The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-09-02
A DISHONEST POSTMASTER.

ever made -. --.... ..:...~- 4..- t..
A DISHONEST. POSTMASTER.
j. II. W. Cowsart, the scallawag P.
NJ. at Lancaster, has been detected in
robbing the Post Office at that place
and arrested and Lodged in Jail on a
charge of forgery, but through the ras:
cality and falsehoed Of q brother, a re-
lease wus effected, and he fed from JUS.
tice. We copy from the Ledger, Of
Thursday, the following particulars: Z
Forsomctime past the. people have re-
garded the conduct Of j, II. W Cousart,
the postmaster at this place, with sus
picion. We have made frcquentallusions
through the Ledger to the manner in
which the Office was being managed, sat
is6ed, as we then were, that there was
something rotten in the concern. Our
suspicion was first aroused from the fact,
that after repeated efforts we could re-
ceive no answer to our business letters,
n-any of which answers, no doubt, con-
tanned money and checks. Since
Cousart's arrest, it turns out that be-
tween six and eight hundred dollars
have been lost through registered and
other letters within tn J, past two mouths.
He was arrested on the 10Th instant
on o warrant sued out by Strait & Da-
Wis, Druggists, before Magistrate With
erspoon, on the charge of forgery. The
evidence ELECTED on the trial brought
out the following facts: i,1a -:
Messrs. Strait & Davis mailed at this
place on the 3lst of July, ult., a letter
containing two checks on the United
Treasury, at Charleston, and one order
on G.. W. Williams & Co., payable at
sight to Dcwie & Noise. The checks
were undoubtedly distracted from the
letter and held by Cousart or his ac-
complice for near two weeks. 1t ap-
pears that on the 18th of August, inst,
a letter was mailed in Columbia, ESQ
post marked) dated Lancaster, July
80, 1869, BDowie & Noise, directing
them to pay one James Smih the draft
on G.. w. Williams & Co., and the
name of Davis l. Strait forged to the
letter. 1t is supposed that Cousart in
tended this letter for Williams & Co.,
but through mistake sent 1t to Dowie x
Noise. The latter firm returned this
letter to Strait Dc Davis for explanation,
who we're not hong in detecting the for
gerry and identifying the handwriting
The case was then made 80 plain, taking
cognizance of other circumstances, that
it did not admit of doubt; and the guilt
settled upon CoHsart, the postmaster
He was in Columbia 90 the 18th inst,
the time the letter was written to Dowie
& Muise directing them to pay the draft
on Williams & Co. to one Jas. Smith.
lie also wrote to an attorney at this
place on the 18th inst, from Columbia,
and comparison of the paper, envel
ope and handwriting proved the same
as that written to Dowie & Noise
Many of our best citizens will swear to
the hand writing of Cousart. -
After his arrest by Constable T. S.
Riddle, messengers were dispateh' d by
the prisoner to his white radical friends
to 90 on his bond, bnt they all refused
and he was consequently committed to
Jail, with the assurance however from
his brother, r. W. Cousart, who is a
magistrate under Scott's appointment,
that he would have him set at liberty in
than one hour. " -a..
The low cunning was Immediately
brought to play upon Charles Jones, a
negro magistrate, and he induced to
sign release without taking any bond
whatever. He being assured by r. w.
Cousart, that he (Cousart) had taken
the bond and that it was all right. The
negro magistrate discovered on the fol-
lowing morning that he had been duped
and that no bond had been given.
What say those now who used their
influence in turning out worthy and
efficient officer, and filing the position
with one who never had a character
worthy of the confidence Of a negro !?
We knew at the time that the change
was not made for the public good, but
to crafty a malignant hate; and to hu-
initiate respectable citizens by forcing
business transactions between them and
such person.
ADD1r1oNAL.-Last nights mail
places US in possession of additional
facts in relation TO the recent forgery