The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-22
VS.
MAIL ROBBE J.
George E. Evans, Stamp Clerk, Under
Arrest.
SOME 0 COY LETTERS TER S. USED SCI ].
-
he Falls Quickly Into the Trap and
the Marked Money Is Found on
His Pcrson-Sad Scene When
His Wife Was Told.
SOME DECoY LETTERS USED.

SDecldl.-Iue CITY WGtS kSiL ShS0 @AiA>' AA'0A -
ing by toe arrest of George E.. Evans,
stamp clerk at the postofflce, on charge
of robbins the mails. The arrest was
made by Postoffice Inspector D. c. Owinss
and Evans has practically confessed MS
guilt, though he pleaded mot guilty pc
fore United States Commissioner A. c.
Garrett, who sent the case on to the May
term of the Federal Court in Norfoik-
Moreover, the evidence against the prls-
oner is so strong that he cannot hope 70
be acquitted
Last February, a year ago, Evans was
taken into the office here. In the year
that has elapsed since his connection with
the force, he made himself extremely
popular with every one in the office and
was the last man any of his colleagues
would have suspected. Indeed, when ne
was summoned into Postmaster Fred
Reads private Office this morning to be
searched, Mr.. Read told the inspector that
he would stake his life on, his innocence.
During the past year numerous COM
plants have been lodged at the local post
office regarding money lost in the mails.
The postmaster wrote several letters 10
the department asking for an tnYestiSa-
ton and recently went to Washington and
saw Chief Inspector Smith about It. he
was under the impression that the mails
were being tempered with between this
city and Richmond and did not dream that
the trouble was in his own office. though.
of course, that would have made no Diff
ference in his course. He did not even
know that an active investigation had
been started until this morning few
minutes before the arrest uas made
HOW IT WAS DONE.
Here is the story as. told by Inspector
OwingS this morning:
For year past said he, "a number
of losses have been reported to the post
master here of letters containing enclos-
ures. These were reported by the post
master to the department. The fact that
most of the missing letters were those
deposited for the outgoing mails satisfied
us that the trouble was in this office.
Yesterday afternoon Inspector ]. H.
Irving and myself reached here from Nor
folk We went to the hotel. where we
prepared decoy letter containing one
dollar bill. This letter. addressed to the
National Tribune, Washington. was
dropped into the postoffice iE time to
catch the dispatch for No 3. (The west
bound train which leaves here at ,i:30
o'clock. Inspector Irving covered the
messenger to the station. opened the.
pouch and found the letter intact.
I'VE then prepared another decoy letter,
addressed to Mrs. Mary B. Jones, Staun-
ton, Va. enclosing in it five one dollar
bills. This letter was dropped into the
postoffice last night at S:45 o'clock and
should have been dispa tched on No. this
morning in 4 direct package for Staunton-
When the mail was taken to the train
this morning, Inspector Irving again COW
cred the messenger. At the depot two
pouches for Stunton were opened and the
letter was not found.
MONEY IN HIS POCKET.
'sMr. Irving at once notified me and
came Immediately to the postoftice- Going
to Mr.. Reads private office. asked who
was the last man in the office last night.
He told me Evans. I sent for him and
when he came in I told him of the loss
of the letter and ordered him to. place
what money he had in his pockets on this
table He took from his pocket a one dol
lar bill and about a dollar in silver. When
I asked linn If that were all he had, he
took the missing money from his pocket
and laid it on the table. l examined it
and identified it as the money had placed
in the envelope. He said he had burned
the envelope. That is about all the story.
l placed him under arrest and took him
before Commissioner Garrett, who held
him for the United States Court. He was
going to place the bail at 5000. but I told
him $500 would be enough, and that fig
ure was named
From this account, which throws an in
teresting light on the methods of the in
spectors in cases of this kind, it is seen
that it was veritable open and shut
game, from which Evans, hopelessly
trapped, could not escape.
A GREAT SURPRISE.
The arrest was a blow to the postmaster,
to the force in the office and to the mans
friends in the city, but most of all, it was
terrible blow to his wife. Evans insist.
ed on being taken home to his wife so he
could tell her of his arrest. Deputy United
States Marshal West who had taken the
man in charge, reluctantly took him to his
little home at No. 123 Twenty-ninth
street. Mrs. Evans met them at the door
and seemed to perceive that something
was wrong at once. Evans made several
attempts to tell her and failed. He then
turned to the officer and said: You tell
her. 1 can't" The officer told her as gent
ly as he could, but the shock was more
than she could bear, and she tainted. Just
then the two little boys came in. They
are about five and seven years old, and
strangely enough, by some sort of instinct.
the little fellows knew at once that some
thing was wrong and began to cry, saying
that they were going to take their papa
away Deputy West says it was one of
the saddest scenes he ever witnessed. He
took his prisoner away as soon as he
could and incarcerated him in jail.
HIS FATHER.
A telegram has been sent to the father
4 of the prisoner, Mr. Edward Evans. 4 Well
known and respected business man con-
Quoting a jewelry store at No. 1864 Rich
mond street. Philadelphia. 1t is expected
that the father will come on here and bail
his son.
The arrest was one of the quickest and
cleverest executed in this section. but is
paralleled by a case the same inspectors
have just worked up in Norfolk. but have
been suppressing because of the possible
effect it might have on the Newport News
case.
Last Monday these inspectors arrested
Allen H. Norman, Berllley-NorfoIk
messenger. by 4 trap laid in i6enticaity
the sane way. Norman had heen in the
service ten years and was one of the
most trusted messengers. The inspectors
returned to Norfolk this afternoon with
the intention of bringing the Norman case
before Commissioner George Bowden at
once. ~
Suffolk Notes.
SUFFOLK. VA. Feb. pecial-Nor-