Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-01-06
THE DUMMERSTON POsT-OFFICE
CASE.
nr-. Knight Promptly Discharged nT-
Ter tho Hearing Held Yesterday.

Yesterday was heard before L. s. Com
missioner f. l.. Waterman the cuse Of the
United States VS. Mrs Randolph 4. Knight
of Dummerston. which was instituted IA
week ago upon the complaint of Post office
Inspector u. l.. Mutton. The complaint
charged that ON or about July ! t. 1856, Mrs.
Knight, "a the assistant postmaster of the
post-Oilice AZ Dunmerston, unlawfully de
tanned Il certain registered letter or packet
intended for delivery through the mail to
Miss Jenevra Knapp, the postmaster of the
new post Office at Fast Dummerston. Al
so with mtcrcepting and secretug said let
ter or packet with design to nbstruct the
correspondence aud to pry into the bust
ness and secrets of Miss Knapp.
The evidence showed that On July -,
1856, the second assistant postmaster-gen-
eral sent in registered package envelope
from the Washington post Office. mail
pouch key with chain attached and a 70
ceipt Ia he signed and returned 10 the post
office department, all incosed within u
sealed envelope directed TO Miss Jenevr
Knapp, postmaster Enst Dummerston, Vt
that the registered package envelope wussl-
dressed 10 the postmaster Of East Dumn,r-
ston, l.; that the post-oice which had leen
recently established at East Dumms-ston
hah not then got into operation, nor did,t ua-
I'll some time IN October or Novembe-, and
that up 10 such time the mail mater and
supplies intended for the new ullie came
to the DummeTston office. This registered
package was duly received hy Ms. Knight
July 18th, and she promptly siged aud re
turned the registry return receipt to the
route or mail agent in whose custody it last
was before reaching her Office She also
signed and returned To th Washington
post-oiiice the registry biz which is for
warded by the sending postmaster to the
hnal delivery Office Iht following day
Mrs. Knight sent by SPECIAL messenger to
Miss Knapp the sealed envelope inclosing
the key, chain, and receipt, which came in
the registry envelope which was opened
and receipted for by Mrs Knight After
the dlscontnuance " the Dummerston Of
hce and among the property, supplies and
waste material which was turned over Dec.
II, 1856, to the Eas Dummerston office by
Mr. Knight, the postmaster, was the regis
try envelope superscribed to the postmas-
ter at East Dumnerstou.
Until IA short time previous to the discon-
tinuance of the Dummerston Office. Mrs
Knight and Miss Knapp, together with Ora
Knapp, her assistant, were on very friend
ly terms, and Mrs Knight gave Miss Knapp
much needed instruction relative to the
practical part Of the duties of postmas-
ter For some reason, that did not appear
ON the hearing, Ora Knapp, in January.
1887, prepared a letter of complaint for his
sister to sign, regarding the said registered
package which was sent TO the chief in
spector Of the post-oilice department, who
in turn referred it to the chief Of the New
England division for investigation. A few
weeks ago Post office Inspector Mutton was
sent to make inquiries, etc. He testified
that he was informed by Mr. Knapp that
the contents of said registry letter envelope
received and receipted for by Mrs. Knight
July llth were detained in her office until
the transfer was made Dec 18th, 1886, and
It was with this understanding of the case
that he caused this prosecution To be com.
menced. Mr.. Mutton frankly stated in re-
ply to question put to him by Mr.. Has
kins, that had he been told before the pros
ecution that the contents of said registry
envelope We're sent to Miss Knapp the fol