The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-05-13

scnt W "tasohsoa, W NoubLtEt 10 Nlhu6
field, and from thence to Sandusky b,
car, and from thence to Tinir
BY another railroad then tho only bee
railroads in Ohio. How great the change
since that day; how great and wonder
full the difference now in tho condition
OF my native State, aud what maryelou,
progress Il has made in population
wealth, refinement, education and repu
tation! Arriving at TiiIin after staging
and railronding for three days, I found
In my employer II gentleman and friend
for whom l entertained friendship Us
long as his life lasted, and whose memory
I now revere. But what am trying ia
get at is that this General Hinton was
tho general agent OF tho "Ohio stage
line, OF which speak and had a mo.
nopoly Of carrying the mail throughout
Ohio. After | was in Tiiiln year per.
haps had pointed out to me one day
General Hinton, the great general man.
ager. He was a handsome man then OF
about 81 years of age, weighing about
two hundred. pounds, closely shayen
face aud fashionably dressed. ~
About 1913 there were many depreda.
tions committed upon the mails, not all
on one route, but on several. Gen,
Hinton had "passes" on all these routes
and had the confidence OF all the stage
drivers. The authorities at Washington
were astonished' at the many robberies
and they called 4. p. Shallcroes then a
young aud rising inspector, to them. lie
at once conceived the idea that the mail
rohber was 6 man OF more than ordinary
position and intelligence, lie after a
few days deliberation stated to First
Assistant Postmaster General Dundas
that his impression was that the thief
was a general agent OF the Ohio stage
line. not fully knowing that Gen.
Hinton stood high financially 80.
ciaIty and politically and attended
to all matters at Washington in which
the Ohio stage line was interested. Tho
First Assistant Postmaster General de-
clared that General Hinton could not be
the thief, that he could not abstract let.
tiers without the collision OF drivers and
cutting the bags, for then no bay had
been mu,ilated and General Hinton had
no keys. Shallcross then said: "Are
you aware that a year ago full Get OF
mail keys were stolen here at Washing
ton ?'"1 believe" replied the Postmas.
ter General, that such q robbery was re-.
ported, but surely General Hinton
wouldn't steal then." ''1'ii test him.
said Shallcross, "but you keep quiet,
both for my sake and Hinton's."
The next day Shallcross left for Ohio.
On the 2od OF August, 1850, the mail was
robbed between ZIneaviile, Ohio, and
Wheeling, ". Va, for then the great
through mail was carried by coaches to
Wheeling and from there to Cumbcr.
land, Nd, the then terminus OF the Bal.
timore & Ohio road. Shallcross was On
the track. His first object was to find
out whether Hinton was on the stage
coach that came through with the riled
pouch. To bis amazenent he learned at
Wheeling that Hinton did come through
from Zanesville, where tho rilled pouch
was dispatched. Shallcross, however, ar
rived at Morristown, Ohio, and inquired
Of the son Of the landlady who kept the
stage hotel rs to whether General
Hinton had been there lately.
Eyes," replied thes youth, p "he
came on the morning coach a few
days ago and stopped off," "What
morniug?" The boy looked at the rep
lister and said: "The 23I Of August"
The officer sauntered up to the register
and found the number OF the room
Hinton had occupied. He assembled to
it, and removing the ireboard before
the CRATE, discovered pieces OF letters,
post bills, strings, sealing wax, etc: He
gathered them up, and in few mo-
ments he was on his way to Cambridge,
Q. at Concord, the first stand east from
Zlnesville, he met "Jake" Fricker, the
rider OF the east.bound coach, on the
evening Of August 90. Taking Jake
aside, he asked? "Was Gen. Hinton
with you that trip?" "Ycs, tho Gen
eral vas along. Iremembcr it WE'LL" .
shallcross now knew that he had spot.
ed the thief, and he was a high toned
one, too, Nov, Jake, I want you to
tell me-" said the officer, ''just where the
general was that night and what he did.
Did he handle the mail bags or not Z
Tell inc the truth" SWELL" said Jack,
"the truth you shall have, for l don't
want to be blamed il the mail has been
robbed. On that trip, as we were start.
ing from Zlnesyile, Gen. Hinton 20,
up on the box with me and said. I be-
lieve I Will take y ride with you down
the road lie talked and smoked til
after dark, when he said With q played
out yawn. Jake, l am tired and sleepy
believe ! will get upon the top Of The
coach, under the canvas, and take a mar
Hand me one OF the mail bags out OF til,
front for apillow. Don't give me wa,
bag, but through pouch, for ! dom
wish to DO awakened at every post
Office Not thinking it any harm, for
had often done it before for the genera
agent. handed him out the pouch mad.
up at Z,ncsville for Wheeling, Hetool
it, laid down, and when ] reached TIL
end OF my drive he was still asleep rs fa
as knew, and the pext driver took h,u
along tho road. Shaficross proceeded Il
Zlnesville and found that local banker
on the afternoon Of August @, has
mailed a large package OF eastern banl
bills which failed to reach the distribu
ton office at Wheeling. The banke
had retained full description OF thu
notes. AT Pittsburgh Mr.. Sballcross SC
cured more conclusive proof Of Hinton
guilt. He heard Hinton had gone t
Cleveland. 1is,
! Daniel NJ. Haskell was then post
master at Cleveland. Shallcross tele
graphed him description Of tho none
and asked that Hinton's movements b
Swallowed, and that il he visited an
| bank or broker'to follow him and &c
possession Of the money. Haskell com
municated with TOM McKinstry
then deputy United States marshal
and they watched Gen. Hinton. Ate
dinner the general carelessly sauntere
down Superior street and entered q bro
ker's office. remaining avery lew mt
ments. After he left the bank Haske
rushed excitcdly into it and inquired
"Mr. Crittendon, did the gentleman VII
Just left exchange any money here
Yves" said Mr.. Grittehlop, s'heye Tip,
!, pushing out the notes Just received at
per cent discount. On comparing thel
with the description they were found
!, correspond, and arrangements wei
] made io, have. them .etsihel az rvidepp
: Tho postmaster vas excited, ! Witho,
! awaiting the arrival OF ShallCross, char