The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-11-25
TRAPPED.
A Lettcr.Carrter Caught In Depreda.
iions Upon the Mail.

AAOhA Spuh tAO N0uAks
FIVE ER-cARRIERs BROUGHT BEFORE
A SPECIAL AGENT SUNDAY MORNING
TWO OF THEM AR r Z I E D-sTOLEN
MONEY FOUND UPON ONE; BUT HE
PROVES THAT HE GOT 1T IN CHANGE FROM,
j. GORDON BAUGH-BAUGH CoNFEssEs
THAT HE Is A MAIL-RoBBER-A VISIT TO
HIS HOUSE. WHERE HE LIVED LIKE A MA
EXPERIMENTATION WAIVED.
For.seyeral months there have been COM
plants by our businessmen, particularly
newspaper proprietors, OF the loss Of letters
directed to them and containing money. 1t
Is probable that between four and FIVE hun
dred letters, each enclosing sums from
twenty-five cents to twenty-five dollars,
have been stolen.
In view OF the systematic and long-con-
tinued dcpredatiops, the Department at
Washington determined to order strict
scrutiny Of the Richmond office to be made
by one Of their most trusted agents-W. T.
Henderson, Esq. That gentleman gives the
following account, which covers all the
main points of the case under consfdera-
ton:
"After the arrest and conviction OF Will
cox the stealing at the Richmond d post-ofice
commenced again; worse than before. IL
annoyed the Department very much, and at
last Colonel Dave Parker [the chief OF the
special seryice] came to ne and said. 'Look
here, Henderson, you must 60 to Rlch-
mond. There is some trouble, and the peo-
pies mails must be protected / came
down here with Mr.. Troy about the 10th Of
| n RI CT, yy
9, off before we had accomplished what we
wished. I came back on the 9th, and on
the 29.h lost two stest-lelters' addressed to
the Dispatch, containng-one sc and the
other s3. On the goth lost another Dis
patch letter containing So. couldn't ar
| rest ANYBODY then because / couldn'tget
the proofs in shape"
! Had you any suspicious then Dir. Hen
! darssn was asked.
| Yes.
OF this man TBaugh]?
No. went back on the Sd to vote, and
while there was taken sick with the dlphthe-
ria, and stayed until the 19!b, when came
quietly back to Richmond, kept myself close
in my room, and set my triggers to Work.
THE THIEF CAUGHT.
| sent FIVE Or six "test-Ietrers [many peo-
pie call them sdeeUy-letters." ."-RepOrter]
per day; but nothing was developed until
Sunday morning. Sunday morning learned
that tns letters had not gone to the parties
to whom they were directed. then had all
the parties who were in the post-oftice that
morning and had access TO the letters
brought to my room, where examined
them.
When MIR. George B. Hall came in I
asked him to unloadI.s;to give me his pocket,
book-and lie proNHly handed it out, and
looked into it. afat once discovered two
Of my marked bills-two one-dollar notes.
remarked: alt is useless to 60 any fur
ther. Mr.. Hall, where is the balance OF
my money!"
Mr.. Hall said: CT don't know. got
that money from Baugh "a colored letter
carrier.
"You did? How"
"In change for tivcdollar BILL"
Hall then explained that ne owed a
hackman one dollar for service rendered
Saturday night; that not being able to
make the change, be told the hackman to
call upon him for the money Sunday morn
ins. Sunday morning Hall went around
the office asking for change for five dollars.
He came to Baugb, at last, and Baush ac-
commodated him.
BAUGH SENT FOR.
Said Mr.. Henderson: I at once sent for
Baugh. He submitted to examination with
out protest. He had S155 in his pocket
book. but no marked money. He admitted
that he had given Hall change for i've
dollar note; but all the same asserted his
innocence.
asked him where he got the money in
question?
"Out of my pocket-book," he replied.
By his consent took his keys and went
to his house, on west Duval street, to make
a search.
At the house, in the pocket Of his coat
which he wears weekdays, found small
package type it seemS) directed on tag:
"E. B. Marques, No. north Fifth street"
I asked him subsequently what he was de'
taioing that mail matter for, and told him
that alone was sufficient to hold him. DE
(Baush) replied, "Why Eve had it a week. D
lie claimed that he had forgot to deliver It.
BAUGH'S PALATIAL HOME.
In searching Baugll's house, Mr. Hender'
son made s0me wonderful discoveries
"Why," said Mr.. Henderson TO our re-
portcr, "he has library Of over 700 choice
volumes. He has telephone. His house
is excellently furnished. silver plate, pic
lures, and all that. T suppose he has Sl5'
worth OF chess, cards, games, &c, for grown
folks and children. In loft or store-roon
there J. never saw anything to beat tht
quantity of papers and periodicals lylnE
about. And there were about half dozel
lois OF cigars; though l am told 'bauSl
doesn't smoke"
: Ex-Congressman Rainey, Of South Caro-
lima, was his guest, and expressed surprlS'
at Baugh's arrest, and said he could not be
leye him guilty.
BAUGu CoNFEssEs.
Mr.. Henderson had good deal OF con
: versation with Baugh and Hall withou
getting any more information.
: At last be took the former out Of th
!. room The was stopping at the American
and had talk with him.
81 said, Now, look here, the way thi
thing stands the money conyicts both o
you. You see how it is: II you 60 befor
court both Of you will probably be convict
cd. Now tell me, is that man Mfr. Hall
9 innocent. I pleaded with him earnestly
and at last, with tears in his eyes, he an
swered, Yes, he is innocent; took tb
money!"
\ He further admitted that be had done 81
: once before, and once only; but l am no
bound to believe that, OF course.
The result Of the confession OF baugh wa
| TO effect the release OF Mr.. Hall. He wa
at once discharged, and, it is presumed
, went on his way rejoicing. Nr. Hall IS al
: Englishman, and bears good character.
uoxr THE RoBBERIEs WERE DONE.