The weekly union record., 1865-02-18
A Mail Robber Caught.

For a long time it has been known by the
Post Office Agent, and our Postmaster and his
deputy, that the Marysville Office has been
robbed. The Postmaster suspected the thief
and discharged him. After this discharge. the
Special Post Office Agent continued to watch
the Office, but found no more losses. Finally.
Postmaster Mccormick, in order to exonerate
the innocent and catch the guilty, hit upon the
plan OF sending for the discharged clerk. II. p.
Eaton, and giving him Chance. if disposed. to
steal more, with the view of entrapping him
Mr.. Neeks, the deputy, in pursuance Of this
plan, wrote 10 Eaton (wb0 had gone TO Red
Blutf and opened hotel in company with II.
w. Luhrs), that he (Meeks) must go below, and
that he would be under great obligations if he
would come down and take bis place for
week. Eaton accepted the call, and arrived
here last Saturday, and Sunday went into his
old place in the Office. and as the sequel will
show, at his old business of robbing letters
10 order to carry out the plans. the mails eav-
ing here IN the morning had to be opened afi ier
passing through Eaton's hands. This renpening
and examination was done at the stage Office,
IN the presence Of james Haworth and Post.
master Mccormick. Another part of the plan
was to fix decoy letter in which was inclosed
$50 in greenbacks and fifty cents in silver. the
latter TO give the tibet positive assurance that
the letter contained money. On Monday. the
mails were reopened in the back room of the
stage office. and the decoy letter found to be
all right, and no signs found of Others being
disturbed. Another letter Was put in for
Tuesday, and Tuesday morning developed the
thief. The letter containing marked green
backs TO TIM amount OF $50 and the silver half
dollar, had been opened and robhed. and brown
paper substituted to fill up. Other letters lad
also been rohbed-Oue containing $40 in
greenbacks. one with SIS in gold, and another
containing 81 gold piece and gold specimen
This money was found upon Eaton's person By
officer Casad, who Immediately made the arrest
after the denouement. Officer Casad found
Eaton making up other mails, it then being a
little after 5 o'clock Tuesday morning. On
entering the Post Office and ieil Eaton he
had come to arrest him, and that he had been
stealing, the young man stouty denied the
charge But, when the officer informed him
that he had been caught, he made full con
fession, and haoded over the declaring
at the same time that it was his first offense
Eaton was Immediately taken to the station
house crying and bemoaning terribly bis folly.
Special Agent Corbett was telegra pied to-
requesting his presence. Corbett answered the
dispatch, saying be would be up and take
charge of the prisoner. Eaton has been EN-
ployed iu the Post Office for about two years.
After serving several months on bis first ap-
pointment, he was discharged for reasons given
his friends By the Postmaster. After urgent
solicitation. be was reappointed, and remained
until the Postmaster was fully satisfied though
he bad no positive evidence, that be was dis
honest. About six months have transpired
since his last discharge His subsequent acts,
IN connection with the fact that the losses
ceased at the office, convinced all those who
knew the facts that he was guilty Of robbing
the mails. The plan was then adopted TO en-
trap him which proved so successful. The
tota. amount taken at different times is not
known. Cornell & Rogers mailed letter
S400 in greenbacks, which was
at the time by Eaton, which failed
TO be received. A letter was mailed at the
Iehama post Office. containing $3.50 in green
backs, and directed TO the New York Spirit
of the Times this, and another from the same
Office. containing 500. was traced to the Ma |
rysville Post Office by the Special Agent
Two hundred and fifty dollars in greenbacks
were stolen from the safe in the office, and
Sl00 more from the rooms above. Besides |
these large sums, many little peculatioas were
complained Of. A lady sent her two little |
sisters in Massachusetts, each gold dollar, but |
they we're abstracted. Another lady sent $50 |
to a sister, which failed. The discovery of the /
robber affords much relief to the Postmaster
and his clerks; and this plan OF entrappiDg
Eaton is owing wholly TO the odium of the sus-
picion resting against the office. Until the /
real offender was discovered, every man had his !
suspicious. The fact that the robbsg ceased
after Eaton left the office was evidence sufic- |
lent TO satisfy the Special Agent. but of this /
the pbblc knew nothing We understand that /
Eaton coniesses to have taken 81 500, 10 I
greenbacks, and that he sold 81 900 of this sum
in San Francisco. ifarysriHe Appeal, 18th.
The Appeal of Thursday says:
The publication of the arrest of Eaton
brings further developments Of bis work. His
distractions will probably amount 10 several /
thousand dollars. Persons who have los, /
money, and heretofore placed the thieving on
the overland route and in the East, now charge
their losses to the Marysville Office. Several /.
persons in town yesterday made known their
losses. The Sisters Of Notre Dame lost $40. /
sent to Baltimore. The Postmaster received /
letter from Timbuc'oo, making inquiries. and
iaung that several registered letters from that
office reached their destination u the Eas,
minus their monied contents. Further devel /
opments may be looked for every day Young
Eaton makes liberal confessions, feels very pen
ltent, aud excites considerable sympathy. He
says be knew better. and was never educated /
for a thief. His fall can be attributed to bad
associations, male and female, and bis case
should be warning TO bis former companions I
No boy ever had the advantages of advice and /
assistance Of better parents and friends Special
Agent Corbett arrived by steamer. Tuesday /
night, and was busy with the case, yesterday I
We understand that Eaton says be has $500 /
% deposit at Red Bluff with H. W Luhrs. /
and that steps were taken yesterday TO recover /
this money.
The HUMBOLDT Register suggests the cutting /
aud baling o. sagebrush 10 be used as an arti I
cle of fuel in the running Of mills ard roasting