The herald., 1895-01-04
AS RELATED BY THE CASHIER
Daring Work of Two Day.
Light Robbers.
A Postal Employe Knocked Senseless
and Robbed.
Suspicious Circumstances Surrounding tho
Loss eff 1857 in the Cincinnati
Postoilice.
BY TIE 1IEnALp's Lea,ed Wire.

BY TIE HEEALD's Lea'ed Wire
CINCINNArI, O., Jan. 3.-Taere was a
great hubbub in the csntral part of the
city this afternoon on account of exag-
gerated rumors about adaylight robbery
in the postofice. 1t was after 2 o'clock
when Assistant Cashier Frank Sparks
was found lying on the floor in an IN
conscious condition by Janitor John
Wei9e. No noise had previously been
haard about the place, but when Weise
gave the alarm an enormous crowd soon
surrounded the building. When Posts
master Zumstein, Inspector Salmon and
Cashier Tucker arrived Sparks did not
appear to ba badly hurt. although he
had big NInp on his forehead. L here
wac nothiag whatever in the money
drawer, the cash being short 1857.
Cashier Tucker and tho others waited
until Sparks took his lunch first and
then they went to lunch. Sparks was
alone at / 80 o'clock when he says two
men entered the Office aud asked for
small change for IS bill. While lie
was unlocking the money drawer one of
them rushed through the email ecreen
soon they were upon him. He says ms
dealt one of them hard blow but was
himself struck by pair of iron
knuckles, and he knew nothing that
trsnspired from that time till he was
aroused by Janitor Weise.
DETECTIVE THEORIES.
The wstchman. who is constantly pa
trolling the corridor, says that he saw
no such men a. Sparks describes, either
enter or leave the oaehier's ice. While
all tho police, detectives, deputies
and inspectors hove been working
during the afternoon and night on
the theory OF a robbery vet they
have been shadowing every movement
OF Sparks since he lett the office. as we'll
as looking out for either the robbers or
their accomplices. They say it would
have been vsry plausible for the rob-
bers to have asked FOX change for So
bill 40 as TO locate the moeny~drawer as
well es to get it unlocked before they
rushed in on the man in charge OF the
office. But the detectives go 80 far as
to say that Sparks' injured forehead is
not the result of iron knuckles or q
alung-shot being used on him. but of
bump inflicted by contact with the
vault or something eQuslly hard. On
center table near the uoney-drawer
were over $1,000 in envelopes for tbs
letter carriers, this being their payday.
Although it was in trays that could
easily have been carried off, it was not
touched. Sparks thinks this was be-
cause the envelopes were covered by q
newspaper Toere WAS much larger
amount still in the vault which was
open and not touched.
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.
This circumstance would weigh in
favor Of Sparks were it not for the fact
that this wss the day for his settle ment.
After pay ing off the carriers he should
have had 1867 in the drawer. but the
detectives were unable to ascertain
whether he had that or any other con-
siderable amount in the drawer before
the robbery. They refer with sus picion
to the door being LETT open at time
when the cashier was alone with 1857 in
his own cash drawer, another drawer
full, $4,000 on the table and the vault ao-
cessibls. They are not only Hhadowing
Sparks, but also inquiring into hia
habits and associates.
AS nobody was in the Office except
Sparks when the robbery occurred. it is
impossible to get anything but his own
statement. The postoffice building adj
joina Fountain square, in the center of
the city, where the streets are always
crowded during the day. The fact of q
daylight robbery in such location had
much to 90 with the local excitement of
the afternoon and evening.
SPARKS CONGRESSES.
Frank II. Sparks. the assistant caehier
of the postoffice was arrested tonight
and shortly afterwards confessed that he
got away with the money himself.
After his confession be told where
this money wse, a1d it was recovered.