Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1912-03-22
u. F. HUFFMAN CONFESSES TO
THEFT OF $4,000 FROM
II. S. NAILS


LYNCHBURG, March 15.-"Be
Sure Your Sins Will Find You Out"
After stoutl, denying his guilt for
months, creating the belief among his
friends and many others that he was
his own lawyers
George F. Huffman, the Penn Laird
postal clerk, cleared up abe mystery
of the theft of 500, 900 from the United
States mails, sent home thrust nat
caused his aged mother to collapse
and again established the truth OF
that biblical quotation-Be Sure Your
Sins Will FiLd You Out-when ne
broke down in court here this morning
and confessed to the theft OF the pack
age containing the money from re-
gistered pouch on October 28th.
A short time after Huffman confes-
sed to his lawyers and his plea OF not
guilty was changed to guilty. Huffman
was sentenced by Judge Mcdowell to
three and one half years in the federal
prison at Atlanta. In passing sent
ence Judge Mcdowell stated that The
sentence would be increased if the
money was not returned to the Gov
eminent. The confessed thief, who
appeared to be in daZed condition,
was taken to the city Jail where he
will be held until the money is recov-
cred
! Mother of prisoner collapses. Be.
llieving her boy innocent, doing her
utmost to cheer him during the trial,
the aged, grey-haired mother broke
down completely when Huffman n
fessed. Der grief was pitiful. As
soon as she learned from one OF the
attorneys that her son had admitted
to stealing the money, she dropped in.
to chair and broke into piteous sobs
which could be heard throughout the
court room.
At the time Huffman's mother col
lapsed his wife was not in the cour'
room She had been appraised o.
what was coming and quietly left the
court room and went to her room ir
the hotel. There. two hours later
Mrs. Huffman delivered to Inspector
Mosby her husbands suitcase, ir
which was found 81, 700 in twenty dol
lar bills.
Huffman told his counsel that hi
carried the money with him on hi:
first trip home after the robbery. He
placed it in sawdust under his corr
crib. Numerous times while search
ing the premises that postal authori
ties passed within a few feet of the
hidden treasure.
The evidence, which was secured by
the government and which practically
.caused Huffman's confession, came
through members OF his family. His
sister, Miss Sallie Huffman went tc
Norfolk to visit relatives and carried
with her carefully tucked down in hel
stocking $1,000 which, according te
the Postal Inspectors was turned over
to her uncle, Mr.. E. p. Huffman. He
told his wife about the money and she
| in turn wrote about the fact to Mrs
W. 2. Huffman of Pen Laird. Tel
not your secrets, is wise saying, fol
Mrs. w. P. huffman, let Mrs. Harry
Lee in on the dead secret and it is
said that the government officials go
wind of the matter through her hus
band, who is former rural delivery
carrier.
! Attorney "Jack Lee sprung a sur
prise when he told the court that ht
had $500 of the stolen money. Mr.
Lee explained that the money was sen
to him from Norfolk and that Huffman
said he had sold part of his farm
effects to realize the sum. The vel
known criminal lawyer told the cour
that he would turn the money over tC
the government.