The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-04-23
STONY CREEKS SENSATION,
ASSISTANT Pos41IASTER RoSS GOES
 WRONG.

master Hubbard InVestigating-How the Shortage Was DlscOvered-Ross Was
 Formerly of New Haven.
 Stony Creek, April 22.-The local
 postoffice, which was made the subject of an investigation a short time ago, has developed another sensation, which has caused the postoffice department
 to send here an official to make an- other investigation. The cause of the visit of the postoffice inspector here Is the disappearance of the assistant
 postmaster, Alexander w. Ross who
 left the office on Thursday, April il,
 and has since been missing. His sud
 den disappearance led the postmaster,
 F. W. Hubbard, to make an investiga-
 ton into the account of the postoffice,
 and with the result that it has been
 discovered that about $190 belonging to
 the postoff1ce department has been
 stolen by the missing assistant post
 master. Ross is about thirty-five years
 of age and has been resident of the
 place for several years. During the
 term in which Postmaster Jackson held
 the local office, Ross was employed
 as a clerk in the office. He was a
 bright young man and practically run
 the office for the postmaster. He was
 considered trustworthy, and the post
 master had the greatest confidence in
 his clerk. At the time that Hubbard
 took control of the postoffice. he was
 entirely unfamiliar with the method
 in the running the office and being
 acquainted with Ross, the new post
 master employed him as his assistant.
 It was understood that as soon as Post
 master Hubbard would become ac-
 quainted with the details in connection
 with conducting the office that Ross
 would sever his connection. This was
 three months ago. Since that time
 Ross has practically had full control
 of the business in the office and had
 the handling of the funds, etc. It is
 customary for the postmaster to exam inc the accounts once a week. and for
 ward to Postmaster Bennett of the
 Hartford postoffice the cash for money orders. In return for the cash that is sent to the Hartford postoffice the post master there sends back to the local office a yellow card for a receipt. The
 work of examining the money order accounts was begun on Thursday night April il, and the cash amounting to $190 was placed in an envelope and sealed.
 The work was done personally by the assistant. Ross, however, handed the roll of bills to Hubbard before he sealed the envelope and asked Hubbard to ex- anime the amount and see if it was all right Hubbard had full confidence in his assistant and believing that every thing was all right. he did not make an examinat ton. Ross was then sup posed to place the envelope in the mail for Hartford. It appears, however, that this was not done, but instead he left the envelope and the money in the desk and when he closed up the
 flee that night he took the money away with him. Nothing has been seen of the assistant postmaster since, and the delay in receiving receipt from Post master Bennett of Hartford caused Postmaster Hubbard to become sus- picious. He made inquiries of the Hart ford postmaster and that official re- piled that he had not received the regular remittance from the Stony Creek office for that week. A day or two afterwards a discovery was made by Postmaster Hubbard which threw some light on the mysterious disap- pearance of his assistant, It was a postal card upon which was written in Ross handwriting, in a few lines 2 request to a Transatlantic steamship for some information regard ng the sailing of a steamer from New York on Good Friday. Ross wanted to know the hour of departure 1f steamship for Southampton from New York. Before he had finished what he was about to write, he de- l stroyed the postal and carelessly threw t into the waste basket. When he | anne across the postal Postmaster | put the pieces together and | leciphered the writing. It was signed | 1y Ross. He concluded that his as- dstant had skipped with the funds, 1 md immediately took steps to notify | he postoffice department of the mat | CT. Upon further investigation it was llso found that the steamer concern ng which the assistant postmaster was l the information sailed at noon | m Good Friday, and as Ross had not | ,een heard from since, 1t Is believed | hat he took passage upon the steamer or Europe
 It has been learned that Foss' wife las since left the place and has gone 0 live with her folks in Southington. Ross left many creditors, it Is said, ehind him in the place and tonight was stated that he got away with ut paying bills that amount to over 500
 During the time that Sheriff Gates ad charge of the New Haven jail Ross yas a prisoner at the institution, hav- lg been sentenced for a term for igamy. For the last three months of is term in jail he was made clerk in he institution. After the expiration of is sentence Sheriff Gates appointed i'm to the position with a salary. his position Ross held for some time. [e was also employed as the manager f the Hartford club and also worked 1r the Heubleins in Hartford. Six ears ago Ross was employed as book eeper and cashier at Heublein's cafe New Haven. To a representative of the Connecti- l 1+ Associated Press POStma ster Eih- ,