The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-01-20
WALTER PICKED UP
CALDWELL'S CROOKED ASSISTANT
POSTMASTER RUN DOWN.
Found at V:cksburg, Tenn. Last
Night. Rnt the Details Arc Un-
known The Theft Now
Foots Up S5,O0O-Win
be Jailed Here,
Walter Donaldson is captured.

| Walter donaldson IS captured.
This seems to be a mighty good year, so
far, for the apprehension of Kansas GRIM
inals.
1t seems they cannot go far enougb
| The world is getting too small for such
people.
The details of the capture of the gay
Walter are not known, as he was captured
only last night at Vicksburg, Miss.
Walter is charged with the robbery OF
the postoffice at Caldwell and Wichita is
the last place he was seen until his appre-
| hension at Vicksburg.
The amount of the theft committed by
him is something over $4,000. possibly
1000.
| The history of the crime is a brief one.
On Sunday. Dec. 81, he came to Wichita
on the Santa Fe plug from Caldwell.
He was seen here till after 10 O'Clock
| that night. Next day the EAGLE contained
an account of his crookedness and carried
| the news to Caldwell, where it was re-
ceived with doubt and astonishment but
in a few hours it was fully substantiated.
He was assistant to Postmaster Ball Of
Caldwell for some three or four years, and
| the utmost confidence was placed in him
by his employer aud the public About
the middle OF December Postmaster Ball
| was attacked with d severe fit Of sickness,
and Donaldson had full charge of the
Office, and nothing WAS suspected till he
failed to show up at his post Of duty next
morning
Mr.. Ball had recovered from his sick
ness and for the first time in two weeks he
showed up at the postoffice Monday morn
ing.
Where is Walter" he asked, and no
one could answer him. Just then he heard
from the Santa Fe conductor that he ac-
companied him to Wichita the previous
morning and told him that he was enroute
to Kansas City TO take civil service ex
animation. Mr.. Ball then smelled a
mouse and came to Wichita to locate it,
He found that Donaldson was here the
previous hight doing the town" with
IA friend, but that he left about
10 o'clock. He also found that
his confidential assistant had drawn on the
postoffice here for 5000. The sleuth hounds
of the secret service were put on his trail
at once and finally succee 1ed in running
MIN down yesterday
well known postal service man was in
the city last night. and when reporter
for the EAGLE asked him what were the
causes that led to Donaldson's crookedness
he said in his characteristic manner 'wine
women and cards -
The amount of Donaldson's stealings is,
as heretofore stated, more than $1,000.
He took about $1,000 from the of
flee for which the postmaster is
responsible. In addition he took fifty
registered letters estimated at 81 ,O00 He
also took some seventeen or eighteen
money order blanks already stamped and
in every respect fixed in manner that
would enable him to realize upon them.
1t is thought very probable in postal
circles that he may have been captured
while using these. He took some lodge
money that was held by the postmaster,
as well as considerable money which be-
longed to the pos masters son. and which
was in the postofiice for safe keeping He
even took jewelry and silver spoons that
were going through the postoflice as New
Years presents.
Donaldson is about "a years old and
married. His wife is in business in Cald-
well. He WAS raised there and WIS held
in good repute till he committed this
crime. The people did not even know that
he patronized the flowing howl or the
devils prayer book. The only bad habits
he was publicly known to possess were
smoking cgaretts aud reading ) cent blood |
and thunder novels.
He VIII be brought to Wichita for i'm
prisonment.