The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-24

CHARGE OF puaLoININa MONEY FROM THE PHI
ApELpHIA PosT OFFICE-Yesterday before Judge
Kane of the United States district court, Thomas J.
Hough was brought up on preliminary examination
upon charge of purloining money from letters in
tie Philadelphia post Office.
The district attorney. John w. Ashmead, ap-
peared for the United States and Henry M Phil
lips for the accused.
The evidence established the following points:
That at different times, within the last three years,
letters containing money have been missed at the
Philadelphia post office-probably $4,000 in all
which have never to the banda Of the proper
cpieats. During all this time Hough clerk at
the office, engaged in the departmental distribut-
ing letters There were other clerks there at the
| same time. Whenever letters were missed it was
found that the records accounts of letters from
the Office from which they were sent were also
missing with them.
| Mr.. White, the postmaster, says that Hough be-
came suspected about the first of January last, in
consequence of free living. He appeared to have
plenty of money to spend, much more, in the post
masters judgment, than he ought to have had, from
1 the proceeds of a salary of $500 year. II was
said that he was poor at the time of his appoint
| ment, and had no means beyond what he could
make from his salary. In the business is also in
volved young man, named Deacon c. Hough, a
brother Of the accused. He is clerk in tele-
graph Office, at salary of $500 year. The at
torney general stated that large amounts of money
had been deposited in bank by d. G. Hough
amounting in all, since the account was opened, tc
$2i 600. This is the footing up of the various
sums deposited.
Thos. j. Hough himself had 900 deposited il
bank TO his own account on the first of March last
On his person when he was arrested were fount
certificates for four hundred and twenty shares o
the Atlantic and Ohio Telegraph Company, pa
S2l 900; they were in the name Of D. c. Hough
endorsed Thos j. Hough. At the house of the lat
ter the officers also found other papers and prom
issory note of Deacon c. Hough. payable 10 hi.
brother. These were matters OF general suspicion
The only evidence TO connect the defendant with
positive robbery of letters was as follows: On De
cember 8, l649, letter mailed ut Hecterville
Schuylkill county, directed TO George Paine, in
Philadelphia. 1t contained 81 200 in Miners
Bank notes.
II was testified that Mr. Paine said he never re
ceived the letter. Some weeks after this deposi
was made in the Girard bank by Hough, for Thos
b. Florence, among which were several notes O
! the Miners bank. The district attorney ofieret
twice to put the bank book Of Deacon C.. Hough il
evidence, but il ruled out by the judge, upor
{ the ground that there was evidence Of his com
. plicity with It. c. Hough, or his want of mean
previous to the latter going into the post office.
The mere fact of the brother Of person accuse
having a large bank account could not affect tn
. latter person The United States should establis
the fact that the person whose accounts sougt
. TO be exposed was entirely without means. Tn
! Miners Bank notes in themselves amount to no
thing, and only show that Mr. Florence had en-
trusted Mr.. Hough with the money and his banl
book to make deposit.
The district attorney then asked for further time
! This opposed by II. M. Phillips, in powerful
cided to postpone the matter until Monday, hodin,
the accused to $4,000 bail. He did not give this
, The principal witness examined was T. J. p. White
the postmaster, who testified that Hough re
moved from the post Office altogether from suspi
, cions Of his honesty y.-Phila. North american 20h