Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-12-19
WHAT HoUsER HAD TO SAY.

tentof the crookedness and wondering
whs5 would turn up next.
WHAT HoUsER HAD TO SAY.
tt Postmaster Cowden Saturday
night, and to others yesterday, Houser
couh offer no satisfactory explation OF
why he stole either the stamps or the
goots. The most he could say was
that he saw the opportunity to take
Them and did so. Mr.. Cowden asked
him what he intended TO do with the
mony, and in reply Houser said he ala
lot know; he had no plan. Mr.. Atkin-
ion also said that Houser did not know
Why he had taken the articles.
In the office of the JUS
ice, as at his house Sat
ird,y night, and at the custom house
Sunday morning, he generally sat ST.
ent with his eyes down-cast, and
;eened to have suffered greatly, as his
face showed signs of mental anxiety
He seems to have made no attempt at
denil, and, in fact, seemed more or
less LACED by the unhappy end to which
he ND come.
WHAT POSTMASTER CowDEN SAID.
Postmaster w. ]. w. Cowden was
seen last evening at his residence on
the Island by a reporter for the REGIS
TER. In reply to q request for state
men of the case, Mr.. .COwden said:
"Ihave been worried for months by
the oSses OF stamps from the Office.
The, disappeared systematically, and
myseriously, and although l did my
utmlst to ascertain the Identity OF the
thief no information could be obtained.
saii nothing to any Of my assistants,
but set about ascertaining the guilty
part. Men were watched, Houser
amolg others, but nothing came OF IL,
and still the losses went on. Some let
ters were also missing, and l at last
called in the aid OF the postoffice detec-
tives No one but myself knew they
weri here or why they were here, but
the IEGIsTER found il ous,gave the thing
awaI, and they had TO leave town. Inc
papa. said they were here OH polltlcal
nilsson. but that was as bad as
sayiig they were looking for a
thief as it called attention to their
pres,nce, and the guilty party was put
on his guard, of course. The inspec-
tors came again, and again their pres
ence was noted in the paper, and they
were compelled to desist. Stamps con-
tinued to go, and there seemed to be
no remedy. I kept up 8 watch, now
ever, and finally suspicion was directed
toward Houser. There was nothing
definite, however, and l was afraid 10
make a move lest it be false one, and
the real thief be warned. Then the
cigar case at the Windsor came out. l
ascertained that Houser had sold
more stamps to business men than
he bought at the office, and
l determined to act. had consulta'
tion with Mr.. Shellhase, the warrants
were procured, search OF the house
was made, and the money, rev
stamps-several dollars worth, per
haps-and the other articles discoV
ered." -.----
railing In the stamp Department."
"No; and the stamps were not tsker
from there. Only enough are kept
there daily, on reQuisltion Of Mr.
Dickey, to meet the requirements oi
the public"
"Where were they taken from?"
THAT 1 prefer not to divulge al
present"
"How were these stamps turned into
cash?"
HOW IT WAS DONE.
'In this way. 1t is the custom for
business men and others to give letter
carriers money to purchase stamps for
sbor, a. tho pootofica opd raturp tban
to the buyer on the next trip. That is
q convenience TO the buyer, and Houser,
along with others, made such purchases
OF stamps on account of business men
along the route where be was collect
ing. When my suspicious against him
were first excited, l began little quiet
investigation, which showed that he
was selling to business men good
many more stamps than he was buying
at the office. That was a clue, but was
not direct evidence. 1t is all clear now,
however"
THE Loss OVER 81, 900.
At the office of Justice Caldwell, last
night, Assistant Postmaster Shellhase
said the total loss of stamps footed up
S1,O6S. There were few cents over
that amout, but he could not recollect
the exact sum. The cash recovered at
Houser's residence left shortage Of
one hundred dollars and few cents.
He also said the losses of stamps had
been going on for about a year.
Deputy Marshal Robinson was asked
about the letters, as was Mr.. Atkinson,
and the former said there were some
letters missing, while the latter added
that the only letters Houser said he
took were three letters addressed to
other people, but which came to the
DoSt0ffice under cover addressed to
him. All three were in one envelope.
"Houser says and declares" added Mr..
Atkinson, that he never took any
other letters"
OTHER THEFTS.
Mr.. Joseph Bell, Of the Logan Drug
company, said TO reporter for the
REGISTER
Il have been missing goods from our
4tore fora year past, and not only goods,
but cash. l was being robbed right along,
snd there was no clue to the thief.
Everyone about the store naturally felt
tlat he was under suspicion, although
little was said about it. have set up
n eht after night until one and even
tyo o'clock, attempting to obtain some
clue, but all to no purpose. Goods
wliCh were in stock one day would be
missing the next, and no one to account
Zoe it. l would say, why, where's So
s1d-so? l thought there was another
dczen?' We'll, don't know clerk
would reply. Itmust have been sold; it
fsIit here; we ought TO have some more
So it would 60. The cash would
disappear out OF my drawer In my Of
6cl and there was no clue. The thing
wxs q terrible worry and annoyance,
and added to that my employees were