Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-12-17
The Post Office Afair-Exami-
natien-Remarks.

public and the parties accused, de-
mands of US a more extended notice
than heretofore given to it. Of the
proceedings before Commissioner HAL
LIDAY, the Cincinnati Gazette furnishes
the following statement. In its issue
of the 9th it says:-
edward s. Newton, Assistant Postmaster
or clerk in the Postofiee. at GalliFolis. was
before United States Commissioner Halliday
yesterday, on a charge of having distracted a
one hundred dollar bill from package sent
by the Postmaster at Kanswba Court House
to the Postmaster in Cincinnati, on the 18th
of last November.
There was large attendance of witnesses
and the room of the Commissioner was quite
filed all day. At night the government had
not finished its testimony. 1t is an interest
ing case, and was watched yesterday with
close attention. DR.. Lueius S. Comstock.
Postmaster, at Kanawha, testified to enclosing
the money IN yellow envelope, with the
usual papers of a money order accompanying
it, and enclosing the whole in the usual red
envelope Of the Department. This was de-
livered to John H. Rossler, Mail Route Agent.
from Kanawha to Gallipolis, who testified that
he took it to the Office of the boat, and placed
tim a drawer under the table. Had it in his
possession about twelve hours, and delivered
eouud to DR.. VIM S. Newton, Postmaster at
GGllipolis, who gave receipt Here the pack
age went into the mails. and we see nothing
further of it until it reaches Cincinnati.
Jacob e. Baughman, mail carrier. testified
to receiving the through Cincinnati mail be-
tween 8 and II o'clock, on Sunday night. at
GallipolIs, and taking it to Rio Grande. which
he reached between and o'clock at night
There he placed the mail in "a room in the
second story of Mr.. Gooch's house, occupied
by himself and the other carrier, Andrew
Whit.
Andrew Whit testified to taking mail bags
a little before 5 in the morning, of Monday;
did not remember whether the bolt was fast
ened that led out into the hall--it was not al
ways fastened-though the door leading out
of the hall was always fastened Monday morn
ing. Took the bag thence to Oak Hills, IA
miles distant where he delivered it to John
4. Spicer or his assistant. John Spicer, the
Postmaster at Oak Hill, received mails at 9
A. NJ. that Morning and placed them in the
office until l014 A. NJ: then he took the bags
TO the cars and delivered to Charles NJ. Buck,
the route agent on the Portsmouth Branch of
the NJ. d g. R. r. Mr.. Buck delivered the
mails at Hamden to Mr.. Jones, in whose
charge they were left about two hours, until
the arrival of the trains over the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad. There they were delivered
to Henry q. Crippen, route agent from Par
kers burg to Cincinnati, which latter place
they reached at s in the evening of the 10th
of November. The witnesses generally testi-
fy that the mails appeared to be in good con-
dition, or that there was nothing specially
about them to attract attention.
At Cincinnati Mr.. Crippen testified that he
rode up on the mails to the postoiiice and de-
liyered the bags. The parties at the post
office, in the city, who testified. could not say
anything definitely about these mails. All
they knew was, that when they came they
emptied the contents out on table, and first
sought the registered letters which were
placed in basket and from time to time ta-
ken away by Benjamin Brown, the General
Superintendent of the mailing room
Mr Brown testified that his habit was to
take these letters which thus came in and
place them in his safe, which had two keys,
one of which he or Mr. Morgan carried, and
the second was carried by Wm. L. Piercy,who
has charge of the Registry Department. On
the 18th the registered letter is entered on his
books
1t was Mr.. Piercy's practice to come and
get the letters and take them and the book to
his room.
Mr.. Pierey testifies that package No. 90.
corresponding to this, was opened by him as
was his custom. He cut off the right end
with the shears as the law provided. As he
was about to take out the contents, he dis
covered that the other end had also been
opened The package was then examined,
when 1t was found that the enclosure was
not in. Two receipts, which Mr. Piercy said
he had signed Tor the postmaster, were exhib-
tied upon which the Endorsement was marked
Correct"
One of these receipts was dated November
II, and had been sent to the Postmaster at
Gallipolis, which was after the other package
had been opened, which Mr.. Piercy said
would have been SO marked, whether the
money were in the package or not, as this
Endorsement only referred to the package and
not the contents.
At this juncture the Court adjourned. to re-
sumo the examination at 81 A. M, this
morning.
The government is represented by Henry
Hooper, Esq, and the defendant by Hon. H
S. Neal, of lronton, and Judge Headington of
this city.
The close Of the proceedings is
thus related by the same paper in its
issue of the 9th:
The examination of Edward s. Newton be-
fore United States Commissioner Halliday. on
a charge of abstracting hundred dollars
from letter forwarded from Kanawha Court
House to Cincinnati, last November, was re-
sumed Yesterday morning. The government
examined Geo W. Baker, who has charge of
the Money Order Department in the Post-office |
IN this city, Mr.. s. NJ. Penn, Special Agent of |
Postoffices of Ohio, and Thomas P. Sballcross |
Several young men and ladies of Gallipolis |
were examined, without developing anything
Of special consequence to the prosecution.
Alter the noon recess, the examination was
brought to sudden termination by the attor
1ey for the government moving to dismiss
he case.
The case having been dismissed, new affi-
lavlt was filed against DR.. VIM. s Newton,
postmaster at Gallipolis, O., and Edward s.
ewton and Valentine M. Newton, his sons,
charging, them generally with Jointly en-
'ezzhng letters containing valuable articles.
'eeween ec tne dates OF May aud November IL.
COO W. without specifically enumerating the
cts. This will bring the whole case up
gain, and the general examination will prob
bly, throw additional light on the losses sus-
aimed, and at least show what truth, if any,
here IS IN the charges that have for the time
eing thrown cloud over prominent citizen
nd family of Gallipolis.
The bail was fixed at 81 500 each, and the
ase set for hearing on the 10Th January.
1t will thus be seen that the gov ;
wholly failed to make out a !
ase, and, on its own motion, had it {
ismissed. Thesubsequent action {
hiding the parties over for their
ppearance in January-was based
pom the necessary absence of Mr.. t
HALLcRoss, the detective, who had