Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-03-25
The Gallipolis Post otfice Case.

ton, at Cincinnati, before U. 3. Com
missioner Halliday, into the aliedge
robbery of.the Gallipolis Post Office
and that it resulted in the dismissal q
| the case, the evidence not being of
character as to warrant the Commits
sioner in holding the party charged
E. S@Newton, son of the Postmaster
for trial. But a new case was brought
Including in its charge DR.. WIS. New
ton, the postmaster, and both of hi
sons, E. s. and V.M. Newton. Thi
case came before Commissioner Hall
day, for preliminary examination, las
Wednesday. As the proceedings il
this case are matter of great interes
to our people, we subjoin an abstrac
of the testimony submitted, with tn
decision of the Commissioner thereon
copied from the Commercial:
| FIRST DAY.
The affidavit of Thomas Shallcross
Superintendent of Mails, on which tn
parties were arrested, is dated Decem
Der 8, 1858. The affiant states he ha
good reason to believe that, on or abou
the 1st day of May, 1868; also, on tn
18th, 24th, 27th and 30th days o
May; gath and 9th of June; 1st, Cd
7th, 10th and 18th of July; 7th, 1Otl
and 12th of August, and 31st of Octo
Der; 18th and 18th of November, a
Galhpolis, Ohio, one VIM. s. Newton
Edward S. Newton and Valentine N
Newton, did embezzle certain letter:
containing articles of value, to-wit:--
bank notes, Treasury notes, checks
drafts, &C., the said Newtons being
then and there employed in the post-of
flee at Gallipolis, the said VIM. S. New.
ton being Postmaster, and the Others
assistants.
L. L. Comstock, Postmaster of Ka
nawha Courthouse. testified as to let
ters sent from his office and lost or sto.
len from the mails.
John A. Kosher, mail messenger be-
TWEEN Gallipolis, Ohio, and Kanawhs
Courthouse, testified that a registered
letter, in which he saw 800 put in 4
letter by Comstock, sealed in a large
package marked to the Postmaster al
Cincinnati, was handed him en- Satur-
day, the 18th November; that he de-
livered it to DR.. Newton, of Gallipolis,
at 7 or 8 O'Clock the same night; took
package out and delivered it in same
condition as received; it had been lock
ed up in box during transit; took a re-
ceipt for same from DR.. Newton; ii
would stay at Gallipolis till Sunday
night. The Doctor made no examina-
ton of the package on receiving it.
On cross-examination by Mr.. Head
ington, witness said the package was
in his office on the steamboat, on the
way down, in a drawer which he lock-
ed; did not see where Newton cut the
package, he takes such packages to his
desk, makes out record, and locks up
in drawer; the record he hangs up
against the wall at his desk, where it
can be seen by route agents, who thus
know whether there is ANYTHING for
them. Witness testified that he never
noticed anything out of the way in the
Doctors conduct of his office; every
thing was regular and proper. Wit
ness further testified that he received
registered letter on the 18th Novem-
Der, 1868, from the Postmaster at PIT.
Pleasant, which he delivered at DR..
Newton's Office; don't know whether
he delivered it to DR.. Newton or to his
son Edward.
Jacob S. Brougham, a farmer living
at Rio Grande, testified that in 1868 he
was driver of the mail between CALI
polls and Adamsville; that on the. 18th
Of November he drove on that route;
night, received the mail be-
tween 9 and 10 clock, in locked bags;
the through mail was going to Cincin-
natl; he reached Adamsville between l2
and | O'Clock; was alone; took them to
Mr.. Gooch's, who keeps be arding
house; placed them in a room, no body
in the room; slept up stairs in another
room; Mr.. Witt was to receive the
sacks; the room was locked up; sacks
were in good condition.
On cross-examination, he said he
had not taken any particular notice of
the mail-bags; the outside door of
Gooch's house was left open for him
to get in; the door of the room in which
he put the mail bags was unlocked
when he put them in, but he bolted one
door and locked the other; didn't lock
the door as he came out, Witt, the 9TH
er driver of the mail, was to get up
and start at 4 o'clock; Witt was gone
when he got up; didn't remember any
thing about the mail of the 10Th. Since
that time there have been. mail rob-
berries on that route.
To District Attorney-I bolted one
door of the room in which l put the
mail--suppose Gooch locked the 9th
er, the door leading to the street; didn't
try the door to see if it was locked, but
saw key in the door; went up stairs
from this.room; there were two other
inside doors to this room, which were
not kept locked; any one about the
house could have got into this room.
Andrew Witt testified that he lived
in Portland, Oak Hill Post-office; car
ried mail between Oak Hill and CALI
polls; received mail on the floor at
dooch's house next morning after that
to by last witness; sacks seem
I'd to be in good condition, sound and
ocked; took it to Oak Hill Post-ofice;
delivered it, at 9 O'Clock, to Mr.. Spi- |
,er, Postmaster there; another man,
Mr.. Frederick, was there; that was the
asst trip l drove.
On cross-examination, witness said
ne was mail contractor, and hired Fred
srick that morning to carry the mail;
ne was not sworn in, as it was Sunday
hight; made no special examination of
he bags: didn't try locks and doors to |