The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-08-15
Mail RobbeP
Was Arrested.
Robbed the Mails at Weston by
Carrying Away POuch-Im-
portant Capture.

deputy MdTsudl Ddu W. SdShoOnt
Postotfice Inspector Z. l. Allen and
Chief John A. Short, Of the B. & O..
secret service, made an important cap
ture last Thursday afternoon, when
they arrested J p. Covert alias Curly
Humes, notorious gambler and lib.
ertine. They brought him here on
the afternoon train and incarcerated
.him in the county jail.
i. Friday morning at $50 O'Clock he
was given a hearing in the court Of
United States Commissioner Thomas
S. Spates. Mr., Allen and Mr.. Short
conducted the examination for the
Government. He had no counsel.
The charge against him is the steal
ing OF leather mail pouch from
truck on the depot platform the morn
ing Of June %.
Baggage Master o. L. Hacker testi-
fled that he received three leather
mail pouches that night from the
train, which arrived there at l.43
o'clock and also lot Of sack mail.
/. After loading the mail on the truck,
he wheeled it to the baggage room
door and returned to the baggage car
and got into it and attended to check
ing that had to be done. He then re.
turned and wheeled the truck into the
baggage room. He noticed Covert
standing at the bay window looking
toward the truck. He was suspicious
of Covert, as Policeman Swartz had
warned him about him, but he did not
look to see II Covert had taken any.
thing.
Policeman Jack Lunsford testified
that he knew the prisoner as Curly
HumeS only. He saw him that night
as the train came in standing about 10
feet from the truck. No one else was
about the depot except the train crew
and baggage agent. He examined the
grounds around the depot. He said
he had told the baggage man TO be
careful. Humes was facing the truck
when he saw him. LunsfOrd spoke to
him. He went away day or so after
that.
Policeman Edward Swartz stated on
the witness stand that he met Humes
going toward the depot just before the
train came in, but did not remember
seeing himat the depot, as he was at
the other end of the platform. Swartz
stated that he often saw him standing
on the platform, especially around the
express onice, and being suspicious Of
him, he had warned the express agent.
Last winter Covert was arrested for
breaking into Mr.. Ltvely'S office, and
later again FOR stealing a fish from
restaurant. Covert made his home
with Virginia Bush, a prostitute, re-
siding short distance below the town
and not far from where the mutilated
pouch and scattered mail matter were
found on the side Of a knoll.
James Hide, colored railroad porter,
saw him on the platform but not on
the train aftcrward in accordance
with his custom to ride down on it on
his way to the woman's home.
Brent Heavier, assistant agent, told
of the discovery that pouch was
missing next morning, Bert X. Ma
lone, the boy who carries the mail to
and from the depot, calling his atten-
ton to the matter while loading the
mail in his cart. Heavier told Harry
Dalton, the train baggage MASTER
who concluded he had not received it
at Clarksburg, Heavier knew moth
ing more about the matter until the
following Monday when young Van
dervort and another young fellow told
him they had found the pouch and
mail matter on the hill. Parties went
to the scene and collected the mai
and pouch and took them TO the post
otfice.
Bert r. Malone testified as to his
discovery of the fact that pouch was
missing.
John A. Short told about his inves-