. niary obligation or security of the government, or of any officer or fiscal agent thereof, of any description whatever; any ba.nk·110te, bank posi:-bill, bill of exchange, or note of assignment of stock in the funds; any letter of attorney for receiving annuities or dividends, selling sbock in the funds, or collecting the interest thereof ; any letter of credit, u0te,_b<md, warrant, draft, bill, promissory note, covenant, contract, or agreement whatsoever for or relating to the payment or the delivery of any article of value, or the performance of any act, matter or thing; any receipt, release, acquittance, or discharge of or from any debt, covenant, or demand, or any part; thereof ; any copy of the record of any judgment or decree in any court of law or chaucery, or any execution which may have issued thereon; any copy of any other record, or any other article of value, or any writing representing the same; any person who shall, by fraud or deception, ob- Pqnqlty for tain from any person having custody thereof; any such mail, letter or ?;m";;:fhb“{¤I packet; containing any such article of value aforesaid, every such person, 1mm, gm.; ’ not being employed in any department of the postal service, shall, on conviction thereof, for every such offence, be imprisoned at hard labor uct; less than one nor more than five y€&·I’S. Sm. 282. That any person who shall be accessory after the fact to rcrbeing acm the OHGHCG of stealing or taking any letter, postal card, or other mail- fA‘;’gnQ“;§g:§°f“°t matter, or any inclosurc therein, or to any other offbnce against the aggiyispthe pom; postal laws, shall, on conviction thereof, fp‘rfeit and pay not exceeding HWS- one thousand dollars, and be imprisoned not exceeding five years; and any such accessory after the fact may be tried, convicted, and punished in the district in which his 0H'ence was committed, though the principal P d. offence may have been committed in another district; and such trial, to ,£§$€&;?gs °° conviction, and punishment may be before that of the principal of’f{¤ FM the government, or of any officer or fiscal agent thereof; of any description m;}éi§Ta1d'"g whatever; any bankmotc, bank p0st—bill, bill of exchange, or note of assignment of stock in the funds; any letter of attorney for receiving annuities or dividends, selling stock in the funds, or collecting the interest thereof; any letter of credit, note, bond, warrant, draft, bill, promissory note, covenant, contract, or agreement whatsoever, for or relating to the payment of money or the delivery of any article of value, or the performance of any act, matter, or thing; any receipt, release, acquittance, or discharge of or from any debt, covenant, or demand, or any part, thereof; any copy of the record of any judgment or decree in any court of law or chzmcery, or 'any execution which may have issued thereon; any copy of any other record, or any other article of value or writing representing the same, knowing any such article or thing to have been stolen or cmbezzled from the mail, or out of any posh-office, branch posboffice, or other authorized depository for mail-matter, or from any person having custody thereof, every such person shall, on conviction théreoi for every such oiiénce, forfeit and pay not exceeding two thousand dollars, and be _ O011E1I0d at hard labor 1101: exceeding five years ; and such offender may be b Yi°FT’€Ffm1_:Y tried, convicted, and punished without the principal O€GI1d6I‘ being first je {Q; °° tried, when said principal offender has fled from justice, or cannot be found to be put on trial.