The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-16
POSTOFFICE CHANGES.
Five Men GO Out and Three New Ones ! p
pointed.

Quite good many changes were made
in the postoffice yesterday. Five men went
out and three were appointed in their
stead. Those who went out were Robert
Deem, register clerk, George Downing
paper distributor. George w. Huckins u
sub carrier. James Bourgett. letter dis
tributor and one OF the iantors- 1t was
intimated last night by an evening
paper that there was some criminal
work at the bottom of the changes. There
Is nothing to this statement whatever.
Postmaster Jewett says that the changes
have no connection with anything crimi-
nal, but We're made for various reasons
Some OF them have had their designations
in for some time, while others were asked
to resign on account of chronic negligence
with their duties The fact of the matter
is Judge Jewett has been contemplating
the removal OF some OF them for some
time but hated to do it in hopes that
A complaint came in yesterday
or the day before about
one of the young men which he was COM
PEELED to take notice of and he concluded
that rs he had to make one change, it
would be a good opportunity to make
others, accept what designations were III
and be done with the matter altogether.
Three new men have been appointed, to-
wit: John Belcher, letter distributor;
Ezra Beard. paper clerk, and jaime Veile,
who will take the place OF Mr.. Mccoy who,
in turn, will fill the vacancy caused by the
resignation of Robert Deem. Beard
and Neile are Republicans while
Becher is Democrat. The latter ap-
pointment doubtless will surprise Repub
licans. but there is story connected with
it which illustrates the good nature of
Judge Jewett.
About two years ago there was good
deal of money found missing from the
postof1ice. Registered letters had been
broken open and their contents stolen, and
the postmaster was greatly worried. John
Belcher was the registry clerk at the time,
and seemingly there could be no other man
charged with the pilferin & but him. The
postoffice inspector was notified of the
stealing of the registere packages and he
came to Wichita. He sent decoy regis
tered letter to the Office containing marked
money and it was stolen. He mailed the
letter at Mulvane, followed it to Wichita
and saw that it went into the postoifice.
The next morning he called for the letter
and it was not there. The inspector at
once Informed Postmaster Jewett that the
money was stolen by John Belcher.
Mr.. Jewett sent for the sheriff and
when that official arrived he
pointed to Belcher and said arrest
that man. Belcher was arrested and taken
into Mr.. Jewett's private office where Mr..
Jewett and the postoffice inspector were.
He was informed there of the charges
against him ard when the Inspector told
him how the trap was set for him, he
said: Il can never prove my innocence
with such evidence as that against me-"
Mr.. Belcher then turned around to the
postmaster and said: "Mr Jewett do you
think me guilty of committing theft?"
Mr.. Jewett could hardly say yes
such evidence as was
before him. Mr.. Jewett at once
went out to find the money If pos
sible and fasten the crime on the thief.
He found marked five dollar bill in IA
gambling house lost there by another en-
ployee of the postofiice. This employee
confessed and served a term in
jan iOi tHC SIlulc. JOilu btICutI Nt> ftO
once released and left the office. While /
Judge Jewett was perfectly justified IN |
having caused the arrest of Belcher ne !
never could forgive himself for the dam !
age he did him innocently and |
he made up his mind that !
he would further vindcate him at the |
earliest opportunity. This was his oppor-
tunity and he accepted it by voluntarily !
calling him back into the service again. |
Mr.. Belcher accepted on the condition |
that he should have nothing whatever to |
do with the registered letters. He saw !
how easy it was for an innocent man TO |
get into trouble in that department and |
he did not want to run any more risks. |
Mr.. Jewett tells this story very pathet- |
ically and he feels good to think that the |
opportunity has been given him to wipe |
out the wrong he innocently did him.
'Pll tell you," said he TO an EAGLE man !
last night. 'that appealing look that was |
on John Belcher's face the day that he |
said to me, Mr.. Jewett, do you think l |
am a thief ? COR words to that effecD has !
haunted me ever since and l don't suppose
will ever forget il. John was in the |
office when came there and was with me |
over year after my appointment. He |
was a first-class clerk and the only fault |
| could possibly find in him Was his |
Democracy.