Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-10-01
Alleged Mail Depreciation

We fird the following in the Philadelphia
Ledger of September 25th:
Hiram D. Van Vliet, of Monroe CO, Pa, had
hearing yesterday before U. S. Commission
or Heazlitt, in this city, on the charge of pro-
curing by fraud valuable letters mailed at Eas-
ton. The facts rs developed by the testimony
collected by special Mail Agent Row, are as
follows : On the 11th of April last David Gum,
of Lower Mount Bethel township, Northamp-
ton county, Pa, purchased at the Easton Bank
draft payable to his order at the Union Bank,
New York, for $121 76. Some hours after ne
obtained the draft he had it put in letter ad-
dressed to Amos Gum, Cooksville, Wisconsin,
and mailed at Easton. The remittance not
reaching Amos Gum, correspondence took
place relative to the matter, between him and
his brother David, and an inquiry being made
at the bank, it was ascertained that the draft
had been paid in New York four days after its
date. As the draft could not possibly have
gone to: W isconsin and back in that short time,
it was inferred that it had been purloined or
otherwise improperly procured.
Mr.. S. B. Row, the special mail agent, being
made acquainted with these facts, at once set
to work to discover who the offender was.
Upon ascertaining that the draft bad reached
New York in letter addressed to Henry De
Hart 4 Co., he procured the letter, which was
dated at Analomink, Monroe county, Pa. Be-
sides the ndorsement of David Gum, the draft
had the following on it: stPsy to VIM. Herd or
order, Amos Gum" ssPay to Henry De Hart
& Co., VIM. Herd" Also the endorsement of
De Hart & Co. Returning to Easton, the
Special Agent learned that, in his absence.
two letters had come to hand addressed to
David Gum purporting to have been written
by Amos Gum, and containing request to
have $500 or at least 500 sent to him at Mad
ison, with a caution net to direct any more
letters to Cooksville. These letters were in
the handwriting of the letter in which the
missing draft was sent to New York, and at
least two witnesses, who had often seen the
defendant write, testified that, to the best
of their knowledge and belief, they had been
written by Vanvliet. 1t was also testified to
that the writing did not bear any resent blance
to that of Amos Gum. With a view to detect
the forger and swindler, decoy letter was
prepared and forwarded to Madison, the Spe-
cial Agent following it up closely. As was
anticipated, letter reached the Post Master,
at Madison, the following morning, asking him
to f,rward any letters tina might be in bis office
for A. Gum (whose name was signed to the let
ters) to ohm A. Morris, Stroudsburg, Mouroe
co., Pa. At that place an attempt was made to
get the letter, but it failed. 1t was then ordered
TO Scranton, Pa, where it remained abo,- five
days, when it was ordered to be sent to RUSSELL
Vile P. O., Wyoming county, Pennsylvania.
There it remained undisturbed twelve days,
when a note was received signed John A.
Morris, asking the Postmaster to enclose in
new envelope any letters that might be there
for him to Henry Eyler, White Haven, Luzerne
county. Three days after the letter was re-
ceived at the latter Office letter reached the
Postmaster at White Haven signed Henry
Eyler, VIM. Douner and Hiram D. Van Vliet,
asking him to put in one envelope any letters
that might be in that Office tor any of them,
and direct il, to Theodore L. Van Vliet,
Stroudsburg, Monroe county. The decoy let
ter was taken from the post. Office by Theodore
L. Van Vliet, who is only fifteen or sixteen
years Of age, q brother Of the defendant. He
was taken into custody by the Special Agent
but was afterwards released. Hiram, the
present defendant, was only arrested week
ago at Gouldsborough, LnzerBe county. IT
Was proven that Hiram was in the hotel at
Easton when the letter was written and tie draft
enclosed also that all the letters referred to
above are in his hand writing, and that he had
lifted letters addressed to John A.. Morris. he
was committed to jail in default of So 900 bail.