The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-05-16

when VIC gave Au ACSouuk VI hhS f-.s
taken by him In discovering certain post.
Office irregularities at New Marlinsyille.
Il was generally understood at that time
that Capt. Tidball was on the alert for
more game In this vicinity, and such
proved TO be the case yesterday, when he
arraigned the Misles s. H. and Felicia II.
Winchester before q. s. Commissioner
Rogers upon charge Of usipg the United
States malls in iurtherance OF schemes TO
defraud.
The arrest Of the Misses Winchester
soon became matter OF public talk and
excited great deal Of interest during the
day. Both ladies are we'll known 10 the
publicity reputation at least-as the
proprietors Of kindergarten school at
No. AZ 10Th street. TheJ have been con-
sidered very respectable and deserving
Young ladies during their residence in
this city, some two years, and their ar
rest upon the charge named was matter
Of surprise and regret TO all who knew
them.
The ladies were accompanied by their
father TO the Commissioners Office, and
were given a preliminary hearing at 8
P. NJ, when the facts Of the case were de.
yeloped as follows: Miss Harriet L..
Lord, Principal OF n kindergarten school
in the Lindsey Institute building, on the
18th Of March last received letter from
Evansville, Indiana, signed "Mrs. H. s.
Jeryis," which represented that the writer
was the head OF family in Evansville,
that she had several children she desired
10 be educated by the kindergarten sys-
tenn and that she knew great many other
families 10 that city who desired to sim.
ilarly educate their children. The wri-
ter explained her knowledge OF Miss
Lord BY saying that while on steamer
on the Ohio river she bad met number
Of ladies from Wheeling going 10 New
Orleans, and in conversation with these
ladies, the merits Of the kindergarten
system heing discussed, Miss Lord was
spoken OF as being IN excellent teacher
in Wheeling. "Mrs. Jervis" went on TO
assure Miss Lord in this letter that she
could get as many pupils in Evans
Vile as she would be able 10 teach. Some
inquiries were made as 10 the cost Of
startiRg the system, and Miss Lords ex.
pefience in teaching 1t, and the extraor-
binary Communication closed with ofer-
ing The lady special inducements should
she decide 10 locate at Evansville.
Across the end Of the envelope enclos.
ing this letter was written, "This letter
was sent To Evansville under cover TO
the p. NJ, and forwarded TO which
was attached the signature OF the Post
master at Evansville. Miss Lord, how.
ever, accepted the contents OF the letter
10 good faith, and wrote to the supposed
"Mrs. Jervis," for the purpose OF learn.
ing something more definite before decid.
ing upon change Of location. On the
10Th Of March Miss Lord received q sec.
ond letter from her patron in Evansville,
in which the inducements 10 remove to
that city, and assurances oil success, were
repeated, and such hattering prospect
was held out 10 the lady, that she thought
seriously Of accepting the offer. How
ever, before taking any decisive steps in
the matter she thought best to consult
Mr.. Geo. K. Wheat.
This action on the part Of Miss Lord
no doubt saved her great deal Of IN.
convenience and annoyance. Mr.. Wheat
examined the letters, and finding both
superscribed by the Postmaster as indicat-
ed, suspected something was wrong. He
therefore took the letters 10 Postmaster
Rawling, who at once wrote TO the Post
master at Evansville for information
upon the subject. The Evansville Post.
master, in reply, forwarded to Mr.. Raw.
ling postal card, addressed TO him (the
Evansville P. NJ as Postmaster, which
he had received from the fictitious Mrs.
Jeryis." The postal came from Wheeling,
and contained request Of the Post.
master at Evansville to send all letters
addressed 10 "Mrs. Jeryis" direct to this
city.
Upon this Capt. Rawling communicate
ed with the authorities at Washington,
and Detectives Tidball and Henderson
were sent here 10 investigate the case.
BY use OF decoy letter, which was re.
ceiyed ut the Wheeling Postoffice by one
Of the Misses Winchester, who inquired
for letter to "Mrs. Jervis," the detect.
ives soon learned the whereabouts OF
that fictitious personage. Tidball called
upon the Misses Winchester, and inter.
viewed them upon the subject, when Miss
s. Fl. Winchester admitted having writ.
ten the postal card received by the POST
master at Evansville In relation 10 Mrs.
Jervis' letters, and Miss Felicia Winches.
ter said that she had called at the Post.
office in this city and received letters ad-
dressed to "Mrs. Jervis," but neither Of
the ladies gave any account OF who or
where the famous "Mrs. j." was. After
wards one OF the ladies said that "Mrs.
Jeryisp was in New York City, and her
address was at the general delivery.
Mr.. E. G. Cracraft represented the de-
Tense at the examination, and Mr.. g. b.
Caldwell the government. Alter hearing
the evidence Commissioner Rogers de-
cided to hold tie prisoners for trial at
the U. s. District Court, and fixed their
bail at $500 each. The penalty for the
ofIense with which they stand charged is
fixed at imprisonment not exceeding six
months and 4 fine not exceeding $500,
each letter or communication TO consti-
tute a separate offense.
The motive Of the Misses Winchester
in thus tampering with the mails Ia plain.
Miss Lord Ia the Principal oil Ia rival Kin.
dergarten, which had become we'll estab-
lished and was no doubt considered by
the Misses Winchester as a danger
Gus competitor 10 their own school. II
was therefore constant thorn In their
flesh, and they desired TO rid themselves
OF It. II Miss Lord could be induced to
locate in Evansville the school OF the
Misses Winchester would have monop.
ly Of the kindergarten business. But in
this case, as in many others, the achemers
were hoisted by their own petard.
Since the above was written the Misses
Winchester have furnished the required
security for their appearance, Messrs.
E. G. Cracraft and s. o. Tayl or being
their bondsmen.
A CLAIMANT TO THE YARsEtL Estate.
"A few days ago Peter Yarnell, it,, came