The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-10

United States Marshal Mills arrested
Is. H. Shumatc, SOC Salem avenue, YES
terday, on United States warrant
charging him with writing improper
language on the back of an envelope and
sending it through the mails. Stumate
was lodged in jail, and was givon hear
ing at q o'clock yesterday evening by
Commissioner George Il. Rhodes at the
mayors Office.
The facts in tho case seem to be as
follows:
Shumate keeps boarding house at
502 Salem avenue, and the complainant
In the case, w. j. Ford, boarded with
hlm until few weeks ago. After Ford
left, about the 18th of June, he received
letter through Jacob Nabe, the letter
carrier, bearing the following writing in
pencil marks at tho lower left hand
corner: 'llc don't board here now. |
don't keep no man who don't paw his
board"
Mr.. Ford was satisfied that tho letter
had been delivered to Shumatc's, his
former boarding house, and that Shu-
mate did the writing and put it back in
the Office or mailing box. lie cndcav.
ored to get personal explanati from
Shumate, but failed. lie then saw Com
missioner Rhodes and secured a warrant
for his arrest
When the trial took place yesterday
evening Shumatc was represented by
Capt. Geo. Nell. Gish and Ford by
Thomas Wood. Shumate pleaded NOT
guilty, and the examination of witnesses
began.
Mr.. Richardson, one of the mail car
riers, said he delivered the letter ad-
dressed to Mr.. Ford, at Shumatc's
house, 500 Salem avenue, on or about
June Is. There was no writing on it
other than the address. lie was sure
II was the same letter.
Jacob Nabe, another carrier, found
the letter in the general delivery mails
and placed among the mail which had
to be delivered in the southeastern por-
ton Of the city. He knew whore Ford
lived, and pal particular attention to
tho writing.
MIR. O'Rourke,a boarder at Shumate's,
said he heard the latter say letter
had come there addressed to Ford, and
that he had written such language on
it. he did not know whether Ford
paid his beard or not, but had heard
Shumate intimate that he did not. He
did not see the letter, but only heard
Shumate uso the language about writ
ing on it, and repeated the words.
which to his best knowledge and belief
were the same.
MIR. Ford said tho writing was on the
envelope when it came to him. 1t had
been delivered during his absence, and
his wife and children had seen the writ
ing. 1t made him feel very bad,
Mr.. Ford then produced four or five
checks with which he had paid his
board. and which were endorsed bv
Shumate. The writing on the checks
bore striking similarity to tn at on the
letter. In fact it did not take the eve
OF an expert to sec that it was the same.
This was why he first suspected Shu-
mate, and this led him to get out q war
rant for his arrest.
This closed the testimony Shumate
had no witnesses in his behalf, and did
not testify for himself. lie held short
consultation with his lawyer, who at
once began to argue the case.
Captain Gish said that it might be
possible that some one else had written
on the letter 1t had passed through n
great many hands, and it was hard to
tell but that some enemy had done it
for spite work. lie maintained that
there was doubt as to the guilt OF his
client, and asked that the benefit of it
be given and the prisoner discharged.
Mr.. Wood followed in a short argu-
ment, in which he dwclt Oh the serious
ness of such offences, and the great
amount of damage they sometimes do.
lie asked that Shumate be placed under
suitable bond for his appearance before
the United States Court.
Commissioner Rhodes reviewed the
testimony and said there was nc doubt
in his mind but that Shumate was re-
sponsiblc for the writing. lie sent him
on TO the United States Court, which
meets at Lynchburg in September. and
placed his bond at 900.
There was an effort made to get the
amount reduced Even the prosecution
thought 1T was too high, but Commits
sioner Rhodes said he had made up his
mind and it was no use to talk further
about 1T. The penalty for such offences
was a fine Of $1,000 and five wears in
the penitentiary.
It'll Is the prevailing opinion that Shu-
mate did not know tho enormity of the
crime He is not bad looking man,
and seems very much cast down in his
dangerous position. Captain Gish sue
ceeded in securing bail for him last
night.
After Treasures in Mexico.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. July s.-A letter
has been received by a government
official here stating that Captain An
matt, at Norfolk, Va, is collecting
crew to man vessel now being armed
and fitted out on Long Island Sound to
proceed to Mexican waters to "hunt for
treasures. The nature of the treasure
is not stated, but from the letter it is
thought that the expedition is for fill
clustering nurnoSnS Tho writor nnlla