St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-30
A POSTAL P|LfERER.
Arrest of a Once Trusted
Clerk in the st. Paul
Office,
Charged With Rifling Letters
to the New Orleans Lot
terry.
The Deed Of a Man Claiming
to Be a Priest from Spo-
kane Falls.
Casualties, Including a Fatal
Fall and a Death by
Drowning.

Everybody knows the smiling face of
Wend E. Selement. 1t has peered
through the general delivery window at
the postoffice daily for several years. 1t
was the picture of goOd-nature and hon
esty. But, alas, Wend E. Sediment
came to grief early yesterday morn
ing, and his genial presence will
be missed by those who get
their mail at the general
delivery window hereafter. He is now
prisoner, instead Of servant of Uncle
Sam, and his chances of a good long
term in prison are extremely promis-
ing. Inspector James d. Wood caught
Sediment doing little light but re-
munerative work in the postoffice early
yesterday morning. For some time
past number of letters deposited in
the st. Paul pOst0ffice have mysteri-
ously disappeared. Where they Wentno
one could surmiSe, but finally the mat
Wood, who Immediately began casting
his optics about for a thief. The cap
tain first Swallowed" certain post
office employee, but in time he found
that he was watching a thoroughly
honest young man. He then heard that
Selime ut was in the habit of coming to
the postoffice almost daily at sunrise.
This display of indefatigability
ON the part of the clerk
aroused the suspicious of the inspector.
The trap was then laid for Sediment.
Wednesday afternoon, two decoy letters
containing marked bills, were deposited
in the postoffice. Both epistles were
addressed to M. A. Dauphin, of the
Louisiana lottery, New Orleans. Dur
Ing the night they were assorted out
placed in the rack for outgoing mail.
The New Orleans mall leaves
at z o'clock IN the morning.
About sunrise Capt. Wood came to the
postoffice and secured place of hiding,
from whence he could plainly observe
the outgoing mail rack and surround
ings. About $50 O'Clock Sediment put
in an appearance, and at first pretended
to be busy in his own department,
Finally he came over to the mail rack
and quickly picked four letters from
the New Orleans box. 1t seems that he
had weakness for lottery mail. That
weakness is accounted for when it is
known that something like $1,000, 900
is sent through the mails to M. A.
Dauphin every month. Selimentopened
The lcLleTS, GXtfdcGeu I1o money ana
thrust it into his pocket. Then he tore
the envelopes and letters into mere
shreds. At this juncture Inspector
Wood came from his hiding place and
placed the surprised and bewildered
clerk under arrest. Three 81 bills, a
$50 bill and SIS bill were found in
the prisoners pocket. The three 81
bills were the identical ones marked
and put in the decoy letters by the in
spector. SEDIMENT did not break down
with grief, nor did he manifest any
joyous feelings. He was paralyzed by
the sudden and unexpected appearance
of the inspector. He had nothing to
say, but went quietly to Jail. At 10
o'clock he appeared before Commits
sioner McCatferty and waived pre-
liminary examination. Bail was placed
at $500, in default of which the
prisoner was committed to the Ramsey
county Jail to await the action of the
grand jury.
Sediment came to St. Paul from Wash
ingtOn county. Iowa, where his mother
resides. He is a single man, about
thirtY-seven years of age, He has been
in the poStoffice since jap. |, 1856.