The state herald., 1897-11-05
GAVE UP THE MONEY.
$4,000 MAIL PACKAGE RECoV-
Erred.
Houghton, the Thief, Gives In to His
Old Mothers Entreaty-D Details of His
Crime.

Cheyenne, Wyo., Oct. 30.-Walter Il.
Houghton, who confessed yesterday
to stealing registered package from
the United States mails containing
$4,000. this morning gave up $14,700
Of the money to United States Marshal
McDermOtt, and decided to throw
himself on the mercy of the court, in
the hope of receiving as light pun
ishment as possible for his crime.
Mabel Hunt. alias Mabel Foster. who
is in Denver, will be prosecuted by the
United States authorities for taking
$500 from Houghton, knowing the
same to have been stolen,
The story of the riding the registered
mail pouch, as told by Houghton in
the presence of United States Marshal
McDcrmott, United States Attorney
Clark, United States Commissioner I.
j. Fisher. Postotlicc Inspector A. =.
Frederick and City Detectives Burlew
and Loomis is in substance as follows:
Some time ago the woman May
Foster told HOught0n that IL at any
time he should come upon something
good In the mails and could take 1t TO
do so, and promised to marry him upon
that condition. He was at that time,
of course. ignorant of the fact that
she had already one husband.
On September Both. when a little
ways out from Cheyenne, Houghton
discovered that he had in the car a
registered pouch for which he had
given no receipt, and Immediately
realized his opportunity for carrying
ont the Foster woman's suggestion.
After Il slight struggle with himself
he decided to do the thing, and about
half way up the divide. before reaching
sherman, lie cut open the pouch, but
did not examine the contents until af-
ter the train had passed Laramie. The
registered package containing Sl5.OW
and one containing the watch and
jewclry lay in the bottom, and on top
of these were twenty-four other pack
ages Of merchandise. among which
was an unregistered letter enclosing
$50 In bills. This, with the valuable
packages. IIoughton left and began
Ia destroy the evidences of his crime,
The merchandise consisted chiefly Of
dry goods from Chicago firms. The
only way to get rid Of all this and the
pouch was to burn them in the stove.
and this he did. but there WIS so much
of the stuff that he was obliged To
empty the pan three times along the
route. AT last everything was de-
strOyel except the copper riveis and
the rotary lock. The lock is little
machine that registers new number
every time the pouch is opened, and is
used - detecting any tampcring with
the mails along the line. as the num-
her marked at the starting point Is
noted by the clerk Of the postOfiice
from which the mail bag starts and IS
compared with the figures counted at
the end of the run.
The problem Of how to get rid Of the
bits of metal seemed a difficult one,
but was finally solved by the young
thief as the train passed over the
North Platte near Fort Steele before
reaching Rawlins. He dropped them
into the river.
As soon rs Houcht0n got back to
Cheyenne he went to his home. at PIG
Evans street. and hid the money in
the chicken house. where II was sub
scuuently recovered with the exception
Of $500. which he gave to May Foster.
The 500 from the unregistered letter
Houghton spent for himself.