Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-22
IN THE Tolls
Two Men Arrested This Week by
Post Office Inspectors.
Alien Norman, Coiorod, nlaii nIossen-
ger Between Norfolk md Bcrhley.
aud George e. Evans. stamp clerk
Mt Newport News, Confronted with
Serious Charges.

For the past two years complaints
of loss OF letters containing money has
been reported to the Postofice Depart
mcnt ut Washington, D. c., from the
Berkeley postofllce, and from the Offices
on the Star Routcs,' served from
Berkeley as follows: Buell.. Oalslette,
Herbert, Bonncy and Wateroak, Va.
Mr.. d. C. Owngs. Postofllce Inspector
at Washington, was detailed to work
up the case. He arrived in Norfolk the
18th inst. and began his investigation.
After several days of arduous work he
located the trouble in the Berkeley post
Office. A letter containing S2.25 was de-
posted in a street letter box in front
of j. a. McCloud's grocery store, at
o'clock on the morning OF the 18th
inst. The letter should have been re-
ce!ved at the Norfolk postoffice in tram
sit to Petersburg, Va, where it was adj
dressed. The letter failed to show up
at the Norfolk Office, which satisfied In
spector Owings that the responsibility
for the losses reported was traced to
the Berkeley postoffice. He requested
the department at Washington to detail
an inspector to assist him in his work.
THE OFFENDER LOCATED.
Inspector J. II. Irving. who operates
In the western jurisdiction Of the State
of Virginia, was sent to assist Mr. Ow-
ings, and. as the result shows. no mis-
take was made in detailing MIR. Irving
for this special work. He arrived in
Norfolk last Sunday morning. The fol-
lowing day Il deeoy letter, addressed to-
Mrs. Mary v. Smith, Greensboro. N. c.,
and containing five one dollar bills, was
mailed at Buell.. This should have been
received at the Norfolk postofficc ut
5:45 Monday afternoon in transit to the
Office addressed The letter failed to
show up, and the Inspector visited the
Berkeley postofllce and took into custo-
dy Allan NJ. Norman (coloreD, mail
messenger from Berkeley to Norfolk.
THE PROOF.
When requested by the inspectors to
exhibit what money he had on his per-
son he drew from his pockets four one
dollar bills and seventy-five cents in
silver and placed the money on the
table in the office.
These bills were examined by Mr..
Thomas b. Gresham. Il clerk in the Of
flee. Three of the four bills were found
to answer to the description of the bills
contained In the decoy letter.
Norman was then taken before United
States Commissioner George %. Bow
den, OF this city. who committed him
for n hearing Friday the 23d inst, I'M
der default of $1,000 bail.
When Norman was searched by. the
inspectors one of the dollar bills in
closed in the letter mailed Friday. the
18th, was found in q small leather
shorthand stamp case of the Southern
Shorthand and Business University OF
Norfolk.
Norman protested his Innocence, but
the evidence of his guilt seemed to the
inspectors to be conclusive.
ANOTHER CASE.
At noon Tuesday Inspectors Owings
and Irving left Norfolk for Newport
News, where the past year a number
Of complaints have been reported to
the department. at Washington of the
loss of letters containing sums ranging
from one to fifteen dollars.
After n consultation with Mr.. James
j.. Reed, the assistant postmaste"
there, the inspectors were thoroughly
convinced that the losses were tracea-
BILE to an employee. A decoy letter adj
dressed to Mrs. Mary v. Jones, Staun-
ton. Va, and placed in the postoHicc at
S:45 o'clock that evening. This letter
should have been dispatched via train
No 1. Chesapeake and Ohio railway,
on the morning of the 21st. Inspector
Irving tracked the mail carrier from
the postoffice to the train, where the