The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-10-04
A NASTY ACCUSATION
Against an Ex- Judge from St
ClairsyiIIe, %.
A PROFOUND SENSATION
Caused by the Arrest by U. S. officer,
In Wheeling Yesterday OF Thomas
ID. Cochran, Charged with
Misuse Of tho Mails,

Thomas D. Cochran, ex.Probate Judg,
oil Belmont county, Ohio, and vel
known lawyer OF 1T. Clairsyille, was or
rested by Deputy United States Marsha
John Devine yesterday afternoon
charged with using the mails for i'm
moral purposes; and being arraigned be
fore United States Commissioner Camp
bell, WAS held in $500 bail Tor his ap
pearance October 10 for a preliminary
examination. This bare announcement
will create decided sensation among
Mr.. CochIan's acquaintances. The do.
tails will stir the general public pro.
foundly.
Judge Cochran has been regarded,
wherever he Is known, as man OF in.
tcgrity aud intelligence. He was six
years Judge OF the Probate Court OF
Belmont county, elected and reelected
by majorities which demonstrated the
high esteem in which no was held by
all tho people Of the county. The charge
on which he is held is ono OF tho grave.
est known to the Federal law governing
tho mails, the provision OF tho Revised
Statutes being as follows:
TIE VIOLATED LAW. $500.
SECTION 1893. Every obscene, lcwd, or lascIy-
ious book, pamphlet, picture, paper, writing,
print, or other publication Of an Indecent
character. Rni every article or thing designed or
intended for the prevention OF conception or pro.
curing oil abortion, and every article or thing
intended or adapted for any Indecent or immoral
USE aud every written or printed card, circular,
book, pamphlet, advertisement. or notice OF any
Kind giving Information, directly or Indirectly,
where. or how, or OF whom, or by what means,
any Of the here tinbetorc mentioned matters, arli.
c!es or things may be obtainCd or made, and
every letter upon the envelope OF which. or
pOatnl card upon which. Indecent. kwd. obscene,
or lasclvlous dclincations, epithets. terms, or
language msy be written or prin ted, arc hereby
declared to he non:mailnble matter, and shall
not be conveyed iu the mails, nor delivered
from any posloi!icc nor by any letter.carrier:
and any person who shall knowingly deposit, or
cause TO be deposited for mailing or deliver,
anything declared by this section TO be non.
meilable matter, and any person who shall
knowingly take the saMc. OF cause the same to
be taken, from the malls. for the purpose OF cir.
cnlatug or cisposins Of. or Of aiding In the cir.
culRton or disposition OF the ta!ne shall be
deemed guilty OF mIslemeanor, and shall for
each and every ofense be fined not lees than one
hundred dollars nor more than live thousand
dollars. or Imprisoned At hard labor not less III
one year nor more than ten years, or both, at
the discretion OF the cou:t.
THE FIRST CLUE.
Early in September q stranger rented
Box 200 ut the Wheeling pcstoflice, and
WAS given two keys. No attention was
paid to this at the postoflice, OF course,
as not nearly all OF the box.holders are
personally known to the clerks.
On Thursday, September IS, we'll
known business man living at Mounds
vile called at the postofice and gave
Assistant Postmaster Eletcalf a letter,
written on common news paper with a
type writer, and all in capital letters,
without address or signature, and read
ing as follows:
Do not become Il mother against your will.
No danger 10 lie or health. Send one dollar
paper money. FIJI out enclosed blank and mail
In the envelope addressed for return in next
mail. lfyou desire will meet you und make N.Y.
self known to you and give you such inform.
alton ms you may need. But don't fail TO send
the 81. 1t Is but a small sum for what you will
learn and ought 10 know.
You could not afford to miss III Is for thousands.
You may never get such Information again or
know where 10 apply for 1t. Let no person see
any Of these papers, and keep this secret. Burn
this.
The letter had been mailed to reput-
able young lady Of Moundsvillc, who re-
sented its being sent her, and gave it to
the gentleman who broughtithere. Init
was blank, Us follows:
Enclosed find one dollar.
(Signcd)