The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-17
PoSTMASTERS IN ARIZONA.
TWO OF THE aUEEREST OFFICIALS
ON THE GOVERNMENTS LIST.

One Held the Papers of His Success
sOr and the JOb-MaiI Kept From
Two to Eleven YcRrs-Dropped His
Wife in the RIver-Anothcr l.. VI.
Was Found Selling MOOnshine
Whfskey.
From the Denver Republican.
Postofice Inspector Waterbury returned
recently from a protracted official tour
of his district, and he brings home two
new stories. The first story is reminiscent
of one which Inspector Waterbury I'M
earthed in 1894, the full details of which.
however, have never been published. His
last trip. which took in Yuma, Ariz.,
brought him face to face with the noted
character with which this particular story
deals, who is now awaiting execution for
wife murder.
Early in 1894 Inspector Waterbury recelv-
ed instructions from the general postoftice
at Washington to go to Ehrenburg, 100
miles from Yuma, and Investigate the con-
dition of the postofice there. For eleven
years not a word had peen heard from
it, although the officials had forwarded
stamps occasionally The postoffice de-
partment issued orders which brooked of
no delay but no heed had been taken of
them, and the officials wanted the whole
matter sifted. Inspector Waterbury set
out and finally reached his destination. He
did not ride on Pullman all the time.
There was stage coaches for much
longer distance than there are now, and
sometimes they were not allowed to pro-
coed until another class of inspectors had
first decided whether the contents were
worth taking or not.
Arrived al Ehrenburg the postotice
was not very difficult to locate. 1t was
one of the poorest of the struggling adobe
huts which constituted the town at that
time But the postmaster was nowhere to
be found.
a compadre of his was met after a while
who spoke English. "Hayzoos' would be
back in a few days, Inspector waterbury
was told. The other name of 'sHayzoos,"
which in English is Jesus, was Daniel,
which information 1t took a long time
to elicit The distance was too long and
the way too difficult to traverse to leave
his mission unaccomplished, so Inspector
Waterbury sat down and awaited the
pleasure of Jesus Daniel.
In the three days the postOffice inspect
or busted himself, wheneVr he found any
one to whom he was intelligible, making
inquiries. The assortment of information
thus collected cast no light on the stua-
ton. The few white settlers whom he
endeavored so hard to find told him that
they received no more mail through the
postof1ce at Ehrenburg. The postmaster
spent most of his time away In the noun
tainS cutting wood or herdlng sheep.
"A ftar l1psa NJ five DAVIS .IpsnS arrived
at Ehrenbure in his bich bark canoe The
inspector was not long in forming his &C
qnaintance He told Jesus Dauiel the pur
pose of his mission. The Mexican gave
savage grunt of understanding and grulhy
acquiesced to showing Inspector Water
bury through the postoffice. The exami-
nation was al once begun. Shutters were
thrown back, doors unbolted and the two
sat down In the musty atmosphere. The
safe was first opened In it Inspector
Waterbury found thirteen registered let
ters, most of which were of an urgent and
important nature, which had lain there
from two to. eleven years. He found some
of the people to whom the letters were
addressed and delivered them. There were
hundreds of letters lying about many of
them directed to people who had long been
dead. But Inspector Waterways great
find was two commissions from subsequent
adIninistra tions for men appointed to sue
OF these men died in ignorance of his APP
pointment and the other was kept in ig-
norance of it by the astute Jesus t
When confronted with the pile of docu-
mentary evidence against his ability or
character or ignorance, or all three, Jesus
Daniel just grunted, which said plain as
English could make 1t: what now, if you
have discovered it," Inspector Waterbury
saw that there was 70 use in argument
The postmaster was of the brute type, too
ignorant or cunning to volunteer or give
under pressure an explanation. Inspector
Waterbury took charge of the contents of
the Dostoffice, delivered all the accumu-
lated mail that heFcould find owners for
and started off with the rest
After the two men had left the postofiice
Jesus Daniel was met by some acquaint-
ances who greeted him after their fashion
From the look of horror which crept over
the faces of all of them, Inspector Water
bury ventured a remark as TO what caused
1t.
"He took his wife up the river and
drowned her, he says" said one of the by
ISLANDERS.
You took your wife up the river and
drowned her, did you?" asked the as
founded inspector, as he looked at the i'm
mobile features of the man before him.
yes, l drowned her" doggedly replied
the Mexican. She was no good any more
One got Olu anu SICK anu ugly ana Sne
bothered me. / asked her to step out Of
the boat and get flower for me that was
In the water. When che get out l pushed
her into the river and 60 away quick when
! see that she can get up no more"
Inspector Waterbury left Ehrenburg that
afternoon. Subsequently he heard that
Jesus Daniel was arrested tried and sen
fenced 10 be hanged for the murder Of his
wife. The sentence has not yet been car
rled into execution, although the accused
man never had a reprieve Inspector Wa
terbury saw him not many weeks ago. and
says he seems Indifferent and sullen as
ever.
The second story which Inspector Wa
terbury brought home from his trip had
mise en- scene nearer home, inside Of Col
orado. No names will be mentioned, bu.
there Is a small postoffice near Telluride
which called for some investigation. The
authorities We're notified that the postmas-
ter served stamps at enc end Of the coun-
ter and good, if ilHctly distilled, whisky
a the other Not alone this. but he was
also accused of extracting SIG from a reg
istered letter.
Inspector Waterbury, upon his arrival
at Ufflo Dlqpp walked directly into