San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-01-19
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.
A NARRATIVE OF ACTUAL FACTS
Which Shows That Truth IL Stranger
Than Fiction How the In
nocsnt May Be Proved
Guilty.
To the Daily LIGHT:

narrate case III WHICH d reSlStereu
letter, containing the sum of 1850
in national bank notes, when it
reached the party to whom it was
addressed, in the city of New
York, did not contain a single dol
lar. The seals on the letter were
unbroken, and showed the letter
had never been tempered with
while en- route.
The letter was registered in the
,postoffice at Greensborough, Ala,
in the middle of an afternoon, by
Charles w. Hatch, the postmaster,
and subsequently was placed in a
mail pouch and locked, in the
presence of John r. Sanborn,
Hatch's clerk.
Charles w. Hatch was native
of New England, but had resided
in Greensborough, Ala, for forty
years, and enjoyed the confidence
and respect of every one. He was
an exemplary member of the Pres
byterian church, and free from any
bad habits, as we'll as of the sus-
picion of being secretly addicted to
any bad habit. Hatch was engaged
in the mercantile business, but on
a moderate scale, and his credit,
financially, was unexceptionable.
In 1860, when Alabama passed
the ordinance of secession, Hatch
was an outspoken and pronounced
Unionist, and remained so
throughout the struggle that fol-
lowed. So great was the confidence
of the people in his personal integ-
rity, and so great was the respect
felt for him, that the people would
say, concerning the undiluted
Union sentiments expressed by
him during the civil war: "Oh,
Mr.. Hatch is too old to take up
arms,-his interests are all here,
and he is honest in his convictions,
but he would never do us harm, so
Just let him talk"
When the war closed in 1865
Hatch was appointed postmaster
at Greensborough, Ala, and the
citizens regarded it as a capital
appointment which he merited by
answering loyalty to the Union
in "time that tried the souls of
men," Hatch kept the postoffice
on one side of his store, in the
front side of it. In 1872 he had
John r. Sanborn, young man,
aged about twenty, employed as a
clerk both in his store and in the
postoffice. Young Sanborn was the
son and the main stay of widow
of good family and unblemished
character, who lived in the town OF
Greensborough. He was an !affec-
tionate and dutiful son, was with
out any bad habit, and was liked
and respected by his fellow towns
men, who had known him from
childhood. Young Sanborn ate at
his mothers but slept at night in
a room at the rear end of the store
of Hatch, and had access to the
mails and the matter in the post
office, situated in the front part of
the store.
The nearest railroad to Green's
borough, at that time, was twelve
miles distant, and the mail was
transported by stage to the nearest
railroad depot. 1t was young San
born's business to deliver the mail
pouches every morning at 3 o'clock
at the door to the stage driver,
who at once placed them in the
boot directly under his seat.
L have detailed these facts be-
cause a knowledge of them is neces-
Sary to enable the reader to COM
prehend what is to follow.
When the registered letter was
delivered to its owner, in the city
of New York, and found to contain
no money at all the owner imme-
diately telegraphed the facts to
the postmaster general at Wash
ington and requested that postal
detective be sent to New York.
The detective was sent at once,
and Hatch, the postmaster at
Greensborough, Ala, was notified
by the postoffice department of the
loss OF the money contained in the
registered letter. Young Sanborn,
on hearing of the matter from
Hatch, made an affidavit to the
effect that he was a clerk in the
store of Hatch as well as deputy
postmaster; that the postoffice was
kept in the store; that he saw
Hatch count the money, place it
in a registered envelope, seal it,
nut the same in the letter mail
pouch and lock the mail pouch !;
that he knew of his own personal
knowledge that Hatch did not af-
ter that reopen or touch the said
mail pouch; that Hatch and HIM
self left the store at sunset at the
same time, and in company; that
they walked together down the
street couple of hundred yards,
to point where they separated to
go to their respective homes, which
were on opposite sides of the town ;
4, ,oI 10. fh a