Evening journal., 1915-12-27
Recover million
IN BONDS Stolen
FROM mail WAGON
Continued from FIRST Page.

other than 10 deny that they cut the /
sack Asked to explain how checks /
totalling 100000 happened to be
found partly burned in an old stove |
a. a yard in the rear OF the house |
they live in at PA Orange street,
they simply shook their heads and /
said they could not understand IT,
"I have all the evidence / need
against the two negroes" said Post
Office Inspector Plummer. "and if
they had an accomplice or were put
up TO this by some one am going
20 get him, too"
Mr.. plummer made no attempt TO
conceal the fact that he thought the
case far from cleared yet
The man TO whom credit is due for
/ frustrating what might have been one
Of tho greatest mail robberies in the
, history of the country is a modest per-
son. He works with two other men
at the Pennsylvania depot at the foot
/ of French street, and all three have
expressly requested the police and
postal authorities not to make their
names public
Tho Johnsons were driving an emer-
gency wagon during the Christmas
rush and ordinarily handled only
plain mail. AT 1130 o'clock Friday
night two sacks OF Christmas mail
were tossed into their rickety open
wagon for delivery at the Pennsyl-
vania station. Just as they were about
10 depart man rushed out and threw
| in sack OF registered mail. The
fact that it was valuable mail was re-
marked at the time. so that all about
the rear Of the postoilice could hear.
The negroes were told to be careful
and make haste to the depot.
They were handed a slip showing
they had three sacks OF mail and that
one was registered. Their arrival at
the depot with only two bags maze the
receiving postal man there suspicious.
He asked the negroes where the third
sack was, and they said they only saw
two put on the wogan. This didn't
satisfy the depot man, and he search
ed the wagon, but declares there was
mo sign Of a mail sack in il at that
time. He told the two drivers to goI
back TO the postoilice, and added,
wisely:
"T guess a mistake has been made
This helped throw the negroes OFF
their guard. for they showed up at
the postonice an hour later. Mean
while the depot man had telephoned
the postmaster During the drive TO
and from the station they could easily
have passed the Orange street d.
dress. lt is on the way. Back at the
postoflice they were again questioned
about the missing sack and could not
explain. Postmaster English was at
his Office. as he had remained there
all night for several nights during the
Christmas rush. He placed a police
man on the wagon and sent the two
10 the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
depot with another delivery. When
that was made they were taken back
TO the postoillce, questioned for long
time and finally placed under arrest.
Pouch Found IN Wagon.
A search OF the wagon resulted in a
rifled and partly filled mail sack being
found stuffed in horse blanket and
under the box seat OF the driver. When
the blanket was opened securities roll
ed out, having been removed from the
envelopes and packages in which they
were originally wrapped. AZ first il
was reported that these were worth
about 100000 A later examination
shows that the securities are worth at
least 100000 More than $4,000
worth OF bond coupons of the issue OF
the Northern Pacific and Southern Pa
cifc railroads were among this batch.
These coupon were easily negotiable.
With this amount OF securities piled
on the table i'm Postmaster Englishs
Office Postofice Inspector Plummer
was called in. and he soon got busy
with his star. working In conjunction
with Police Captain Kane and Detec-
tives Crozier and Burchinal, of police
headquarters. Late Saturday night
and after many searches had been
made OF the rooms of the two negroes,
in Orange street, this force visited the
house again.
Ono OF the detectives noticed an old
stove stuck away in a corner OF the
back yard Examining it closely he
found that a IRE had recently been
started in it. Thusting in his hand
among the ashes he drew out bundle
OF checks Only edges of them had
been burned, il being plain that the
fire was lighted by some one in too
big q hurry to wait and see that it
. burned completely
s The checks were taken to Postmas-
e ter Enelish's office and sorted out.
Z They totaled S300.0O2. All can be dupli-
/ Gated. as the writing is plainly visible
, showing the amounts aud to whom
q they are drawn. They will have to he
S redrawn. and this will DELAY import
4 ant business aud banking operations
in New York that were 10 have been
met In this mornings rush. The larg.
s. est check was for 100000 and the
, smallest for S702 The postal authori.
e ties refused to tell to whom these
s checks We're made out
The authorities are az a loss to nm
dorstand how il happened that IN,
., sack opened was probably the mos
" valuable one ever sent out from thl
d local postonice They say that unless
r. some one knew what the sack con
r. tanned either OF the two others Nigh
e have been rined. They held NOTHING
but ordinary Christmas packages an'
= mail.
&. Both negroes have good records. Al
bert Johnson has lived in Wilmington
+. all his life and worked as a driver a
ID various jobs. Earl Johnson has live,
s here each winter for a number o
wears. He works each summer n
d. South New Jersey shore hotels
Neither man has ever been arreste,
'9 before. Both can read and write.
e. All Papers Recovered.
Is some persons have an impression tina
~ flp real nhi.rf ia fhe rfnin.r az tl,, ,.,..l