The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-01-17
J.. a. BANTA ARRESTED BY POST.
OFFICE INSPECTOR.
OBSCENE MATTER
Writes Indecent Letters to Lady and
Walks Into Well Laid
Trap.
From Thursdays Daily Gazette.

cAoMA AAuASudy > Ddlly GdZeLCe.
Notwithstanding that he exercised
all the caution his nature seemed cap
able of and thereby manifested full
knowledge of the consequences
OF his act if detected, J.
A. Banta is under arrest for violat-
ing the potal laws forbidding the
transmission of obscene, lewd and
lacivious matter through the United
States mail. His arrest was effected
last evening and was the result of
some very clever detective work on
the part of Captain Perkins, the new
ly appointed postofice inspector for
this district and who has his head
quarters. in this city.
The principal witness against Banta
is a well known lady engaged in bus
mess in the city. Consideration for
her feelings prompts the withholding
of her name. January 8 she received
an anonymous letter, mailed at the
local office, containing indecent pro-
posals and asking her to meet the
writer of it near the corner of St.
Vincent's hospital. The language in
which the missive was couched left
no doubt as to the intentions of the
writer of it.
After consultation with friends the
lady decided to submit the matter to
Captain Perkins and he at once be-
gan to lay plans for the capture of the
fellow. Under his direction she re-
paired to the place named in the let
ter, the captain and another man be-.
ing stationed in convenient positions
where they could see and hear all
that TRANSFERRED. Nobody appeared,
however, and the lady returned home.
Writes Again.
Last Saturday, January II, she re-
ceived another letter from the same
person, still unsigned, explaining that
because of the rapid manner in which!
she walked it had been impossible for
him to catch her, although he had fol-
lowed her to the place designated BY
him in his letter. He repeated much
CT the language contained in the first
letter and again made indecent pro-
posals. He asked her to leave a note
Sunday evening under a stone near
the same corne mentioned in the
first letter land inform him if his
nrnnoco1c u,oro ooooo+oL1o
This letter, like the first, was shown
to Captain Perkins and he laid a trap
for the amorous gentleman who held
a woman's virtue in such light esteem.
He dictated a reply in which the anon
ymous correspondent was informed
to call at the lady's place of business
Tuesday night at 10 o'clock and he
would find the door open, and not to
knock, but walk in at once.
Nicely scented the note was de-
posted in the designated place and
the lady and officer awaited future
developments.
Walks Into the Trap.
Shortly before the time 1xed in
the note Captain Perkins and a
s~tenographer ensconsed themselves
in a back room, first having taken
the precaution to bore an augur hole
through the intervening partition, so
that they might hear all that was
said. The lady was instructed as to
what to say in the event of the mans
appearance.
Promptly at the appointed time the
door of the store was opened and a
note thrown in. The note was a re-
quest to be told if all was right and
that no likelihood existed of inter-
ference. 1t contained a dollar bill.
This note the captain was also
Again he dictated a reply and
directed that it be placed under the
door SO that it could be seen from
the outside.
Not ove 20 minutes had expired
ere the door vas opened and a man
walked into the establishment. At
some general conversationthe man
got down to the object of his visit.
Acting under instructions the lady
made an appointment for Sunday and
the mar left, but before doing so he
told her his name.
Trap is Sprung.
AS soon as the postoffice opened
yesterday morning Captain Perkins
was in his room off the general de-
livery window and a signal was agreed
upon between him and the clerk at the
window should Banta call for mail,
as has been his custom almost daily.
day wore on and as he did not
appear it was feared that he might
have grown suspicious and anotbar