Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-28
A MAIL ROBBERY.
TWO NEGRO CLERKS DETECTED IN
THE ACT.
Goth Arrested-They Confess-A Prelimi-
nary Hearipg-Sent 60 Jail In
Default of Ball.
lsnnclnl telerrnm % lho pIspa.ch.l

CHARLOTTE. n. c.. November PA genu-
inc sensation was created bCre to-day
when 10 became known that Charles w.
| Henderson and John ". Brown. two negro
clerks in the post-oflice here, had been ar
rested charged with heavy mail robbery;
Henderson was the chief mailing clerk and
| Brown was his assistant. Brown has tor q
| long time taken an active part IN politics
/ and is now secretary OF the Republican
| County Committee Henderson has also
/ dabbled considerably IN the Republican
political pond and is regarded as somewhat
! of a leader When Archibald Brady was
appointed postmaster last July general
| surprise was manifested among the peQ-
| pie here that be appointed negroes Tor ms
| clerks, "A 10 had been generally understood
| that such positions would be hiied by
! white men. More than "A month ago CON-
paints began 10 be received 10y the Post
| Office Department at Washington. setting
/ forth that registered letters IN transit
/ through this section were being rliled OF
/ their contents. and consequently lnspec-
tors William ]. Maxwell, Thomas Troy,
and William Il. Smith were detailed to this
section for the purpose of investigating
the trouble They soon located IT IN the
Charlotte Office aud nj once made plans 10
effect the arrest of the guilty parties.
The inspectors for several nights sccTeted
themselves about the post-oliicc. Last
Friday night they saw Henderson rifle four
ordinary letter. which had been selected
from many hundreds. Arrests could have
been made then. but they wanted If possi-
bic to catch them rifing the recist red
matter. Saturday night Inspector IroY
saw Henderson select from several ppucnes
which hal lust been brought III from IN
fcreut routes seventeen letters and rife
three of them, then seal them and place
them in their proper places again. Later
In the night Brown was seen rlding ofui-
nary letters. Monday night they were seen
nj the same business and last night Hem
ders0n, who went OF duty at o'clock, WAC
seen 10 rifle two letters and place others IN
his pockets before he went out " the OF
fee. He took the money from the letters
aud then burned them in the stove. At
2 o'clock this morning Brown was
seen TO open the safe and take from II
seven registered letters. he laid them all
on q table and began 10 open them very
cautiously. By the time he had The second
one open the inspectors had him under ar
rest He was a. once taken to their rooms
at the Central Hotel. and Postmaster Brady
was instructed tOgOf0r Henderson and tell
him Brown was sick, thus dccOyiug hlm
into the post-Ofiico. Brady soon returned
with Henderson, who was confronted hv
the inspectors Immediately after entering
the office. Insuect0r Smith asked hlm II
he had about his person any money or let
tcr- that did not belong to him. Hender-
son said he did not. He WAS then told That
he did have, and he must be searched.
The negro bitterly objected, uut was
icrked upon his feet and searched. and
several letters and two II notes were found
upon him. The letters wcr" IN transit aud
had been rifod. tuf rcsealod. Henderson
was also taken 10 the inspectors room at
the hotel. Here both negroes were kent
until noon to-day. They We're closely ques-
toned and both made q full confession. At
the prclim nary hearing this afternoon
before nitrd States Comm --lOner b. G..
Maxwell both were committed 90 jail ID
await trial at the next term of the Federal
Court of IN default of $500 dollars bond
each.
The inspectors say the cascIs one Of tho
bolde-t ON record Complaint only began
10 comet at the department little over "A
month ago. but s.ncc that time something
over forty complaints have oeen received.
showing that more than two thousand dole
lars have been riilcd from registered letters
alone. Adding the amounts secured from
ordinary letters Ii i- believed the piie
is not less than four thousand dollars.
an of which had been rif'ei from letters
in the past forty days. Both Henderson
and Brown have boon living in pomp and
splcndOr Brown was preparing 10 bnild q
residence here Ouererstcrrd letter ril-rd
this morning was from S0merylle. j.. g.,
and addr. s,ed to John Wanamaker.
PHILADELPHIA" Il contained par OF
gloves. Brown after discovering the letter
was the Extraordinarily placed the
gloves back in tine letter and re-eaied IT,
The arrests were undoubtedly sllltul. end
the people are loud il cher praise OF the