The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-05-04
SANDUSKY POST OFFICE ROBBERY
Evidence Strong Agai,pt Vantine, The Lat'
Postmaster-Boua Over IN S., 900 Bonds.

Affairs in the Sandusky post office
have been in a bad way for long time
proving emphatically that there was
Something rotten in Denmark" 1t will
be remembered that many months ago
the postmaster, Mr., Vantine, had charged
John Cherry, a clerk in the office, as be-
ing guilty Of ofdishonesty in the office, and
the young man was tried, but no case
could be made against him.
1t would appear that matters have not
grown better, and on Tuesday, Deputy
Marshal Odell went to Sandusky and ar
rested Postmaster Vantine on warrant
issued by U. S. Commissioner White, OF
this city, charging him with embezzle-
ment in not accounting in his official re-
port for some S2,626, 80, and also for
embezzling thirty-eight letters containing
money, which it is alleged he detained
and appropriated to his own use. He
was brought to Cleveland on Wednes-
day morning, and expressed willing
ness to waive any examination before
the commissioner, but that officer deter
mined to hear the statement of Mr., {. (.
Henry, a special detective of the post
office department, now acting postmaster,
as well as to examine some written state
ments which had been made, before de-
rermining the question OF bail,
Mr.. Henry made quite lengthy state
ment, the substance of which is that he
went to Sandusky Immediately after be-
ing notified that robbery had been com
mtted in the postofice on the seven
teenth of April. He had been there on
several occasions before, as troubles and
losses have been reported, with slight
intervals between, covering period OF
nearly two years. AT the first, Van Tine
seemed free and willing to give lntor
nation, and had accused Cherry of being
the thief. Cherry was arrested and dis
charged.
Some eight or ten days after that iAves'
tigation, he received a letter from Van
Tine, stating that Siegling was the thief.
He went up and gave Van Tine dlrec-
tons how to proceed, and although he
had agreed to do as requested, it would
appear that during three or four weeks
thereafter he had paid little or no atten-
ton to the instructions. 1t leaked out,
too, that the postmaster had certain bad
habits but his friends had got the matter
compromised and saved him his position.
He was removed early in April, ana, in
answer to a deficiency in his accounts,
he said he was short about 81 200, but
expected to make it all up in due course
oftime.
Statements were read of Henry G.
Moore, money order clerk, John Angst
and Henry Ambrose, clerk, and N {,
Siegling, formerly route agent but now
unemployed, which case grave Sus'
picions upon Van Tine because of GER
tain of his actions with regard to examin.
ing mail pouches and the handling Of
registered letters and his presence at the
office during the period of time in which
the robbery is said to have occurred.
Van Tine holds Siegling to have com.
mitted the robbery SegIing was about
the office late in the afternoon of the day,
but the crude testimony so far elected
does not seem to point so strongly to-
wards him as Van Tine.
AT all events, U. S. Commissioner held
that the conduct of Van Tine, in retain
ing public moneys, without having
made note of it in his reports to the de
partment, of itself LAID him open to a
charge fembezzlement, and he adjudged
that he should be bound over in the sum
of$5 900, to appear before the U. S, court
The recognizances of his brother and
himself we're accepted, and thus he
stands to await due trial