The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-24
MISSING STAMPS RECOVERED.
CAUSE OF DETECTIVES TROUBLES
BROUGHT TO LIGHT.

Deputy Marshal white Hns a Big En-
veIOpe Addressed to Harry Bel
mont, Containing Stamps which
the Latter Sent to Philadelphia in
Payment for watches, But which
Were Returned to Him Here-BeI-
mont Refuses to Open the Letter.
A Damaging RumOr Against the
Detectives Set at Rest by the Re-
covery of the Stamps.
The missing stamps of the lot taken by
the OciLa postof1iee robbers, who are I'M
der arrest in Savannah, and the where
abouls of which have been the subject OF
considerable comment, have apparently
come to light
A few days ago Deputy United States
Marshal White received through the mails
a bulky package addressed to Harry Bel
mont one Of the men under arrest The
package was registered and under the
law the marshal did not have the right
TO open it. Suspecting that il probably
contained some of the missing plumber,
Marshal White called upon Belmont to
open the package in his presence. This
the prisoner declined 10 do His refusal
at once confirmed the officers suspicious,
and he decided to look into the matter
further
The package was from j. Strouse &
Bro. of Philadelphia, this much having
been learned from the registry card ac-
companying the package. Marshal White
accordingly wrote the Philadelphia firm
and yesterday he received a reply. 1t was
to the effect that Belmont had ordered
lot of watches from the firm. which is in
the jewelry business, and had sent in pay
ment a large lot of stamps. AS the firm
does not accept stamps in payment for
goods, it returned the lot by registered
mail, and this was how the package hap
pened to fall into the hands of the mar
shall
Strouse & Bros letter did not state
the amount of stamps enclosed, but the
proba bility is that when the letter is open
ed and the amount footed up together
with the $1,000 in stamps recently reeov-
cred by the city detectives, the sum win
not fan far short of the 1886 and some odd
cents in stamps taken from OcilIa post
office. Belmont still declines to open the
package i'll the presence of the deputy
marshal and the latter will accordingly
hold the letter until the arrival of Judge
Speer to preside over the United States
court next lilObtH, NilGll dil OIuCt VIII bS
obtained for opening the package in the
presence of the court. Belmont and Nell
son have already confessed their guilt in
the Ocina robbery, but the recovery of
the remainder of the plumber may lead to
further developments.
The recovery of the stamps just al this
time is of special interest, because of the
fact that it was the great anxiety of the
| city detectives to recover the missing plum
| der and their active, but somewhat intu-
diclous efforts to this end that led to their
suspension by Supt. Screven, and which
undoubtedly was the indirect cause of the
| reduction to ranks yesterday of Detec-
tives Sculy and Barrett. In their eager
ness to recover the plumber the detec-
| tives took the prisoners on several trips
| through the city, visiting barroOms with
| them and treating them literally to drinks.
| At the investigation before the Mayor Ii
! developed that this had been done without
! the authority of the superintendent, a for
mer permission by the superintendent to
! take the same prisoners our for this pur-
| pose having been construed by the detec-
| tives as a general permission covering
| subsequent trips Of the kind. Giving Ii
/ quor to prisoners is strictly gainst the
police regulations, and it was pl obably foI
| this that the fines of $40 each by the
Mayor were imposed. As a mat ter of fact
this was not the first time tn Is sort oil
| thing had been done.
The suspension of the detectives because
of their too liberal treatment of the post
| office robbers, taken in connection wifi
| other circumstances, gave rise to a ru.
NOR that in one of these excu rsions the
robbers had revealed the wher, "a bouts 81
the hidden stamps and that it, was the
failure of the detectives TO report theil
discovery to the superintendent which was
| the real cause of their suspension. .Whils
| this rumor came TO Supt. Sereyen's ear.
hot
| kind was pressed against the detectives
The recovery of the stamps just at thi.
time viii serve to clear the detectives o.
this unjust suspicion, the fact that thu
robbers attempted to dispose of theil
stamps elsewhere clearing the detective.
of any charge which might lie brough
against them that they had rec overed tbs
stamps and appropriated them to thell
| own uses. IA