The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-07-26
ALLEGED MAIL
POUCH RObbER
Charles Savage, a Negro,
Taken Into Custody at
Kansas City.
ARRESTED IN SALT LAKE
COLORED MAN HAS REPUTATION
AS POSTOFFICE ROBBER.

Kansas City, July 25.-Charles Saw
age, a negro, was arrested here today
by postoffice authorities. charged with
stealing a mail pouch in the Kansas
City union station on June 6 last, con-
tanning $4,000 being sent from Los
Angeles to New York City bank. The
inspectors assert that they have posi-
tive evidence against Savage, and de-
clare their belief that he has buried
the money, intending to recover 1t after
his release from the penitentiary.
Savage was taken into custody few
hours after he returned to the city. He
had, since leaving. visited several cities
in the west, including Denver.
Had Figures in His Pocket.
In his pocket the detective found
clipping from Denver newspaper CIV
ing the calculat ions of a robber who
had stolen a large sum of money and
buried il. The man had been sent TO
the penitentiary for a number of years,
and in the story he figured it out that
by serving a certain number of years
he would, upon his release. have earned
$50. 900 a year. Upon this the inspect
ors base their belief that Savage has
concealed the stolen money, hoping to
regain it when finally he is given his
freedom.
Money to Pay Lawyer.
A few days following the Kansas
City robbery Savage was arrested by
the local police. He paid lawyer 500
to defend him. and he was released, the
Judge holding there was not sufficient
evidence on which to hold the man.
Savage Immediately left the city. and
since then evidently has Travelled ex-
tensively. The postoffice inspectors
had information that Savage would re-
turn here today, and when he appeared
at a negro lodging house they arrested
him. Savage surrendered without a
struggle and was taken to the postof-
flee building. There he was put under
a severe examination Aside from ad-
hitting that he had served a sentence
on >cNeill's island for mail pouch
robbery, the prisoner would tell but
little about himself.
Robbery a Bold One:
The robbery of the pouch in Kansas
City Juna was bold in the extreme.
Savage evidently knew. that it was
being sent across the country, and is
supposed to have known the exact time
it would reach here. The pouch was
stolen an hour after its arrival In
Kansas City. 1t had been thrown from
the train upon which it arrived to a
truck and moved few yards away 10
a temporary building used by the post
office as an annex in place of the build
ing that had burned. 1t is supposed
that the negro jumped on to an out
going train with the bag in his hand
He rode three miles into the country.
jumped off, riffed the pouch and appa-
rently Immediately made his way back
to Kansas City. The robbery was not
known for several days, and 1t was
several days later before the rified
pouch was found where it had been
thrown along the railway tracks. All
the money was missing. but the pouch
still contained much registered mail, In
some of which there was a quantity or
valuable iewelry. Savage'S arrest ana
discharge by the local police soon fol-
lowed Since then a score of postoffice
inspectors and detectives have worked
| on the case
Pleaded Not Guilty.
| After several hours sweating, which
| brought no confession from the prisoner
and failed to result in his giving any
clue to the missing money. he was ar
raigned late today before the commits
sioner and formally charged with steal
| ing the valuable mail pouch on June 9Th
He pleaded not. guilty and in default OF
| bail was bound over to the November
| term of the federal cout.
| Stevens. which the officials say Is his
correct name, in denying the charge
| against him, failed to explain how he had
travelled so extensively and had spent
money with such lavish hand in this
city, Denver. Washington. and many 9TH
er places, which he admitted having Wis
tied since the robbery. Stevens remained
| cool all day through a searching exam
| ination and adroitly parted every ques-
ton that might be put to him.
Has Bad Record.
The days sweating of Stevens disclosed
that he had a bad criminal record in the
west While elevator man in the Salt
| Lake City postoffice in 1901 he stole a
| package of registered letters. From there
| he went to Portland, Ore, where he stole
| two pouches from an unlighted train
| standing in the station. In 1902 he was
arrested in connection with the robbery
of a salesman In Portland with Kelly
| trial Stevens connection with the Salt
Lake City theft leaked out He was
taken to Salt Lake City. tried and giver
| three years in prison. In December, 1875
| when his time was up he was convicted
| in Portland for mail pouch robbery there
| and sent to MacNeilPs island for tive
| years.
Stevens is regarded as one of the mos
dangerous mail pouch robbers in th'
| country and the authorities will try Il
trace to him the theft of some mail bag.
that disappeared between Denver ant