Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-23
THE STAMP ROBBERY
Beach and Sinssbsugh Arrested and o,
Their Way Here.
VIII Arrive TO0Orrow-Au the Sas-
the Secret service People.

A telegram vas received at the Treasury
Department today saying tat Secret Serv-
ice Agent Barker will leave Columbia, s.
o.. this afternoon for this city. with VIM.
A. Beach and II. Clay Sinsabaugh. who
were arrested there yeste1 lay for alleged
completely in the recent robbery of stamps
at the bureau of engraving and printing.
According to information in the possession
of the secret service officers, Beach assisted
Smith and Longstreet In selling the stamps.
Beach was attendant in the billiard
room of Wizards Hotel, and was fire.
quentiy seen in the company of Smith.
Suspicion fastened upon him among the
first, but he evaded arrest by doing the
disappearing act at the earliest signs of
danger. A search of his apartment con-
firmed the belief of the authorities that ne
hac assisted in the transaction. The secret
service men say they know he got 5000 of
the stolen stamps, and probably more. OF
This number 2Wo stamps were found in his
trunk when his room was searched. The
dispatch from Columbia says that Beach
admits receiving the stamps from Smith,
but disclaims knowledge that they were
stolen. He said he was perfectly willing to
to resist arrest.
Close on Their Truil.
The officers have been close on his trail
ever since he left Washington and felt all
along that his capture was only a question
of time. The status of his companion, Sim
sabaugh. is not very clearly defined. Al
though 1t is not contended that he was con-
cerned in the stamp theft, 1t has, been
deemed advisable to bring him to Washing
ton for examination, In view Of his associa-
ton with Beach and the probability that he
has information that may be of value.
Beach and he have had hard time Of 1t
since they left Washington. They had very
little money and were compelled to beat"
or tramp It most of the way to Columbia
1t Is known that they went to Baltimore,
then to Norfolk, and that they then beat"
their way by short stretches to Columbia,
wht re the detectives caught up with and
captured them. Beach travelled under the
name of Ned Lawrence and was caught by
means Of a decoy letter addressed to that
The authorities there were notified
that Beach would probably apply for
the letter. and were on the lookout for
him and his companion. The two men fell
into the tap laid for them, and in anticpa-
ton of its successful operation, Agent Bar
ker was promptly on hand with warrants
for their removal to Washington for hear
ing. They will reach here tomorrow.
Completes the List of Suspects.
1t is said at the Treasury Department that
this arrest completes the list of persons
suspected of completely In this case. and
that there is no reason to even infer that
any ptTSUn ndu manu- IN IT, MS
statement applies only to principals and not
to persons who may have been the innocent
recipients of stolen property. 1t was also
stated that SO far the Treasury Depart
ment is at present advised, the total num-
Der of stamps stolen does not exceed - 90.
Mr. Hazen, chief of the secret service di-
vision, is in New York as a witness in the
case of Brown and Harris, who will be
tried there TODAY fo- receiving stamps from
Smith and Longstreet, knowing them to be
stolen. These men win not be brought to
Washingt ton unless they are wanted as wit
Eesses. Whatever Offense was committed
by them in this matter is entirely within
the jurisdiction of the New York courts.
what Mrs. Smith Says.
Mrs. William B. Smith, the wife of the
man who was arrested last Thursday on
the charge of conspiracy in the stamp rob-
berry at the bureau of engraving and print
ing. is lying Ill in bed as a result of the
shock which her husbands trouble has
brought upon her. Ever since they came to
this city. last spring. MIR. and Mrs. Smith
have occupied d large and rather preten-
tious house, 1874 Rhode Island avenue. 1t
was furnished with material that they
brought from their home in New Jersey
Smiths salary clerk In the bureau
would hardly seem to warrant the mainte-
nance of such an establishment, but he and
his wife had hoped to exc out their income
by htling the house with boarders In this
they had been rather unsuccessful and, &C
cordihg to Mrs. Smiths statement 10 q
Star reporter this afternoon, they have
been running behind In every way, and yes
to-day deputies took possession of the larg-
er part OF her furniture to satisfy the land
lord S claim for unpaid rent.
Only her $500 exemption was left, and the
mouse today presents a rather bare and
forlorn appearance. All this, Mrs. Smith
claimed in her interview with The Star re-
porter must be an element in her husbands
favor, and she denied earnestly that they
had been living beyond their income She
said that nothing has been bought for the
house In any way of late. and a number of
probable she will be compelled to leave her
rressnt house within the next few days.
Thinks Her Husband a Dupe.
Mrs. Smith says that her husband is a
man who would like to be well dressed, but
| that he has spent no money on himself In
this way and, in fact, he has not acted at
all one would expect of a man who had
| received an unexpected addition to his in
come. She also contradcts the statement
that her mother, who Is now with her In her
| tire of trouble, is a woman of means All
they own was represented in their furniture
| and personal belongings, and this they re-
garded as capital when it came to renting
| rooms.
Mrs. Smith firmly believes in her hus-
| bands innocence, but insists that II there
has been any crooked business at all her
| husband Is only a dupe and not a prin-
cipaL She said that frequently of late
| when she told her husband that they were
| running behind financially, he assured her
| that 1t would soon be all right, as ne was
in with some high people and they would
| push him along. She says that her hus-
| band was not man of expensive tastes
| and that IL he spent any money outside
| OF his own home she knows nothing of it,
| They have had no postage stamps in their
house for some time back, and whenever
| she or her husband had occasion to mail
a letter they always went to the corner
| drug store for q stamp.
| OPENING A STREET.