Huntsville gazette., 1890-03-01
(From Chattanooga Times.)

The arrest of Samuel r. Holman,
Postmaster at Barton, Ala, for
opening and prying into other peo-
pies correspondence, and forging the
name Of the president of the U ni-
ted States" to spurious document ap-
pointing the Rev: Joseph P. Powell
to lucrative Government position,
calls to mind recent Associated dis.
patch from Washington, giving the
following account of a mean, con-
temptible joke perpetrated on good
natured harmless old darkey.
"Rev Joseph P. Powell, a co!ored
Baptist preacher from Barton, Ala,
arrived here three or four days ago
and called at the White House on
Official business There was no mis-
take about the business, for he had
the documents to show for it. The
old man produced letter postmark-
ed Washington, which he received
at his home. The letter read some
thing like this:
"MY DEAR Doctor: | have Just
appointed you to a position that
pays 800 per month. You will
have to come on to draw your first
months sa ary, but after that it will
be sent to you. Come immediate
ly. BENJAMIN HARRISON,
President of the United States.
''The official saw at a glance that
the old man was victim of cruel
hoax, and he determined, if possible,
to find and prosecute the perpetra-
tors Of it The reverend gentleman
was escorted to the Postoffice De
partment, it being thout that some
law concerning the the mails had
been violated. The Rev. Mr.. Pow
ell was put in charge Of Inspector
Jacobs who took him to police head
quarters yesterday, where he had an
interview with Sanitary Officer
Frank. The preacher was a strang.
er in a strange place, and had but
little left of his funds. He was fur
nished transportation as far as Chat
tanooga and was sent on his way re-
joicing."
AN INVESTIGATION ORDERED.
Following the Presidents instrucS
tions to ferret out the author of this
dastardly trick Hon. E. G. Raih,
bone, Chief Postofice Inspector, re-
ferred the matter to Col. A. G.
Sharp, Inspector in charge at Chat
tanooga, Tenn, who at once dis
patched Inspector Fred. D. Peer to
Barton, Ala, to work up the case.
The people there had laughed till
their sides ached over the affair, and
some more boisterous than the others
got drunk aud painted the town red.
It was huge joke.
After few days sojourn in Bars
ton Mr.. Peer located the ''little
Joker" The handwriting Of the
Postmaster, Samuel R. Holman,
seemed to be Identical with that Of
the forged letter, and the other cir
cumstances surrounding the case
made it clearly evident that he was
the perpetrator ofthe joke. Besides
this Mr.. Peer secured evidence that
Postmaster Holman had been detain>
ing, opening and prying into other
peoples rrespondence, so he immedi-
ately caused the arrest of that gentle
man for violating sections Nos. 1891
and $3.50 Of the Revisee Statutes.
Holmans trial took place in Huntss
vile, Ala, on the 21st inst. before
United States Commissioner Hon.
A. w. Mccullough. Among other
evidence expert testimony on hand
writing was introduced, and at the
conclusion of the trial it was evident
that Postmaster Holman would have
an opportunity ''to laugh out of the
other corner ofhis mouth"
Commissioner Mccullough bound
him over to the United States Grand
Jury Oh both charges, and fixed his
bail at $500 in each
Stange as it may seem, Perry L.
Harrison, the deputy who arrasted