Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-01

Augusta on Train No Saturday az
ternoon having in custody one Thoma G
Seymour of Gardiner, whom he had
| arrested in Skowhegan on the charge
OF having stolen mail box at South
Gardiner. Seymour was committed Ia
the police station to await a hearing
before United States Commissioner
harrington, but as the latter was ont
Of town Seymour was taken to Por, :
land on ths Saturday night Pullman
by United States Deputy Marshal w.
S. Hasty, and will probably be arraign-
ed this morning before Commissioner
Bradley.
The arrest of Seymour was brought
about by Postoftice Inspector Robin
son, to whom the man Is said to have
| confessed his offence. The story of the
detection of the stealing of the mail
| box and the subsequent arrest of the
man who is accused of committing the
act is rather unusual and rather Inter
esting.
| The mail box which Seymour is al
| legged TO have stolen was the proper
| ty of Chester H. Totman, who lives
| about three miles outside of Gardiner
Mr. and Mrs. Totman discovered the
loss of their box on July t.. after their
return from church. They notified
| Postmaster Libby at Gardiner and he
in turn sent word to Inspector Robin
| son who went to Gardiner to investi-
| gate. Going over to West Gardiner
| with Postmaster Libby the INSPECTOR
learned that one Thomas Seymour had
recently hung out newly painted box
ut his residence which is about two
miles from the Totman house.
Inspector Robinson then went to the
house and told Mrs. Seymour that he
and the postmaster were around in
speeding the mail boxes and that he
| thought the one in front of her house
did not correspond in size with the reg
ulations and he requested permission
| to take it to the pOstoffice and meas
ure it, saying that he would return it
the next day if it was all right
| He also asked her from where she
| had received the box and She replied
| that her brother up in Pennington by
the name of George Sears had sent it
to her.
| When the inspector arrived at the
| pcstoficc he at once proceeded to re-
tlnove the new coat of paint to see II
| he could find the former owners name
| on the box. After removing the paint
| the first two initials of Mr.. Totman'.
name were readily observable on the
| box
| After discovering that it was apparent
| w the box he Immediately left for the
place where Mr.. Seymour worked. When
he arrived there he asked the man where
he got the box. Seymour replied that ne
/ obtained it from his wifes brother up
| in Pennington. Inspector Robinson then
| asked him what was the name of his
wife's brother and he replied that the
| name was Lewis Brown. After short
conversation the inspector said: MI
| Seymour. what possessed you to steal
that box?" Seymour replied, so Mr.. Rob-
inson says: since you know so much
about it | will tell you" He then con-
| fessed to the stealing of the box.
| Mr. Robinson submitted the matter to
! the United States attorney and on the
latter's recommendation caused war
| rant to be issued for Seymours arrest
Friday the inspector with United States
/ Deputy Marshal Stevens left for Gardi-
| ner to make the arrest Seymour is Il
section hand employed on the Maine Cen
| trail and the postoffice officials first went
| to the place where he should have been
| at work but the head section man said
that he had not been around that day.
| They then went up to his house in
hopes of finding him there but on arriv-
| ing there found no one at home but his
bows. They questioned them as to their
| fathers whereabouts but they would not
give anv information as to where he had
gone The inspector and Marshal Stevens
4 they
| ing to Gardiner and started on. But af-
| ter thew had got out of sight of the house
they got out of the auto and sent the
ldriver along with the machine and crept
back to the house. where they concealed
themselves in the bushes in hopes that
Seymour had been hiding in the woods
and would return as soon as they were
gone.
/ After they had. been lying there while
| they saw one of the boys hitch up the
horse and start out After waiting
while they saw him return with ms
mother. AS soon as 1t was dark Marshai
Stevens crept near the house. where ne
says he heard the mother telling the boys
not to let anyone know where their fath-
,er had gone. He also learned that she
| was going to leave for some pace the
l'following morning. The inspector and
Mr.. Stevens decided to wait until MORN
ing and follow her. They returned 70
Gardiner about II o'clock and left or
ders at the hotel to be called at CLOCK
| AT they received word that MRS
seymour was in the city ana was.
bound for some place out or to~h'
The followed her and found that she
Ihad left on the car ahead for Augusta.
I;Deruty Marshal Stevens then lett III
an auto in pursuit of the car ana the
inspector took the train. He happento
to look up as the train stopped at Hai-
Howell and saw Mrs. Seymour enter the
same care. He then learned from the
lcon1uctor that she had bought tlck-
ct for Skowhcgan. He followed hei
and when they arrived there she Went
10 the house of a Mr.. Fluit ana the
INSPECTOR learned that Seymour hao
silent there the night before
Mr.. Robinson engaged a young TEL
low TO go to the house to find out II
he was there In little Winnie the
how came back, with the word that
h;s ms n. was at the house.
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