The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-06-28

ACuR1ous CASE BEFORE COMMISSION
HR FoRBEs-A rather curious cage came
up before us. Commissioner Forbes yes
terday for examination. The defendant,
who Is employed as driver at Luke's
livery stable, is known as A. Frank
Jones. This Jones came here from Al
lance, ohio, n short time since, and after
he had been in the city several days,
called at the Postofice and asked for and
received letter addressed to "Miss Sadie
Andrews" When questioned by the clerk,
he stated that Miss Andrews was his
cousin. Time passed on, and Jones con-
tinued to receive letters addressed to
Miss Andrews, until one day Postmaster
Rawlings received communication from
a Mrs. Townsend, Of Alliance, Ohio, sta
ting that she had good reason 10 believe
that her letters to Miss Andrews had
been tempered with, and suggesting that
the person who should call for letter she
would send to that address should be the
subject Of Investigation.
The letter from Mrs. Townsend arrived
in due time, and Jones, as usual, called al
the Postoflice and procured it. Col. Shall
cross, having been notified OF the suspic-
ious conduct OF Jones, promptly took him
into custody upon charge Of taking "a
letter, not containing any article Of value,
out OF a Postoffice Of the United. States,
and opening the same, which letter had
been in the custody Of mail carrier, be-
fore it was delivered to the person to
whom Il was directed, with design to OBJ
struct the correspondence OF such party,
and against the statutes OF the United
States in such cases made and provided"
Now comes the curious partofthe case.
It appears that Jones and Mrs. Townsend
were quite intimate in Alliance, and the
former, getting ipto some tronble,
was obliged 10 seek pastures new.
He came to Wheeling, but left his
heart at Alliance. The mysterious Mrs.
Townsend, OF whom but little seems TO be
known, had evidently created quite an
impression upon The young gentleman
who parts his name in the middle.
Naturally, he desired to know with what
eyes his love looked upon his conduct at
Alliance. He did not sit down and write
q penitent letter, replete with explana-
tions, protestationsiand apologies. All is
fair in love and war, thought Jones,
and no he wrote TO Mrs. Townsend,
in neat, feminine hand, making in
quiries about Mr.. A. Frank Jones, and
signed the name, "sadie Andrews" to his
letter.
The icticious ''sadie's" letters became
SO pointed in their allusions to Mr.. Jones,
that Mrs. Townsend began to think that
her correspondent was no other than the
gentleman himself. She accordingly
wrote TO the Postmaster, as already indi-
Gated.
@. B. Caldwell, Esq, appeared for the
United States, and Mr.. J. J. Woods for
the prisoner. The further examination
was postponed until Saturday morning,
in order, II possible, TO have Mrs. Town.
send appear rs a witness. The defendant,
in default Of $500 bail, was remanded 10
jail. The section under which the al
legged oftense comes, provides that any per-
son who shall take q letter, as above,
with design 10 obstruct the CORES:
pondence, or ;pry into the business or ae-
crets Of another" shall be punishable by
fine Of not more than Eve hundred dol
lars, or by imprisonment at hard labor
for not more than one year, OF both.