Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-22
THE MAIL ROBBERY.
MAlL-CARRlER GILLIAN MAKES AN IN
TERESTlNG CONFESSION.
Postmaster Fnrris, Neatly Implicated. IL
Arrested. and VIII BE Exam
ined Tomorrow.
Especial telegram to tho Dispatch.l

DAvvrrLK. VA. September 2l.-The plot
OF the Charlotte county mail robbery
thickens and gets more and moro interest
ing. therefore give the story complete %
get II to-day from Commissioners Co!e-
man.
Complaints about the loss Of letters con-
tanning money on the star route between
Keysville and Darlington Heights having
been made to the department at Washing
ton. Post-Office Inspector &. w. Wilde was
detailed 10 investigate the matter, which
he has done quickly and successfully by
discovering the guilty parties and having
them arrested. decOy letter containing
money was handed TO Mail-Carrier Eugene
II. Gillian as he passed along the road car
rying tho mail by Mr.; j. 7. Wood, citizen TIE
Of Charlotte. 10 be registered. Tho
mail-carrier broke open the letter
and found the money. but something
about it excited his apprehension. and
he resealed the letter stealthily ana
dropped it in the letter-bOx at keysvllle
instead of having il registered rs he was
directed 20 do. Inspector Wilde got the
decoy-lcttcr in its mutilated condition
from the Keysville post-Ofiice, and imme-
diatoly confronted the mail-carrier with IT.
: The inail-carrier, Eugene II. Gillian a
youth seventeen years OF age Immediately
made fun confession, and was brought
10 Danvillo under arrest Tor examination
before the Commissioner.
4 POSTMASTER IMPLICATED.
He made a clean breast Of the whole
matter and told all the particulars Of his
crime He commenced carrying the mall
on the 1st Of July last, and on the 26th of
August. according 10 his story, while IN the
pOst-Ofiice at FarstOn, IN Charlotte county
on his route with the mail, John i. FAIRS,
postmaster az that place, in asserting the
,frs Il lgff or not n q
dressed to bis Office but another, and ham
died il. by striking the mail-carricr with It,
until ono end was burst open. lie then
put il back in the mail-pOuch and told
the mail-carrier to take II out and
get tho money in II alter he
cot off on the road where nobody
could see him and bring him $3.50 Of The
amount, and he (the mail-carrlerl might
keep tho rest and he Farrs) would st0nd
between him and all danger On closing
the mail-pOuch Farris left the strap loosely
run between alternate staples so that the
Loy could easily put his hand into the bag
and abstract the letter. The boy says he
did as directed by Farms and found $40 N
the letter mentioned On his return trip
Farris inquired whether he got the money
and how much. and on being answered de-
mauded the -. 80 es his portion, which the
bow saws he gave him. The boy also con-
ie~Sft 10 inc ShiAiilE subsequently, VI
other lotters-one containing $40 and the
other s'11.
Upon his examination before the Com
missioner, Gillian was sent on TO the
United States grand jury, which. meets
here in November. and allowed bail IN the
SUM OF $500, in default Of which he was
committed TO the city jail.
PARIS ARRESTED.
On the above evidence Of Gillian and
certain corrOborating circumstances In
spector Wilde procured warrant for the
arrest Of Postmaster John Il. Fairs, which
was executed to-day. and by the night
train he was brought to this city under AZ
rest. and will have an examination before
the United States Commissioner Monday.
Captain Ham. Shepherd was here to-day,
and had a conference with the Democratic
nlnirrunr, frnr,, nnnvilla and snvnrnl cOnn-