The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-23
Two Men in Jail a. Butte Charged
With Rihing a Letter
Pouch.
One Of Them Tells the Whole
Story OF the
Affair.
Probably Loss Than Ten Dollars Wa OBJ
tanned In tho Search of Over
1900 Letters.

Two mon rre now behind the bars in the
Butte Jail charged with the robbery Of the
mail pouch which was found cut and rified
near that bity in the early part OF the
month One of the men is known only as
Navey, which is no doubt an alias or nick
name. He is an Austrian, q sailor for many
years and bears a bad reputation at Butte.
The other man had no hand in taking the
sack from the depot, but helped to rifle it
later and shared in the spoils. II ia through
his testimony that the government of1ceFs
hope to secure a conviction. He has already
admitted his connection with the robbery,
and claims to have been drawn into it by
Navey.
Il will be remembered that on the night
of May 8 an east bound mail pouch, con-
tanning over 1000 letters, some from Butte,
but mostly from points west, was left oD the
depot platform in the Smoky City to be
carried on the Short line to reach the North
ern PaciGo's Atlantic express. A few days
later the pouch was found near the railroad
yards. 1t had been ripped open with a
knife, and all the letters removed. Near 1t
lay about 100 envelopes and pieces Of letters.
The others had been removed. The case
was reported to Judge Bedell, chief post
office inspector for this district. He set
to- work to capture the robbers, and
the matter was worked so quietly.
that although the arrest was made
on Monday, nothing was known of it until
Yesterday. The credit for the capture be-
the service, and to l. N. Hurst, a detective
who is working in this ~neiRhboroood on
matters connected witt the baggage rob
berries on the Northern Pacific. Judge
Bedeli and Detective Hurst had a confer
ence on Sunday night. The method OF pro-
detective went to Butte. Once there he
was not long finding a clue. and followed
it up 80 closely that before night Navey and
Ward we're in Jail, having been arrested by
Sheriff Lloyd, who simply preferred a
charge OF vagrancy against the men in
order to hold them. Hurst had a long talk
with Ward in Jail. Th result was that
Ward told all tie knew about the matter.
About the third day of May, while Ward
was in the White Elephant saloon at Butte,
the man Navey came to him, and said he
knew where a mail pouch was. Navey
wanted to know whether registered letters
were sent in separate mail pouches or with
ordinary letters. After drinking up all the
money they had they went to sleep about
five o'clock in the morning. Then they
went to the Northern Pacific railroad va DIS,
and under a house about 100 yards from the
station they found the stolen mail sack.
Ward says it had already been cut open.
The two men started to m the letters
where the pouch was found. Each man
then put several packages in his pocket,
and, going out of town, found Il convenient
PLACID where they could m their plum
der. In one letter they found q
five dollar bill. in others they got several
checks and ether papers of value. After
rifiing the letters the men burned them, to-
gether with the valuable papers and
checks. Returning to Butte, Navey and
Ward waited until the men who were
t working near the house where the pouch
WAS had zone away, when they got several
more packages of letters and went back tc
where they had examined the other mail
In this lot they found a check for $500 and
some smaller ones, and a silver piece, be.
sides some mercantile rebate checks. The
same night they went back, got the bal
, ance of tho letters and rif1ed them in the
railroad yards, behind some cars. The let
ters we're all burned after being rifled, and
all that was found of the 1000 or more
missives were about 100 which were exam
ined right at the house where the sack wal
found TIL proceeds of the robbery wer'
probably less than $40 in available assets
Navey and Ward are held at Butte fol
the action of the federal authorities. They
will be brought here for trial. 1t is believed
others are implicated. The punishment TO
robbing the mails is very severe.
Pants to order from Ss to ST.. Suits to order
from $25 to S45, at Robinson's, the practica
tailor. II Main street, over l. X. l.. Bazaar
Helena.
Mems ~negligea outing shirts only 4Oc at Thu
Bee Hive.
Business lunch from 10 till 2, at the 81