The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-01

SHADowED FOR MONTHS BY DETEcTIvEs--F
NAL CAPTURE AND CONFESSION.

SHADowED FOR MONTHS BY DETEcTIvEs--FI.
NAL CAPTURE AND CONFESSION.
A Hartford telegram says: Walter Dart,
OF this place, was indicted by the United
States grand jury to-day Tuesday on q
charge OF stealing letters from the Hart
ford post.offlce, where he was employed.
He was afterward arraigned before Judge
Shipman in the United States Circuit Court,
pleaded guilty, and was at once sentenced
to two years. imprisonment.
The story Of the arrest Of Dart is one OF
considerable interest, from the fact tina. it
took the detectives several months to ferret
the matter out, so skilfully were the theits
made. In the first part OF September In
spector Newcome, OF New York, whose
district includes this State, noticed particu-
larly the great number Of complaints of
lost letters bearing on the Hartford post
Office. He came here at once and met
Postmaster Dickinson, who said he was
well aware that the stealing was
going on, but he had every conf
dence In his clerks, and was inclined to
think the thei would be found among the
railway mail clerks. The inquiry-book
of the post-office showed that about 800
complaints of lost letters containing money
had been made during the year, mostly by
the Hartford Life-Annuity Company and
the Mutual Benefit Life-Insurance Com
pany. Inspectors NewcOme and Gardner
being fully occupied with their duties in
New York and its vicinity, Inspector
Camp, OF Boston, was instructed to assist
them in the case. Newcomc and Camp
came here about the middle Of September,
and in lieu OF any clue to the work, decided
to test the Hartford office. On October I'd
two men came to this city pretending to De
insurance agents, and constantly Swallowed
the clerks OF the posf-ofllce and also Of the
two insurance companies until the 1st of
November
Nothing resulted from this; the men
were found to be very attentive to their
duties. and generally Of good character.
Still the complaints OF missing letters con.
tinued 20 be made. Eight test letters sent
in one day by Inspector Newcome went the
way OF many others. Attention was next
turned to the railway mail clerks, and,
ascertaining beyond doubt that no blame
could attach to them, the services of seye-
raj OF them were enlisted in handling the
test letters. New men came here to
watch the clerks, and from points
East and West test letters were sent INTO
the Hartford office. Between December |,
1882, and january =, 1883, none OF these
letters were missed. On the latter day of
some letters sent from New Haven two
were stolen. IL was necessary that some
place should be secured where the clerks
could be watched at their work. Men were
then engaged in putting an elevator into
the building, and. with the cooperation OF
Architect Gilbert, 4 large hole was made in
the ceiling directly over the Office, ostensi-
bly, for the passage OF pipe leading to the
elevator. Through this good view was
had OF the interior OF the Dost-ofIlce.
and either Inspector Newcome, Camp'
or Officer Blounk, OF New York, were
constantly on the watch. This was con-
finued until January 22d, and there was con-
elusive evidence that one of three clerks
were implicated. On that day thirty test
letters, containing marked money. adj |
dressed to the Mutual Benefit Life-Insu-
rance Company, We're sent 10 the Hartford |
post-oflice. Inspector Newcome was then |
unexpectedly called to Washington. but |
arranged with Inspector Camp that should
any OF these be lost the three suspected
men should be searched for the evidence. |
Late the same night the latter looked
over the letters In the insurance
company's box, and found that three
were missing. When the three men
reached the post-ofiice the following
eaoiuiuSs uafiur ottH CdTtIuily "SDaQOW-
I'd by the officers after leaving their resi-
sences, shey were at once ushered into the
rosaIhasIer, private room. Inspector
emp exphinsd the matter Of the missing
money upon the de- and avoid search
wv OF lhcm nad 'ittie or no money, while {
par threw upon che desk quite a roll Of
$40 OF his marx ed money
Dart ut first was very Indignant and In
lined to deny all conneS.t;on with m" 49,, I
lsifs, bx after q little dslav made a FIJI, b
optessien> lie said thai he Mad haa,, q,
'ssn9 Hue1s containing ieoney for over
~ ysaJs, YOU hau secured in this way
'eI so,vvo' asa Wy an VI Which he had lost :,
syecuisiicns through New York firm. y,
Dart was appoin ted In the Hartford post i.
nee over hve yeas ago, and Postmaster
ckinson said he WAS onejof the list mon =,
lom would attach SUSPICION OF wrong. 70
ing. The other two clerks were fully %
onerated. :,