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STATEMENT OF THE CASE

— OF —

H. M. JARVIS,

-*■ I

-^1

As there is no longer any doubt as to the determination of tho
Honourable the Postmaster-General not to allow me any opportv^nity to
testify before a proper tribunal in my own behalf as to my innocence of
the charges brought against mo by Mr. Griffin, and feeling that I have
exhausted every argument to induce him to do so, I have no other alter-
native but to pubhsh the whole correspondence, and leave the world to
judge for themselves as to the merits of the case. As tlae charge upon
which I was arrested and tried was the strongest (of the several,) which
the prosecution laid against me, I herevrtth produce only the evidence
as taken before the Police Magistrate in that one ; tho evidence in the
others was of a still weaker nature, and many are inclined to think that
none of the evidence was Sufficient to warrant a committal ; but, as Mr.
Griffin remarked, (see page 3,) the Police Magistrate would do anything
he wished him to do.

^^I call particular attention to Mr. Murphy's evidence, (see page vi,) and
■'Mr. Osborne's evidence, (see page vi). Both these gentlemen swore that
the money enclosed in the letter was composed of a $2 bill and postage
stamps, while at the trial in April, a third clerk in Messrs. Oronyn &
Greenless' office, (name I do not recollect,) STore that it was he who
copied the letter and put the money in, which comprised two $1 bills and
postage stamps. - Mr. Frederick Matthews' evidence is also worthy of
particular attention, (see pageix,) who said that any one mvjht have tampered
with or taken a letter from that box without being seen.

The evidence taken before the Police Magistrate went to prove an
expenditure by me between Gth October and 31st December of $188.55.

The Hon. the Postmaster-General in his letter to Judge Gwynne
(page 10) and dated 17tb May,* 1879, ^ives three reasons for having ar-
rived at an unsatisfactory conclusion, unfavourable to my case, and
as far as I know, has never giten any other. These reasons, which after
all, are nothing moro than mere assertions of Mr. Griffin's, which I defy
him to prove on oath, are :

1st, " London had been remarkably exempt from any losses of the
kind for a number of years, but they became numerous shortly after
Mr. Jarvis joined the office there, and ceased altogether (italics are mine)
after he left it."

In answer to the above see Mr. Walker's affidavit, (page 7) and Mr.
Cox's evidence (see page ix).

2nd, " He on several occasions made excuses for getting back into
the office in the evening when he would be alone in it."

In reply to this, see my affidavit (page 12).

8rd, " His cash expenditure in London was ascertained to be con-
siderably more than liis income from the Post Office or any other known
source."

IV.

In answer to this, I annex the certified copies of two checqnea given
to me a day before I left for London, the proceeds of which I took with
me, they amomited to $110.00, to this add balance due on October pay,
$17.80, and November and December pay, $115.60, amounting in all to
$248.40, against a proved expenditure of 1^186.56. This disposes of
reasor No. 8. .

[I may here add that the oriyinnls of these checques were in Court
by permission of the Auditor-General, and ready to be produced as evi-
dence at my trial, had the judge allowed any defence to be gone into.]

I have reason to believe that when my petition to his Excellency
the Governor-General was sent by His Excellency to the Secretary of
State for consideration and report, and was transferred in due course by
that Minister to the Postmaster-General, that the Post Office luspeotor
Mr. Dewe, was called upon for a report, and that such report was made,
and forwarded to the Postinaster-Geiieral, but as far as I can understand
that report has never gone beyond the Post Office Department. One na^
turally asks why i

In taking this course of laying before the public a full, accurate,
and true account of the case, I do so in the hope that, having been denied
a full official enquiry, I may have an opportunity of having the whole
question fully discussed through the Press or otherwise.

In conclusion, I may add that an evident ill felling existed among
the clerks in the London Post Office at my appointment to fill tha
vacancy occasioned by the retirement of Mr. Phipps.

The following (one of several) artiolei which appeared in the local
papers proves this.

■ ■ ♦
(Daily Free Press, London, JOth Oct. 1878.)

*' A position in the London P. O., having become vacant by the re-
tirement of Mr. Phipps, his place has been filled by an employ^ from
Ottawa. Were there no London boys whom the Grit dispensers of pat-
ronage might have recommended ?" To the above may be added the
decoy letters.

By reference to the date of 0. Murray Jarvis' letter to Sir Alexander
Campbell (pages 11 and 18,) and to the date of Sir Alexander Camp-
bell's letter to Judge Gwynne, (page 14,) it will be seen that the Post-
master-General had arrived at an unfavourable conclusion before he re-,
ceivedany explanation oj the three charyes upon which his opinion was based,

Ottawa, 13th January, 1880.

H. M, JARVIS.

.y"

'. L-

rOopy.l ' "'

Post Office Departmk\t.

■ .'',''

$70.00.

No. IG.GOl J.
Ottawa, 3rcl Octouku, 1878.

To the Manager of the Dank of Montreal.

Pay Mr. H. M. Jarvis, or order, tho sum of Seventy Dollars,
being in payment for Koraoval Allowance from Ottawa to London, Out.

(Signed)

(Signed) H. A. Wicksteed,

Accountant,

W. H. GRIFFIN,

D. Postnmster-Qeneral,

rCJopy.l

Post Office Department.
$40.00. No. lG,f)02 J.

Ottawa, 3rd October, 1878.

To the Manager oj the Bank oj' Montreal.

Pay Mr. H. M, Jarvis, or order, the sum of Forty Dollars,
being in payment for Accomit of Salary, month of October, 1878.

(Signed)

(Signed) H. A. Wicksteed,

Accountant,

W. H. GRIFFIN,

D. Post master -General.

Certified true copies,

J. L. McDOUGALL,

Auditor-General.

Auditor-General's Offick,

24th October, 1879.

Yi.

\Friim the Londnn Ailrcrliacr, Ufth Januari/, 1S70.'\
THE POST OFFICE CASE

Mr. 11. iM. Jiiivis was charjj;oil at iho Police (Joiirt ycstonVAy, upon
the iuforniiitioii of Mr. (irittin, Inspector of Post OHices, for that 1' lid
on L'Srd of December, 1H7H, feloniously open and abstract from a letter
in the Post Ollice at London, the sum of $2.'.)t».

Mr. E. MKUEorrn, appeared for the prosccutiou ; Mr. W. Pvock,
(^.C, for defence.

After the usual proliiuinaries, the prisoner pleaded not guilty, and
the following evidence was taken :

iTamks Mi;iu'!1y, sworn: Was clerk in the ullice of Messrs. Cronyii it
Grcenloss ; on tlio Monday before Christmas I put the sum of ij^'i.W in
an enveloi)o, addressed to the Registrar of the County of Elgin, a $2 bill,
three scrips and lifteen cents in postage stamps ; there was i letter in
the envelope ; I closed up the envelope and scaled it, and handed it to
another clerk in our otiice; the letter produced is the same.

Crosa-Ejcamined by Mr. lluck : I have been in the otHce of Cronyn
k Greenless sbout two years, previously I had been in a Law Office m
Ireland; I came here in October. 1870; I serve Cronyn & Grcenless as a
cojjying clerk and book-keeper; I keep the petty cash, and am in the
habit of mailing money; 1 remember the 2yrd December; I don't
remember mailing money to any one else or paying any money on that
day ; I could tell if I referred to my book ; I keep a cash box and a cash
book; I took the money about five o'clock in the evenuig and put it in
the letter; I know it was a $2 bill, but cannot tell what bank it was on;
I did not put any wax or mucilage on the envelope, I merely put it to my
lips and sealed it down ; after the letter went out of my hands I did not
sec it until the next day, when it was brought over to our oiiice.

Mr. John B. Osboune corroborated the last witness. He put the
postage stamps on it, and afterwards took it to the Post Office ; next
morning it was brought back to the office by Mr. Ward, registered letter
clerk in the Post Otiice ; it had been opened ; it is customary to leave
the registered letter book at the Post Office, and it is placed in the box
the next morning ; I am positive that when I delivered the letter to Mr.
Ward it was in i\\e same state I received it from Mr. Murphy.

Civss-Exanniwd. — I mail nearly all the letters ; it depends upon
who is going to the Post Office to take the registered letters ; I know it
was a $2 bill that was put in, but I can't say what bank it was on ; I
can't say whether I copied it or not ; it was copied by some one ; there
were several other letters, but no other registered ones amongst them ;
after I had copied the letters 1 immediately went to the Post Office ; I
handed this letter to the registered letter clerk ; it was in the book.

Mr. John AVaru : The registered letter clerk said he haj been in
the Post Office for upwards of six years ; he was on duty at the registry

vii. »

wiclcot on tlio (lay in question, and in tho courao of his dutios ho received
tlio letter produced, which ho entered in tho registered letter book, and
threw into a tin box kept for that purpose ; on that evening the dofend-
ant was on duty, and it was his duty to take tho letters from the box,
and take them into tho inner oflico and enter them into another book,
make oat tho letter billn, cancel tho stamps, and put tho date upon them ;
the letter has been cancelled and stamped ; Mr. .Jarvis must have taken
tho letter from that box ; no one else could liavo taken it that afternoon ;
I received the letter shortly after six o'clock in tho evening; about 15
or 20 minutes after I had put the letter in the bor, I heard some one in
the inner ofiico pass the remark that there was a letter in tho back office
open, and without any money in it; Mr. Lawless, .Tun., and Mr.
Mathews, Juu., were at work in the same department with me that
evening ; neither of those gentlemen could have removed the letter from
the box without my observing them.

Cross-Examined. — Witness described the de))artraent in which the
letters are received ; there is only one door leading into the back office ;
here persons occasionally come into the office from the back office ; tliero
is a door leading from the back office into tho street ; there is a forward-
ing office, behind that is the back office ; there are +iliree rooms com-
municating with my depa/tment ; I alone have to attend to the delivery
of registered letters ; there are only four persons employed in the office
in which I was ; there are altogether six other persons who occasionally
have business in the front office ; their duties in the front office are 'n-
fined to clearing the drops ; Mr. Mathews, Sen., Mr. Boss, and the de-
fendant were employed in the back office on that evening ; so far as I
remember there was no one else came into the delivery office on that after-
noon except those who were on duty ; I can safely say there was no one
else came in; I was engaged only a few minutes after th li letter was
handed in to me in delivering letters ; I would not undertake to say
whether the letter was opened or not when I received them Re-direct.
I never see the backs of any letters, and couldn't say whether any cf
the letters I received that evening were open or not.

Mr. Richard Mathews, sworn : I am employed in the forwarding
office of tho Post Office, and have been so employed for over twelve years :
I was on duty on the evening of 23rd December, Mr. Ross, the defendant,
and Mr. Himter, were with me in the office that evening, the defendant
was engaged upon the registered letters that evening ; corroborate pre-
vious witness as to defendant's duties. Mr. Ross would be opening mails
from CoiTesponding Offices, and the defendant would also be receiving
letters fi-om him ; when he received the letters he would take them to
his table, sort them, and put them :u a cupboard in the different pigeon
holes ; the table was placed agf.inst a window ; I was sitting about eight
feet from where the defendant was sitting with my face tmued towards
his back, looking towards his table ; whii3t the defendant was entering
the letters I saw him take something off the table ; his hands were turn-
ing about in the centre of his person, and then he moved his hand to his
right hand iiants pocket ; he had what appeared to be a bank bill, or bills
in his hand which he placed in his pocket ; almost immediately he called
out to me. " Here's a registered letter opened," I said, " I think the
Postmaster is in the office, take it to him immediately," thinking at the

» VUl.

time it wfts a lottcv from a ('orresponding Office ; he took it in and I could
hear tho voices talking ; he then came back and said there was no money
in it ; ho showed me tlie letter ; upon that I called to Mr. Ross and said
did you soo a letter opened ? Defendant then said, " oh I I did not got
it from Mr. Boss, I got it from the h it," meaning tlio box before men-
tioned. Thinking tho matter Huspicious, I went over to Mr. Jarvis and
Haid, "let rao look at that letter," he held it in his hand for mo to look
at, and I Haid to him, " thiH letter was sealed and looks as if it wau
opened." Prisoner made an interrogative "humph." Tho envelope now
produced bears imdoubted marks of having been sealed and afterwards
opened. I then wont into Mr. Ward and told him a letter Mr. Jarvis
f^ot from him was open.

C I OSS-Examined, — There has within the last month no one left the
Oflico HO far as I am aware ; as near as I can recollect it was about ten
or fifteen minutes after six o'clock, when I was sitting at ray table ; I was
engaged stamping letters : I had about 200 letters before me ; they were
ordinary letters, at that time I had to receive the registered letters from
Mr. Jarvis, as he made up each mail ; Jarvis was sitting at his table
before his book ; I don't know when he went into the front office to get
the registered letters; I did not see what was in front of defendant;
I did not see any letters before him ; I could not see what he did with his
hands, neither could I see what he was doing, or whether ho had any letters
before him ; I was at work all the time I was sitting ; I was not watch-
ing Jarvis ; when he told me there was a registered letter open, I cannot
Hay whether I was sitting or standing ; Mr. Ross was in the office at the
time ; Jarvis was sitting down ; I cannot say whether he had put his
hands in his pockets before I saw him put the bill in his pockets ; I did
not see a pocket book in his hands ; I oannot say at all where what he
put in his pocket came from ; I happened at that particular moment to
look at him; he did not hesitate to go into the Postmaster's Office, or to
let me see the letter ; Jarvis at once gave the letter to Ward when asked
for it.

The Court then adjourned till afternoon at 2:30.

The Coiirt re-assembled at 2:30. The first witness examined was:

Mr. L. Lawless, who said : I am the Postmaster of London ; early
in November prisoner borrowed $20 from me ; he said he wanted it to
send to his wife as she was ill ; at the end of that month he repaid it ;
his salary was $58.70 a month, which should be drawn every month ;
at the latter end of the month it was due, or the beginning of the next ;
there was $40 deducted off his cheque at Ottawa, for money he owed
that office, and $3 he sent to Mr.Wicksteed, of Ottawa, upon an I. 0. U.
which he held from the prisoner ; he borrowed the $20 after he got the
October checque ; I recollect the defendant bringing the letter produced
into my office ; he said he found it open and asked me to examine it ; I
examined it and found no money in it ; t presumed he hadn't examined
it; I directed him to keep it till the morning in order that he might
attend to it.

Mr. J. Dawson, Assistant Postmaster, proved payment of defend*
ant's salary at the rate of $60 a month,-^sUbjeot to a deduction $1.20
for Superannuation, &c.

IX. -

Mil. Rock l)ron<,'lit notice of the fact that Dctoctivo Plmir had taken
nil tho dofondant's private lettorn, (tc, and was thoii sitting before tho
defendant and examininf? into and reviewin},' all of them, whether from
wife, sister or father, which must be very painful to the defendant ; ho
had no objectior for His Worship or tho learned Counsel for tho prose-
cution to examine them, but ho must object to tho Detective looking
into them.

Mr. Mkbrdith said lie intended to prove that he had been semling more
money ;,o his wife than possibly could have boon paid out of his salary; hd
must pivi) tho evidence some way or another, and he thought the Detective
would I'll tlio proper person to givj it. This matter was arranged by all
tho letters lioiiig handed over to Chief of Police Williams, and tho de-
fendant's father who was present, and who wont through all, and retained
such as wore of a private nature. Mr. Henry Dalton —testified to getting
the sum of !^2.()(), from Mr. Dawson for defendant on account of salary :
Lawless Jr., being engaged in tho same department with Mr. Ward, on
tho evening in (piostion, no one but Jarvis could have taken tho regis-
tered letters from ihe tin box without witness observing them.

Cross- Examined. — I had nothing to do with the registered letters.

Fkederick Mathews said : Ho was engaged in the delivery depart-
ment on the evening in question from 4.3u, to 7 p. m., during the timo
ho was there ho was not aware of any one besides Jarvis taking letters
from the tin box. Any one might have tampered with or taken a letter
from that box without bemg soon, but witness did not see any one take
any letters.

Mr. John Cox, — Assistant P. 0. Inspector handed in a statement of
moneys lost and abstractCvl fi-om registered letters passing through the
Loudon Post OHice during the times when Jarvis was on duty.

Cross-Examimd. — I have been in the position I now occupy foi*
about three years, there are in a general way, three or four letters lost every
month ; I have never heard of registered letters having been posted with--
out being closed. I don't mean to say whether or not all the money
stated to be lost in this account were lost in the London Post Office,
these were all that passed through that office.

A number of livery-men, gentlemen outfitters, tailors, hotel'
keepers, and others were next called to prove what money had been ex-
pended by the prisioner from October to December, they proved pay*
ments to the amount of nearly $100.

Further evidence was taken showing that defendant had expended
$80 making in all about $180.

Detective Phair was the next witness — and he testified to having
received a warrant for the apprehension of defendant, which he executed
on 81st Dec, and found $5, a knife^ and some papers on him; he also
found in his pocket a letter from his wife acknowledging the receipt of
defendant asked him what he was arrested for, and when he told

p;wi^!(5jpwp

\um he said he was innocent ; also searched his lodgings and took pos-
session of his trunk and its contents, but had not examined his letters
only his receipts.

Cross-Examined.—In addition to the $5 he found a $4 and $1 bill,
found no silver in his possession ; also found a tobacco pouch, but did
not recollect finding a pipe ; his attention was first called to this matter
on the 80th, but didn't know of information having been given to the
police before it was given to him, so far as he knew ; they sent for him
to the Post Office, and he told the Chief of Police ; this was on Monday,
80th, defendant was arrested on 81st; the foUowmg day he went to the
house where he boarded, and searched everything he could find ; turned
the bed over, but did not search the tea pot ; know Mrs. Howie, but do
not remember telling her that a clerk had left the Post Office the Satur-
day before.

Mr. Meredith stated that information had been laid against
defendant in two other cases, one for stealing $57.00 from a letter in
London Post Office, on 24th December; the other of $80.00, on 25th
December, but he could not be prepared to go on with them under eight
days, as the witnesses lived at a distance.

Prisoner having no volimtary statement to make, was then com-
mitted to take his trial at Qxe next Court of Assize.

Bail was refused,

S-i ;

Letter from Herbert M. Jarvid to Hon. Alex. Campbell.

Ottawa, 6th May, 1879,

SiB, — I have the honor to transmit herewith a statement of facts, to.
gether with certain papers in connection with my arrest, imprisonment,
trial and acquittal in London, Ontario, on the charges lately brought
against me by the Post Office Authorities, and trust that you will give
them your earnest consideration; also that you will be pleased to order a
searching enquiry to be made with the view of discovering if possible the
guilty party or parties, for I fee) that until such a discovery is made I
shall never be entirely freed from the stain cast upon my character. I
am aware that there are persons who in spite of the verdict of Judge and
Jury are persistant in expressing their conviction of my guilt. I beg that
the Judge who presided at my trial, and the Crown Prosecutor who conduct-
ed the case for the Crown may be applied to for their private opinion. I
have been four months without my pay, my wife and children without any
other support than that offered by their friends, in addition to this, four
days after I was acquitted I find an Order-in-Council removing me from
my office, and thus depriving me of all means of support.

I leave the r^atter now in your hands, believing as I do that full
justice will be awarded.

I have the honor to be,

&c., &o., &o.,

H. M. JARVIS.
The Hon. Alexatoer Campbell,

Acting Postmaster General.

Statement of Facts.

In October, 1878, 1 was promoted from the Post Office Department
in Ottawa, to the Outside Service, and was sent to London. On 28rd
December following, a letter passed through my hands in the office,
which was registered but was unsealed. I immediately reported the cir-
cumstance to the Postmaster, Mr. Lawless, who, upon examination, found
that there was no money enclosed in it; to my knowledge, no investigation
was made into the matter until Slst of same month, when I was arrested
upon the charge of having abstracted the supposed contents of said
letter, viz. : — $2.95. I was handcuffed and placed in the felon's cell in
Jail. On 6th January, my brother from Ottawa, (A. L. Jarvis,) called
to see me. On the same day, he brought me a letter to sign, which he
informed me was dictated by the Post Office Inspector, Mr. Griffin, the
purport of which was a confession of my guilt, with the view of staying
all further proceedings, aud giving me my liberty. (See paper marked
C.)

This I refused positively to sign. On 18tli January, I was takon
from the cells through the street handcuffed, and the first exanunation
commenced. The evidence hh then taken I herewith enclose. During the
months of January and February, I was repeatedly taken before the
Pohce Magistrate on fresh charges, and on each occasion handcuft'ed.
On 17th January, through my lather's interference, I was removed from
the felon's cell to the debtor's prison. I was confined in Jail from 8 1st
Dec, 1878, to 22nd April, 1879, when I was brought up for trial before
Judge Gait. I was taken into Court handcuffed, when the Judge
ordered the Sheriff to have the handcuffs removed. The evidence taken
at my trial, I also herewith transmit.

My health has suffered very much from the confinement, and in^
Bufhcient diet.

H. M. JARVIS.

Declaration of A- L. Jarvis, of Ottawa.

The first intimation I had of my brother's (H. M. Jarvis) arrest in
liOndon, was from a notice to that effect published in the Toronto "Globe"
of Ist January, 1879.

I left Ottawa by the 10 o'clock train on the night of the 2nd Jan-
uary for London, but was so delayed by heavy snow storms, that I did
not reach London till about 9 o'clock on the night of 4th January, it
being too late then to take any steps in the matter. I waited till the fol-
lowing morning (Sunday), .5th January ; at 10-30 a. m., I called upon
Mr. Lawless, the Loudon Postmaster, whom I saw for a few moments,
but nothing of importance transpired; he merely expressed regret at what
had occurred, and referred me to Mr. Griffin, the Post Office Lispector,
who lived but a short distance from Mr. Lawless' house. I at once
called upon Mr. Griffin and found that gentleman engaged in writing,
he received me very cordially and at once entered upon the subject
of my brother's arrest ; the exact words used during this conversation
I am unable to state, but, all through, his aim was evidently to im-
press me with the idea that there was not the slightest douljt of my
brother's guilt, and he went into a somewhat lengthy explanation of his
reasons for so thinking, all which has been proved erroneous by the
result of the trial on 23rd April last. I then asked Mr. Griffin whether
I would be allowed to see my brother in the Jail (it being Sunday).
Mr. Griffin said he did not think there would be any objection to
my being allowed to do so, and directed me to the Jail. I then
left, with the understanding that I was to see him (Mr. Grtiffin)
again the following morning at his office ; I walked up to the Jail
but was told that no visitors were admitted on Sundays. On learn-
ing this, I wrote on the back of a visiting card that I would call the first
thing on the following morning, this I sent in to my brother. On the
following morning about 10 o'clock, I went up to the Jail and saw my
brother, who in answer to my question as to how he managed to get
himself into such a difficulty, said he knew nothing about it, was per-

fectly innocent, and considered the matter a put up affair. I heard from
him that he liad engaged Messrs. Warren, Kock & McBeth as his
Counsel, and he directed me to their office, whom I went and saw Mr.
Kock and talked the matter over with him ; I then went tO Mr. Griffin's
office and saw him. He enquired whether I had seen my brother and
the result of my interview. When I told him that he declared he was
innocent, he said, that was absurd, ox words to that effect, and said he
would shew me how it could be proved that it must he in the London Office
that the money had been stolen, drawing a diagram of the country shewing
the different Post Offices radiating from London, and stating that if the
money had not been taken by a clerk in the London office, it would
necessitate there being a thief in each of the other offices around the
country, and shewn on his diagram as branch offices in the London
district. I asked Mr. Griffin if there was any way of settling the matter
at once, when he made me an offer to let my brother off altogether if he
would confess that he was guilty, and by so doing remove all suspicion
from his brother officers ; the confession was to be in writing, which,
after he had read, he said he would tear up and burn before me. I sat
down at a table in Mr. Griffin's office and wrote a short note addressed
to the Postmaster-General, as if it were my brother who was writing,
stating that I was guilty, but wished to remove all suspicion from my
brother officers, and prayed that he would deal leniently with me. This
letter was written at the swjrfeation of Mr. Oriffin, who read and approved of
it, at the same time remarking that there was to be no humbugijing about the
signature, meaning that the signature must be the genuine signature of my brotJier.
This letter I took to my brother, whom I saw alone in a private room of the
jailer's ; this privilege was granted me in consequence of Mr. Griffin
having sent Detective Phair with me, and who spoke a few words to
the jailer when I was shewn into a private room wliere I was almost im-
mediately joined by my brother. I then made Mr. Griffin's proposition
to him, and shewed him the letter I had written for him to sign, and
asked him if he would sign it, his answer was that he would not sign any
such paper, if he did it tcould be a lie ; he then talked about his wife and
family, and said he must do something for their support. I said to him,
by signing this note you can leave with me to-night, and get over the
border where you will be able to do more in the way of earning some-
thing than you can by bemg shut up here, but he positively refused to
sign, and I tore it up, returned to Mr. Griffin's Office, and told him the
result ; he remarked if he (my brother) was going to try that game, he
would bring every charge ligainst him one after the other. I then asked
Mr. Griffin whether in the event of my brother having signed the before
mentioned document the Police Magistrate would have allowed him
his liberty. Mr. Griffins answer was that " the Police Magistrate
would do anything he wished him to dn." Mr. Griffin and I then
took a hack and drove out to Mr. Becher's, but found that he
was not at home. We started to drive back to town when we met
Mr. Becher, and he drove back with us to his office. During this
drive the proposition above referred to as having been made by Mr.
Griffin was brought up, when Mr. Becher said he never heard of such a
proposition, and that he could not permit Mr. Griffin to make such an
offer, telling him (Griffin) that he would get himself into trouble by
doing so, but if the Postmaster-General would sanction such a proceed-
ing all well and good. Mr. Becher then advised my return to Ottawa
at once for the purpose of seeking an interview with the Postmaster-

/■

General, and to ascertain from him what could bo done in the matter.
I left London that evening (Monday, Gth January), and arrived at Ottawa
on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, 8th January, I endeavoured to
see Sir John Macdonald, Colonel Dennis having kindly asked him to give
me an interview. Sir John regretted what had occurred, but said the
matter was out of his department and therefore he could not interfere.
I then went accompanied by Colonel Dennis to see Mr. Langevin, the
Postmaster-General, b'H found that he was not in his office. We had an
interview with Mr. W. H. Griffin, the Deputy Postmaster-General, who
informed us that there was no doubt in his mind as to my brother's guilt,
and that he thought it would be of very little use our seeing the Post-
master-General, or words to tliat effect.

A. L. JARVIS.

[The foregoing, marked C, was attested to by A. L. Jarvis before A.
Keefer, a Commissioner, in Q. B.J

Copy of a Report of a Committee of the Honorable the Privy Council, approved
by His Excellency the Gtovemor- General in C(5imcil, on the 26th April, 1870.

On the recommendation of the Hon. Mr. Campbell,

acting

in the
absence of the Postmaster-General, and under the provisions of the
Civil Service Act of 1868, the Committee advise that Lawrence Lawless,
Junior, be appointed a Clerk of the Fourth Class, Outside Service, vice
Jarvis, removed.

Certified,

W. A. HIMSWORTH,

C. P. C.

Letter from G. Murray Jarvis to Sir Alexander Campbell, K.CM G.

FiNANCB Department, 24th May, 1879.

Sir, — On the 6th May, my son, Herbert M. Jarvis, addressed a letter
to you as acting Postmaster- General, on the subject of his late arrest,
trial, and acquittal at London. His letter was accompanied by other
documents bearing upon his case. As no official recognition of these
papers has been received, I beg to enclose herewith a note dated 9th
May, from Judge Gwynne, marked A, together with other papers which
I trust you will consider when making an investigation, as announced
in enclosure A. After reading Judge Gwynne's letter, it appeared to
me that you purposed calling upon Judge Gait, as he was the presiding
Judge at my son's trial, for a report of the case ; consequently, after
waiting a reasonable time, I wrote to the Judge, and asked for the pur-
port of his report to you in case he had made one. I annex his answer
dated 22nd May, marked B. After the receipt of Judge Gwynne's
letter, I made enquiries into two matters which I thought, and still
think, materially effect the case in question.

1st. — As regards the character of the person who, by Order-in-
Council of 26th April, was appointed to fill the vacancy in the London

Tost Office, occasioned by my son's removal (by same order), and wlio
(in connection with another in the same office,) I have from the
very commencement of this trouble had good reasons to suspect was
at the bottom of what I have httle doubt will, sooner or later, be proved
a conspkacy.

2nd. — As regards similar irregularities in the London Post Office
after my son's arrest, and during his incarceration. The result
of these enquiries will be found in enclosures, marked C, D. and E.
In enclosure B., reference is made to L. Lawless having served in the
North-West Mounted Police. I believe, if enquiry is made at the Depart-
ment of the Interior, it will be found that during his period of service
his reputation was of a doubtful character ; that he was of intemperate
habits; disobedient to orders, for which he was fined; and, on one occa-
sion, was even arrested as an accomphce in a case oflarceny, in addition that
he was discharged from the force without any grant of land, (a circum-
stance which is not customary in cases of good chaiacter,) there can be
no doubt that my son's present position is a sad one. He has for four
months, on suspicion only, been deprived not alone of his liberty
and means of support, but to a certain extent of his reputation, the
two latter of which can now only be regained by the acts of the
Government, and I consider it no more than my duty, when en-
deavoring to vindicate and re-establish my son's good name, that
I should indignantly protest against what I consider a most flagrant
act of injustice and unchristian feeling on behalf of three gentlemen,
holding high positions in the Post Office Department at Ottawa, who
I understand on reliable authority, continue to express to their friends
their beUef in my son's guilt, and this in the face of his acquittal, and
the expressed opinion of the Judge to the Jury, that " tliere was no
evidence at all against the prisoner,'' while at the same time they could
not possibly know anything about the matter, except from hearsay, and
that from interested persons in London.

Trusting that you will take this matter into your earnest and early
consideration, I subscribe myself in behalf of his wife and children,

Your obedient Servant,

G. MUEEAY JAEVIS.

Letter ft^m O. Murray Jarvls to Sir Alexander Campbell.

Ottawa, 26th May, 1879.

1)eah Sib, — With reference to my son's case whiCii was brought
Under your notice, and into which I undei'stand it is your intention to
make an enquiry, I must bring under your notice his utter destitution j
With a wife and two children dejpiending upon him. As he Was drrested
on 81st December, was never suspended, and only removed from office
by Order-in-Council on 26th April, I am advised that his salary for that
time is legally due to him . If you can see it in this light it will be no

more than an act of humanity if you will order the aniouut to l)e paid
to him, and thu8 enable him to live till such time as the decision of the
Government is arrived at with regard to his future.

Yom's truly,

G. MURRAY JARVIS.

Letter from Judgre Gwynne to G. Murray Jarvls.

May 9th, 1879.

I have seen Mr. Campbell twice and have also written to him, and
he has promised to investigate the matter himself and to apply to the
Judge for a report as you desu'e. I have also requested him in case he
should in the course of his investigation form an unfavorable impression,
to give you an opportunity to produce any additional evidence you may
desire, to remove such impression.

(Signed)
G. Murray Jarvis, Esq.

JOHN W. GWYNNE.

Letter from Judge Gait to Q. Murray Jarvls.

Toronto, 22nd May, 1879.

I regret very much that until I ata applied to by the Government or
by the Postmaster-General, I cannot make any report on your son's case,
as a Judge never writes to the Government until he is directed to report
on any case tried before him. I have much pleasure however in telling
you that when I am requested to do so, I shall inform the Postmaster-
General that there was no evidence against your son. I shall say that,
admitting money had been abstracted, there was no reason why blame
should be attributed to him more than to any other gentleman employed
in the Post Office.

Sincerely yours,

(Signed)
G. Murray Jarvis, Esq.

THOMAS GALT.

Letter from Rev. Canon Innes to O. Murray Jarvis.

The Rectory, London, Ontario, May 15th, 1879.

I am not personally acquainted with the family of Mr. Lawless, and
80 can only speak from report concerning the character of the young
man you refer to. I understand that he bears a very bad name, and has
as you say been ou several occasions before the Police Magistrate on

Various charges, and spent some time in prison. I remembfif that he
was one of the evidences against your son. Should your suspicions
prove correct as to conspiracy, I most sincerely trust that you will be
able to delve to the bottom of it and expose the true delinquent. I hear
that young Lawless has for some time past reformed and is now gener-
ally considered steady, he has but lately been appointed to the Post OflBce
Department. Should I be able to gather any further information, will
write you again.

(Signed) GEO. M. INNES.

G. MuKRAY Jarvis, Esq.

Letter trota James Walker to Q. Murray Jarvis.

London, Ontario, 15th May, 1879.

Enclosed I send as desired my declaration respecting the loss of a
money letter which I sent through the Post Office in January last. I
don't know whether it can be of any material service to your son, but it
will at least go to show that irregularities occurred at a time when by no
possibility he could have been an accessory to them. I may add that I
attended the court during your son's trial and paid particular attention
to the evidence given in the case, and was greatly astonished tlaat any
Grand Jury should on such testimony find a Bill against your son, as
there was not a particle of evidence to show that the loss of the letters
was attributable to him. There were some half-a-dozen or more clerks
in the same Department, who had access to the registered letters, and if
the evidence adduced by the Crown Officer should be allowed to weigh in
the sUghtest degree against your son, it touched all the others in the
same manner, therefore it does seem to me that your son has been harsh-
ly and unjustly treated, and made the scapegoat to cover the sins of
some one else, and I trust the Government wiU see that no further injury
is done him by depriving him of his position in the Civil Service as
threatened.

(Signed) JAME S A. WALKER.

G. Murray Jarvis, Esq.

Ontario,
County of Middlesex, ,-

TO WIT : j I, James Archibald Walker, of the City of

London, in the County of ^liddlesex. Gentleman, do solemnly declare,
that on the eighth day of January last past, I enclosed a sum of money
in a letter which I addressed to my wife, residing in the City of London,
and addressed tli^ letter to the London Post Office. That I posted the
letter. That my wife never received the said money. That I called
upon the Post Office Inspector, Mr. Griffin, to make enquiries about the
missing money. That when I went into Mr. GriflSn's office another
gentleman was conversing with him, apparently upon similar business,
and when I made my complaint of the letter being lost, Mr . Griffin re--
marked: "Whatl another; this is really too bad; this is becoming
almost an every'day occurrence;" or words to that effect. And I mako

this Bokmn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true,
and by virtue of an Act passed in the thirty-seventh year of Her
Majesty's reign, intituled " An Act for tlie suppression of voluntary and
extrajudicial oaths."

(Signed) JAMES A. WALKER.

Taken and declared before me, at tlie City of Loudon, in the County
of Middlesex, this Uth day of May, 1879.

(Signed)

S. H. GRAYDON,

A Coinitiissionei; dc,

Ontario, \

County op Cahleton, [

TO WIT : j I, Francis Hunter, of the City of Ottawa,

in the County of Carleton, Gentleman, do solemnly declare, that I am, and
have been for many years weU acquainted with James Archibald Walker,
of the City of London, in the County of Middlesex, whose signature is
attached to the annexed declaration, and I believe him to be a thoroughly
rehable man, and one whose word may be safely relied upon ; and I
make this solemn d* claration conscientiously believing the same to be
true, and by virtue of an Act passed in the thirty-seventh year of Her
Majesty's reign, intituled : " An Act for the suppression of voluntary
and extra judicial oaths.'

(Signed) FRANCIS HUNTER.

Taken and declared before me at the City of Ottawa, in the County
of Carleton, this twenty-third day of May, 1879.

(Signed)

A, KEEFER,

A Commissioner, cdc.

[Ctopy.i
Chief Constable's Office, London, Ontabio, May 21st, 1879.

To A. P. Shbbwood, Esq.,

Chief Police, Ottawa.

Deab Sib, — ^Am in receipt of yours of 17th, and find on enquiry that
L. Lawless was about 12 years ago arrested and sent for trial on a
charge of larceny, but was acquitted, the prosecutor not appearing. He
was also several times prior to 1875 arrested for drunkenness, and was sent
to jail on one or two occasions, but since that time he bears a good
character. I beUeve he served in the N. W. Mtd. PoliJje from '74 or '75
to '77, when he was taken into the Post Office. He has the reputation of
being fond of drink, but otherwise his reputation his good.

Yours &c., &G.,

W.T.WILLIAMS.

Letter from Q. Murray Jarvls to Judgre Gwynne.

Ottawa, 26th May, 1879.

Having waited as I considered a reasonable time after the receipt
of your letter of 9th inst., I wrote to Judge Gait and asked him if he
would let me know the purport of hi.^ reply to the Postmaster-General
in case he had been called upon by him for a report in my son's case.
I enclose a copy of Judge Gait's answer. I understand Mr. Campbell
is in Toronto, but I cannot discover his address. May I ask you to read
the accompanying two communications addressed to him, one an oflScial
and the other rather of a private nature ; and if you do not object to
your name and note being used as it is, you will obhge me very much if
you will address them, so that there wiU be no doubt of his receiving
them without being sent to Ottawa ; and if you can assist us in any way I
can only say we shall be grateful. I think that at least, till an investi-
gation is made, my son's pay from 1st January to 26th April, date of
Order-in-Council removing him, should be paid. He and his family are
perfectly destitute, and I am completely cleared out by all the expenses
ineurred in his behalf. If you can influence Mr. Campbell to order this
payment, or a portion of it for the present, it will be a great boon,
please let me hear from you, also your opinion as to the evidence I
enclose of Mr. Lawless' character.

Yours, (fee, &c,,

G. MURKAY JABVIS.

Letter from Sir Alex. Campbell to Q. Murray Jarvia.

Toronto, Ontario, 81st May, 1879.

I beg to apologise to you for not having acknowledged the receipt
of your letters, with their several enclosures, in regard to your son, and
I am personally to blame for it, and not the officers of the Post Office
Department, siuce both of your letters were placed on my table and
opened by me. The truth was. Judge Gwynne came to see me about
the same time that I received your letters, and, after looking into the
case against your son, I wrote to him, and having done so I omitted to
do so to you, thinking that as you had asked him to see me, he would
tell you that he had had a reply from me, however, I ought to have
written to you, and I am sorry that I did not ; I wish I could have
found anything in the papers sent to me which would have relieved your
son from the suspicion under which he is placed. I admit at once that
the case as offered to the Judge presented no evidence against him, but
the general facts which fastened suspicion upon him remain, and I do
not see how it will be possible for me to re-employ him in the Depart-
ment. I need not give you or myself the pain of recapitulating these
facts ; I mentioned them in my letter to Judge Gwynne. I only notice
that in the papers sent me, one of them seems rather controverted by
the affidavit of Mr. Walker. I have directed upon this an enquiry^to be
made, and will again take the enquiry up when I go to Ottawa, and I
shall only be too glad to find that something may yet be found which
may reUeve your son from the doubt which has been thrown upon his

integrity. In tlie moantime I think it ia but fair even if it be not
his legal right, and I rather think it in, that his Bahiry should be paid up
to the time, not of his arrest, but of his discharge from the service, and
I have accordingly directed that this shall be done. I regret deeplv that
I am not able to go beyond this, so far as I am at present informed.

Yours, &o., &o„

(Signed)

A. CAMPBELL.

' Xietter ft-om O. Murray Jarvls to Judge Owynne.

Ottawa, 8rd June, 1879.

I received the enclosed from Mr. Campbell yesterday, and we are
much pleased with the tone. He evidently thought that you had made
me acquainted with the contents of his letter to you. I feel satisfied
that if I am told what the evidence is they profess to have that prevents
the suspicion being removed, I can easily explain satisfactorily. I
therefore beg, as Mr. Campbell lias promised to re-open the inveatiga-
tion, that you will let mo see his letter to you, or tell me the purport of
it.

■ Be good enoug}i to return me the enclosed.

Yours Ac.

Hon. Mr. Justiob Gwynhb, Ottawa.

G. MURRAY JARVIS.

Letter ftx-m Hon. Alezanlcr Campbell to Judge Gwynno.

Ottawa, 17th May, 1879.

I have examined the papers which you caused to be sent to me,
connected with the accusation brought against Mr. H. M. Jarvis, for
extracting money from letters ia the London Post Office.

There is not, as you stated to me, any evidence inculp.iting Mr.
Jarvis in Ihe thefts vhich took place in that office. There seems, how-
ever, to be some salient circumstances established which, although not
legal evidence, point to Mr. Jarvis as the guilty person.

L London had been remarkably exempt from any losses of the
kind for a number of years, but they became numerous shortly after Mr.
Jarvis joined the office there, and ceased altogether after he left it.

2. He, on several occasions, made excuses for getting back into the
office in the evening, when he would be alone in it.

B. Ilifl caBh flxponditnro in London was Adcortained to bo oonnidcr-
ably more than his income from tlio Post Office or any other known
source.

Under all thi>»e circumntanceit, whilst aekiiowlfdging that no legal
evidence rvas suhmitted to the Jury, and giving full weight to the opinion
of Mr. Justice Gait and to the action taken by him in discharging Jarvis
at once, I am nnahlo in my own mind to conclude that he is innocent,
and could not take him back into the service. I am very sorry for liis
family, and would most willingly have taken a more favorable view. I
shall be obliged if you will take occasion to express to Mrs. Jarvis, his
grandmother, and to Miss Jarvis, his aunt, my great sorrow that I am
unable to arrive at a different conclusion than the one I have mentioned.

(Signed)

yours, Ac, Ac,

A. CAMPBELL.

Letter ftt>m Q. Murray Jarvla to Blr Alex. Campbell.

FiNANOE Dept., Ottawa, 4th June, 1879.

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 81 st
ulto., and to thank you very much for it. I. would have done so before
had I not waited till this morning to hear from Judge Gwynne, who upon
reading your letter to me, handed me yours of 17th May, and it was only
on receipt of that letter that I was made aware of the grounds upon
which your impression had been formed regarding my son's implication
in these London Post Office troubles.

You give three distinct reasons for having come to an unsatisfactory
conclusion in the matter.

1. " That London had been remarkably exempt from any losses of
the kind for a number of years, but they became numerous shortly after
Mr. Jarvis joined the office, and ceased altogether after he left it."

2. "He on several occasions made excuses for getting back into the
office in the evening when he would be alone."

3. " His cash expenditure in London was ascertained to be con-
siderably more than his income Irora the Post Office or any other known
source."

Now, Sir, with your permission I will endeavour satisfactorily to
remove from your mind this impression.

No. 1 I think ib of very questionable correctness — vide — Mr.
Walker's declaration in your possession ; supposing, however, the facts to
be as stated, there are circumstances (which I wUl acquaint you with)
which go far to convince me, as well as many others, that the plot against
him was one cunningly laid, and I regret to say successfully carried out
in one respect.

No. 2 I can only answer by handing you tho accompanying declara-
tion, which I conHcicntioiiHly believe to bo trno in (iVory respect ; this,
liowever, can bo proved by calling upon those who laid the charge to
prove the same on oath.

No. 8 can bo easily proved to bo orroneoun by reference to the offi-
cial clioquo book iu tho Post OfKce Dopartment, and to tho cheques Nos.
10()01 and 10002, dated 8rd Oct., 187H, for $70 and $10 respectively,
now in the Auditor-General's Office. A fall explanation of this last
charge necossitatos a reference to matters of so private a nature that I
j)refcr to givo thom in a private letter instead of an oflicial ono, as I
intend this to bo, but which explanation may bo used officially if it is
found necessary to do so.

Eefotring again to No. 1. Prom tho moment my son reported him-
self for duty in tho London Post Office, a fooling of jealousy was mani-
fest among the clerks, and this was carried to such an extent that
articles appeared in the local papers, censuring tho Government for
appointing a man from Ottawa to fill a local vacancy when there were
those in tho office who should have been solectod for the position. These
articles I have soon and read, and no doubt they can be found by apply-
ing to the newspaper fyles.

Then, again, tho clerk who was the principal witness against my
son, and who swore in Court that he would have been benefitted had ray
son not been put into the office — aUo swore that he had been in the
habit of sending decoy letters to try and trap him — hut in no case had he
been siiccess/ul. Then came this trumped up .12.05 affair, which my son
was the first to report, and for which ten days after he was arrested.

A'raoment's consideration will, I think, convince any one that charge
No. 2 is one which, if true, was one of the greatest importance, and yet
it was never once alluded to or hinted at during all the several examina-
tions which took place before the Police Magistrate or in Court. I can
only add in conclusion, that no one was more disappointed than I was
when Judge Gait refused to hear the evidence the Crown Counsel wished
to bring in — for I had all my witnesses present, as well as the cheques
alluded to, to prove his innocence in every instance ; and further, I will
state that if I thought that he was in the slightest degi-ee implicated iu
these irregularities, I would be the last man to hold out a helping hand
to save him from the most severe punishment.

I have the honor, &c., &c.,

G. MURRAY JARVIS.

The Hon. Sir Alex. Campbell, K.C.M.G.,
Postmaster-General.

Ontario,
County of Carleton,

TO WIT : J I, Herbert M. Jarvis, of the City of Ottawa,

County of Carloton, Gentleman, do solemnly declare, that I have heard
with surprise that the Honorable the Postmaster-General has been im-
pressed by some one (to me unknown) with the idea, " that during my

{^oriod of Horvioo in tho London Post Ollioo, I on Hovoral oGcanionH made
exousofl for getting back into tho ofViuo in the ovoning whon I would bo
alone in it."

This charge I most positively and solemnly deny. I fnrthor declare
that I never ouco asked to go back to tho oftico for other purposoH than
to perform my duties. That I never did go back on any Hmglo occasion
that I can recollect except on the evenings I was detailed for night duty.
That I never was to the best of my belief alone in tho Post Office. I
further declare the charge to be a false and malicious one, and one which
I challenge any individual living to prove to be true. ^

And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing tho
same to be true, and by virtue of an Act passed in the thirty-seventh
year of Her Majesty's reign, intituled " An Act for the suppression of
voluntary and extra judicial oaths."

H. M. JARVIS.

Taken and declared before me at tne City of Ottawa, in tho County of
Carletou, this fifth day of June, A.D. 1879.

(Signed)

A. KEEPER,

A Commissioner,

Letter trom Q. Murray Jarvia bo Sir Alexander Cami bell.

Ottawa, 4th June, 1879.

As a more complete explanation of the accompanying official letter,
I will as briefly as possible state that my son, who left Ottawa on 5th
Oct, for London, took with him about $120. He left his wife expecting
her confinement immediately. He disposed of his household effects here,
intending to replace them in London when his wife and children joined
him. That he was advised not to use this money till such time as he
was assured of his wife's safety and ability to join him in his new home.
His wife was safely delivered on 11th November, and about the middle
of December sent word to say she could go up. My son then left his
lodgings in the Revere House and engaged rooms at a private boarding-
house, (Mrs. Howie's,) which he was to furnish. His principal expen-
diture then commenced. He did not think it necessary to inform the
pubUc where he got his money from as long as he paid for what he
bought. He had forwarded to me sufficient to buy railway tickets for
his family, which I had done, and they were all to have started the very
day we heard of his troubles. In addition to the money he took with
him, he had his November and December pay, which amounted to about
$120 more.

I was present at the primary examination, and the amount of money
they proved by shop boys and otiiers that he had spent, did not amount
to anything near the sum he is known to have had. That he did on

several oceacuons spend his money injudiciously, I do not deny, — but no
one has a right to dictate to a man as to how he shall spend his money,
as long as it is legally his own.

Yours very truly,

G. MURKAY JARVIS.

Letter ftx>m Judere Ow3mne to G. Murray JarvlB.

June 9th, 1879.

I received the papers herewith from Sir Alex. Campbell. I have
since seen him, and he wishes me to let you see them. You will see by
them that it is out of my power to ask Sir Alexander to do more than he
has done ; and that with every disposition, as far as I can judge, to
arrive at a contrary conclusion from that at which it appears he has
conclusively arrived at.

Believe me to be, &c., &c..

(Signed)

J. W. GWYNNU.

Letter ftvrn Sir Alex. Campbell tb Judere dwyiuia

TobonTO, Ontario, 8rd June, 1879.

After receiving the enclosures in the Jarvis matter which you last
Bent me, I caused further enquiry to be made in order to guard myself
against the possible damage of having come to an unjust decision, which
I should much deplore in the matter. The result of this further action
on my part is, that I have now before me letters from the Police Magis-
trate, London, Mr. Lawrason ; from the County Attorney, Mr. Hutchin-
son ; and from Mr. Meredith, Q.C., who was the Counsel retained for
the prosecution of Jarvis ; and a further statement from the Inspector
and from tJbe Deputy Postmaster-General. The legal oflBcials whose
names I have above mentioned, all write that they were quite satisfied
in their own minds as to the culpability of Jarvis, although the evidence
was so insufficient as to have induced Mr. Justice Gait to refuse to allow it
to go to the JiuT. On the other hand, the two Post Office officials point
out there were eighteen cases reported of letters robbed during the month
of December last, and that the amount stolen was $284.45, and that
the whole of these letters passed through the hands of Jarvis, and
through the hands of no other one person ; and also, that the undoubted
fact of Jarvis' expenditure having noticeably overran his income was
not in any way explained by him. Had he been innocent he would, one
would have supposed, have fully explained how this was to be accounted
for.

As regards Lawless, against whom Jarvis would now fain direct
suspicion, there is not the slightest ^ound upon which to rest suspicion,
save the statements which you furnished me of his previous bad char-

" ■■ 15 -^ , ■ '

deter. These statements, you \vill doubtless have observed, all conclude
by stating that he had reformed, and stood well as regards character ;
but at all events, there is nothing whatever to connect him with the lor.s
of these letters ; whereas, Jarvis had the opportunity when he was alone
of taking the letters. The losses began to occur immediately after he
joined the Department there, and ceased when he left it ; and there is
no explanation of his extravagance compared to his income. I wrote to
his father at ^ome length a day or two ago, and have directed his salary
to be paid up to the time of his dismissal, but it is impossible for me to
t»ke him back to the 'Department, or even in my own mind, to exonerate
him from the charges preferred against him ; at the same time I have
been exceedingly anxious to discover that I was wrong, and would most
willingly have taken a different view of it had it been possible.

1 wish you would take occasion to let Mrs. Jarvis and Miss Jarvis
know that I have, at all events, taken every pains to arrive at a just
conclusion in the matter, and it is only with much regret that I am con-
strained to believe that the young man is guilty.

Faithfully yours,

(Signed) A. CAMPBELL.

Hon. J. W. GwTNNE,

Supreme Court, Ottawa.

Letter from O Murray Jarvis to Judgre Owsmne.

Finance Dept., 9th Junk, l879i

I have your note of this date with Sir Alexander Campbell's of 3rd
June, a day earlier than the date of my reply to his letter of 31st May^
which you saiv. In making further enquiries as he promised he has re-
ferred only to the same persons, who could not possibly do otherwise
than give the opinion they have done, as they were all more or less con-
cerned in the prosecution, and he appears as you say to have come to a
conclusion without waiting for my reply to the grounds upon which his
impressions were formed, and only made known to me by reading his
note to you of 17th May.

I therefore send you herewith'copies of my letters to the Postmaster-
General dated ^rA Jtme, and which were addressed to him at Moss Park
Toronto. I am inclined to think that he cannot have received them,
certainly he had not when he wrote his last letter to you, I will here
Bay that the reason we did not make known at the first examination,
(when my son's large expenditure of money was being proved) how he
came to have so much in his possession was because his Counsel thought
it unadvisable to do so then, though I wished it, his opinion was that it
would be better at the trial when he would unexpectedly produce the
evidence, which was suppUed by the Auditor-General, I think you will
find the enclosed letters satisfactorily to answer the paragraph in Sir
Alex. Campbell's letter which I have marked in the margin.
4

I should like to have this letter again to send to Toronto if you
have no objection.

Can you ascertain whether my letters have ever reached him.

Yours (kc, &c.,

G. MCTRRAY JAR VIS.

Letter trom Q. Murray Jarvls, to Sir Alex. Campbell.

Ottawa, <Tune 11th, 1879.

On the 4th June, I addressed you at Moss Park, Toronto ; since then
Judge Gwynne has handed me your letter to him, dated 3rd June.

The only excuse for writing to you now, is to ask whether my letter
ever reached you.

I hope you will forgive my perseverance, which is nothing more
than a natural interest in the matter.

Yours very truly,

G. MURRAY JARVIS,

Hon. Sir Alex. Campbell, K. C. M. G.,

Postmaster- General.

i !

Letter from Sir Alex, Campbell, to G. Murmy Jarvls*

Ottawa, 12th June, 1879.

I duly received your letter of the 4th June, but my last letter to
Judge Gwyime, which he told me he would send to you, contains the an-
swer to it, and as I knew you were to have the perusal of that letter I
was anxious to save myself the labour of writmg another, and so neglect-
ed to answer yours of the 4th, for which I beg to apologise. I am sorry
to think that nothing more can be done for your son.

Faithfully yours,

A. CAMPBELL,

Letter from Judge Gait to G. Murray Jarvls.

Toronto, 26th June, 1879.

It would afford me sincere pleasure if I could be of any service to
your son, but beyond stating that, in my opinion, there was no evidence
whatever against him on the trial which took place before me at London,
I do not see what I can do to advance his interests. You are at perfect

liberty to use the statement which I now make in any way you think
may be of advantage to him. If I see Sii- Alex. Campbell I will speak
to him about your son, but I cannot write to him as I have no right to
make any formal application to the Government in behalf of any person,
ftnd have never done so.

Yom's, &c., «fec.,

(Signed)

THOMAS GALT.

Mr. Justice Henry to

[Copy.]

Ottawa, 23rd June, 1879.

My Dear Sir, — I would take it as a favour if you could give Mr,
Jarvis something to do in the way of writing.

I am satisfied +.hat he was innocent of the charge lately made against
him, and is therefore, in my view, an injured man.

Yours very truly,

W. A. HENRY.

[Copy.]

Toronto, 22nd May, 1879.

My Dear Jarvis, — I rogret very much that till I am apphed to by
the Government, or by the Postmaster-General, I cannot make any re-
port on your son's case, as a Judge never writes to the Government
until he is directed to report on any case tried before him. I have much
pleasure, however, in telling you that, when I am requested to do so, I
will inform the Postmaster-General that there was no evidence against
your son. I shall say that, admitting money had been abstracted, there
was no reason why blame should be attributed to him more than to any
other gentleman employed in the Post Office.

Sincerely yours,

• THOMAS GALT.
G. Murray Jarvis, Esq,

'Copy.)

Toronto 2Gth June, 1879.

My Dkar Jarvis,— It would afford uie sincere pleasure if I could be
of any service to your son, but beyond stating that, ir my own opinion, there
was no evidence whatever against him on the ♦' lal which took place be-
fore me at London, 1 do not see what I car .lO to adytmce bis interests,

You are at perfect liberty to use the statements I now make in any way
you think may be of advantage to him. If I see Sir Alexander Camp-
bell I will speak to him about your son, but I cannot write to him as I
have no right to make any formal apphoation to the Government in be-
half of any person, and have never done so,

G, MuRBAY Jarvis, Esq.

Sincerely yours,

T50MAS GALT,

Ottawa, 10th September, 1879.

SiB,— Permit me to lay before you the copies of two letters addressed
to me by Judge Gait. They have reference, as you will perceive, to my
son, Herbert M. Jarvis, who was arrested at the instigation of Mr,
Griffin, in London, on 31st December, 1878, tipon charges for which,
after nearly four months' imprisonment, he was tried before a Jury and
honourably acquitted.

Four days after his acquittal, an Order-in-Counoil was passed dis-
missing him from the Service in which he had been for several years.

He is a married man with a young family, sent adrift upon the
world, with, as the matter now stands, a ruined reputation, and without
any means of support.

A somewhat lengthy correspondence has taken place with the Post-
master-General and others on this subject, but the Postmaster-General,
who is willing and anxious, as he says, to look favorably on the case, if
he is able to see his way clearly to do so, admits that his judgment is
formed upon the opinion of the Deputy Postmaster-General and other
officials in the Post Office, persons who were the original instigators of
this trouble, and to whom alone he has referred for a report.

It certainly appears very unjust that after a fair trial and acquittal,
and the written opinion of the Judge who tried the case, as well as the
expressed and written opinions of two Judges of the Supreme Court,
(Judges Gwynne and Henry,) both of whom are fully acquainted "with all
the particulars, that my son should be deprived of his character and
means of support to gratify the prejudice of Mr. Griffin and the others
who are influencing Sir Alexander Campbell.

I address you now as a member of the Privy Council, in hope that
the Government may be induced to give my son's case consideration, and
call upon the Post Office Department to produce all the correspondence
on this subject, including particularly Mr. Griffin's offer of freedom to
my son on certain conditions, made immediately after his arrest.

All I ask or expect is justice, and this I cannot obtain till such a
course as I now ask is taken, and the Government are made fully
acquainted with aU the facts.

I can, at any moment, furnish the correspondence alluded to, it
called upon to do so.

I have the honor to he, Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

„ , G. MUBBAY JABVIS.

Hon. Minister of

Q. Murray Jarvls to Sir Alexander Campbell.

Ottawa, 12th Sept., 1879.

Sib,- Will you allow me one more chance of removing from your
mind the idea that my son is guilty of the charges brought against him
by Mr. Griffin in December last. I ask this favor in consequence of
your last letter to Judge Gwynne on the subject, and which conveyed to
me through him your final decision, having been written in Toronto a
day previous to the date of my letter tvhicfi contained the refutation of the three
distinct clmrges set forth in your former letter, and upon which you had
formed an unfavourable opinion.

I enclose a copy of a circular letter which I have addressed to each
of the members of the Privy Council in hopes that the Government may
be induced to look more fully into the matter which is of too serious a
nature to be allowed to lay dormant until every possible means is resorted
to, to have the truth arrived at.

The circular letter is sent without the shghtest intention of giving
offence to any one, and I trust you will consider it in this Ught.

G. MURBAY JABVIS.

sir Alexan4er Campbell to a. Murray Jarvls.

Ottawa, Sept. 17tb, 1879.

Deab Sib, —I beg to acknowloilga the receipt this morning of yours
of the 12th, with the copy of the circular which you tell me you have
addressed to each member of the Privy Council on the subject of your
son's case.

I regret to find the statement inaccurate, in fact — my judgment
was not formed, as you state, «' upon the opinion of the Deputy Post-
" mastor-Gouoral and other officials in the Post Office, persons who were
" the original instigators of the trouble, and to whom alone I have referred
" for report." I had taken special pains on the contrary to procure the
opinions not only of these officials but of every one who had any op-
portunity of knowing anything of the circumstances. Nor is the state-
ment correct in fact, in setting forth that Judges Gwynne and Henry

were acquainted with all the particulars upon which T based my decision,
that it was inexpedient to rcatore your sou to his position in the Post
Office Department.

Yours truly,

A. CAMriiELL,

Postmastei'- General,
G. Murray Jarvis, Esq., Ottawa.

O. Murray Jarvis to Sir Alexander Campbell.

Ottawa, 18th Sept., 1870.
Dkar Sir, — I have to acknowledge the receipt of yoiu- letter of
] 7th, and regret that you should consider the statement I have made in
ray circular letter to the members of the Privy Council inaccurate in
fact.

When writing that letter I had yours of the 8rd June, to Judge
Gwynne, before me.

In that letter you say :—

" I have now before me letters from the Police Magistrate, London,
•' Mr. Lawranson ; from the County Attorney, Mr. Hutchinson, and from
" Mr. Meredith, Q.C., who was the Counsel retained for the prosecution
*' of Jarvis, and a further statement from the Inspector, and from theDeputy
" Postmaster-General. The legalofficials, whose names I have above men-
" tioned, all write that they are quite satisfied in their own minds as to
'• the culpability of Jarvis, although the evidence ivas so insufficient as to
" have inikioed Mr. Justice Gait to refuse to allow it to ijo to the Jury.''

It was upon this that
liad been formed.

I (and I think justly,) concluded your opinion

Upon reference to my circular letter, you will find that I did not
state that Judges Gwynne and Henry were acquainted with all the parti-
culars upon which you had based your decision, that it was inexpedient,
to restore my son to his position in the Post Office Department. What
I did say, was : " That Judges Gwynne and Henry were both fully
acquainted with all the particulars," — meaning, of course, the particulars
of the case, — and having no reference whatever to the particulars upon
which you had based your decision.

Neither my son rior myself have ever desired that he should be
restored to the Post Oflice Department, when such a manifest ill feeling
exists against him, and which ill feeling is openly and continually shown
by Mr. Griffui, Mr. White, Mr. Wicksteed, and Mr. Ashworth, express-
ing their opinion that my son was guilty in spite of Judge or Jury.
Many of these expressions have been repeated to me by persons of
undoubted integrity, and who will substantiate what I now write at any
time.

Wliat I do wish is that my son shoukl bo ro-cmployflil in tho Civil
Service, and not sent an outcast upon the world with an indelible stain
upon Ins character.

Yours,

G. 1 BRAY JARVIS.
Hon. Sin Alexander Campbell, K.C.M.G.

[Copy.

Ottawa, 18th September, 1879.

Dear Sir, — I am desired by Sir Leonard Tilley to say in reply to
your letter of the 10th instant, that he will speak to the Postmaster-
General about your son's case.

Yours faithfully,

FRED. TOLLER,

Private Secretary,
G. Murray Jarvis, Esq., Ottawa.

[Copy.]

Office of the Minister of Railways and Canals, Canada,

Ottawa, Sept. 18th, 1879.

Dear Sir, — Sir Charles Tupper has instructed me to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter dated 10th instant, and to say to you that your
son's case will receive his best attention.

Yom's truly,

A. P. BRADLEY,

Private Secretanji
G. Murray Jarvis, Esq., Ottawa.

[Copy.
G. Murray Jarvis, Esq., Ottawa.

Ottawa, Sept. 18th, 1879.

Sir, — I am in receipt of your communication of the 10th September
with copy of two letters addressed to you by Judge Gait, in reference to
your son's case, and I may say, that should the matter appear beforeme
I will endeavour to give same fair and just consideration.

Yours truly,

G. BABY.

(Copy.:

Ottawa, Skpt. 24tli, 1879.

Sir, — Your letter of 10th Sept., togetlier with copies of two letters
from Judge Gait to you, have reached me. I transfer them to Sir
Alexander Campbell, requesting him to give this matter his best con-
sideration.

I remain sir.

G. MuBRAY Jarais, Esq., Ottawa.

Your most humble Servant,

HECTOR J. LANGEVIN.

[Copy.]

Ottawa, Gth October, 1879.

G. Murray Jabvis, Esq., Ottawa.

Sir, — I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the lOth
ultt, with reference to your son, Herbert M. Jarvis' case.

This is a matter altogether for the consideration of the Postmaster-
General, and he alone must determine whether it is in the interest of the
Public Service that your son should be restored to his position.

I remain, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

JOHN A. MACDONALD.

[Copy.]

October 14th, 1879.

t handed all the papers in this matter to the Minister the day after
be returned.

Z. A. LASH.

21st October, 1879.

Sir, — ^With reference to my circular letter addressed to you on 10th
September last, on the subject of my son, Mr. H. M. Jarvis, and in
which, perhaps, I have not in a sufficiently definite manner set forth
what I want, I beg to state, knowing the difficulty that exists in one
Minister interfering with the internal concerns of the Department of one
of his colleagues, and before asking such a step to be taken, that I have
used every means in my power to induce the Hon. the Postmaster-

General to call upon Judge Gait for an ofticial report of this case, without
iuccats, and I therefore consider the matter no longer a Departmental
one, hut one in which the puhlic at large, and particularly the
Civil Service, are interested, as justice is here set aside and entirely
ignored, to make way for individual opinion. I have only two objects in
view. One is that the Department of Justice shall call upon Mr. Justice
Gait for an ofticial report, and that an open investigation may be had.
The English law is that a man is innocent till proved guilty. If the
Post Office Authorities have any evidence to produce other than that
produced at the trial, it is only common justice that it should be made
known, and an opportunity thus aff'orded my son to prove to the satis-
faction qf the world his innocence. When such an opportunity is given
there will be very little difliculty in proving erroneous the reasons given
by the Postmaster-General for adhering to his present unfavourable
opinion.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

G. MUBRAY JARVIS.
The Hon. James Macdonald,

Minister of Justice.

[Copy.]

St. John's Church,' Nov. 8rd, 1879.

t have read all the correspondence relating to the case of Herbert
Jarvis, and am firmly convinced of his innocence of the charges laid
against him. There may be of course other matters which have not
been made public, even to his own family.

But it does seem to me that when he asks for a further investiga-
tion, and is willing that the matter should be sifted to the uttermd'st, the
least tliat can be done is that his request be granted. If he is not afraid
to face the investigation, why should it be denied him? At present he
rests under a cloud of suspicion, although the Judge and Jury acquitted
him — and it is a very serious matter that he is not allowed the means
of vindicating his character, or on the other hand that the authorities
will not prove that they have grounds for their refusal. Common Justice
I think requires that the prayer of the petition should be granted.

(Signed) H. POLLARD,

Hector of St. John's Church, Ottawa,

toopy.]

Depabtmrnt op the Secretary of Statk,

No. 611. Ottawa, 11th Nov., 1879.

Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your petition
of 81st ulto., addressed to His Excellency the Governor- General, pray^

ing that an invcatigation may bo mafle into the circuraHtaiiccs coiniocteil
with your dismissal from the Post OtHce J)eiiartment.

I have the honor, A'c,

G. POWELL,

For I 'nder-Scc. of Slate.
Mr. H. M. Jarvir, Ottawa.

ToaoNT(v 18th November, 1879.

My Dear Jakvis, — I received your letter of the 10th instant with
the copy of your son's petition (which I return) this morning. As I
wrote you before, it is not in my power to do anything. I cannot address
the Government unless I am officially required to do so ; and all I can
say I have said already, viz : that in my opinion, there was no evidence
against your son which would have justified a verdict against him.

Bincerely yours,

THOMAS GALT.
O. Murray Jarvis, Ottawa.

To His Exoellemcy The Right Hoj^oorable Sir John Sutherland
Campbell, P.O., K.T., K.G., C.M.G., Marquis ofLornb, Governor-
General of Canada, Ike, ic, &c,

IN COUNCIL ASSEMBLED.

The Petition of Herbert Murray Jarvis, of the City of Ottavw,—
Oentteman,

Respectfully Sheweth,

1. That your Petitioner, on the 28th day of March, A.D. 1872, was
appointed an extra clerk in the Post Office Department, at a salary of
$1.50 per diem, and, on the 1st day of July, A.D. 1873, was made a
permanent clerk in the said Department, at a salary of $450 per annum,
and continued to serve in tlie said Department imtil the month of
October, A.D. 1878, when he was promoted and transferred to the outside
service of the said Department at London, Ontario, at a salary of $700
per annum.

2. That your Petitioner, on the 31st day of December, A.D. 1878,
Upon an information laid by Gilbert Griffin, Post Office Inspector of the
London district, was arrested and committed to prison on the charge of
abstracting the sum of $2.95 from a letter which passed through the
bands of your Petitioner.

8t That your Petitioner, on the charge aforesaid, was confined in
the Common Gaolj at the City of London, aforesaid, from the 81st day

R-

|as

111.

of Daocmbor tiforosaid, to tlio 22nJ day of April, A.D. 1879. On tho
last (lay aforesaid, yoiu- rotitionor was tried on tho charge aforoHaid, and
was acquittod by tho direction of tho Ifonoiirablo Mr. Justice Gait, the
l)rocodiu,i( .Judge of Assize, w!i) stated that there was no eoidence whahvar
to I/O to the Jurij.

4. That your Petitioner, previous to ^'is release from imprisonment
aforesaid, was charged with tho commission of sovural other offences of
a similar nature, and was subjected to an examination thereon, and the
only evidence adduced at such exarauiation was tho fact that your Peti-
tioner was in the Post Office when the money alleged to have been
missmg was abstracted or lost.

5. That on the 2r)th day of April aforesaid, an Order-in-Council
was passed, removing your Petitioner from the Civil Service.

G. That your Petitioner is a married man, with a wife and two
children dependent upon him.

7. That your Petitioner, conscious of his innocence, and fortified
by tho very strong condemmitiou of the prosecution expressed by the
presiding Judge of Assize, having a full reliance on the honour and
justice of the Crown in reinstating him in his appointment as soon aa
the facts were fully known ; and, being undesirous of carrying on any
further litigation in the Courts for ilio vindication of his character,
respectfully requested the Honourable the Postmaster-General to direct an
open investigation, by the proper Post Office authorities, into the charges
that had been brought agamst him. This request, however, the Post-
master-General refused to accede to,

8. That yoiu' Petitioner when he received the final decision of the

PostmaKter-(iencral refusing nn open enquiiy was unable by the reason

of lapse of time to bring an action against the said Gilbert Griffin for

false imprisoimieut in order to re-establish his character in a Court of

Justice.

9. That your I'etitioner, if an opportunity is afforded him, is prepared
to shew that several of the reasons given by the Post Office Authorities for
his arrest were wholly groundless and had no foundation in fact, and
your Petitioner is further prepared to shew that he is wholly innocent of
all the offences with which he has been charged.

10. That the prosecution having wholly failed to make out any case
whatever against your Petitioner or to offer sufficient evidence to go to
the Jury, the Jury under the direction of the Judge rendered a verdict
in favor of your Petitioner, whereby your Petitioner was unable to offer
any testimony in his own behalf to shew how he became possessed of
moneys which the lu'osecution assumed he could not account for, or to
explain away certain appearances which were alleged to be indicative of
his guilt.

11. That your Petitioner now seeks a full investigation of all the
proceedings taken against him from the time of his arrest until his re-
moval from the Civil Service, as the only means now open to him to
prove his innocence and vindicate his character.

12. That the proHcnt position of your Potitionor is a painful and
SoriouH ono, aad (loHorviu^ of tiiu fuvourabio conuidoratiou of your Ex-
oollency iu Council. In tho onjoymont of what ho had reuHon to HuppoHo
was a permunout appoiutinont in tho Civil Service of Canada, at a Halary
of $700 per annum, repruHcntin^^ tho sum of !J)1I,GG7 capitalized at 6/,,
with the ohancoB of promotion undor tho ruloH of tho Service, and having
contributed annually tho sum 2% intoroHt of his salary as a provision
for hiH retiroraont, your Petitioner suddenly found himself arrested and
imprisoned upon a charge whioh proved to bo so false and groundlesu
that it was not even sutKoiont to mako out a prima faine case against
him. While in prison and treated as a felon, the Post Othce Authorities
at London made further charges against him, which were oven more
utterly untenable than those on wliich ho was put upon his trial. In
addition thereto, while actually under cominttment on tho charges for
which ho was afterwards arraigned, tho Post Office Inspector at London
importuned him to con/esa his crime, and held out as an mducoment when
ho did so, that he would be permitted to put in worthless bail and bo
allowed to escape, and when your Petitioner, innocent of any crime, in-
diEnintly refused to confess, a system of persecution was commenced,
and several other false charges were brought against him, not one of
which was proved, in the hope of frightening him to make a false con-
fession, in order, as your Petitioner believes, to screen the person who
was actually guilty of tho crime.

13. After being honom-ably acquitted at the trial under the dii'ection
of the presiding Judge, your Petitioner was instantly dismissed from the
Service without being allowed any opportunity of explanation, or without
being called upon to vindicate his character or establish his innocence ;
his means of support for himself and family taken away ; his chances of
promotion gone ; with his character blasted, his reputation ruined, the
stigma of crime indelibly stamped upon him, and with no hope of obtain-
ing employment elsewhere till he had established his innocence.

14. As an example of the animus of the parties engaged in the
attempt to destroy the reputation of your Petitioner, it may be mentioned
that, a clerk in the Loudon Post Office, who was one of the principal
witnesses on the part of the prosecution, swore on the trial tliat he had
been in the habit of setting traps, by decoy letters, to try and trap your
Petitioner, but further stated that in no single instance had he been
successful, and that this espionage was carried on at the instigation of
tlie Post Office Inspector or his Deputy.

Under these circumstar 's your Petitioner submits, that his case is
one of very great hardship, ,^d that Your Excellency, as a simple act of
justice, will order an enquiry thereinto.

Your Petitioner, therefore, respectfully prays that he be granted an
investigation into all the circumstances connected with the case, and
that the Honourable Mr. Justice Gait be called upon for an Official
Report thereof, as it appeared when ho was the presiding Judge of
Assize, and thus your Petitioner be permitted to produce evidence iu

"iJrtTn:/ iL'VaT:^ s::z'rT'- ^°^ ">« '''^-«- -«^«

lUleged to bo iudicativo of hlH guHt ^^ "^ appearanceH wluoh were
And your Petitions, as iu dniy bound, will over pray.

H. M. JARVI8,
Ottawa, 81 Ht October, 1870.

(Copy. I
H M Jarvte to M^Jor de Wlnton.

7th January, 1880.
I have the honor, Ac,

Major F, De Winton, R. A.,

Governor-General's Secretary,

H. M. JARVia

GOVBRNMENT HoUSE, OtTAWA,

7th January, 1880.

I liave the honour to be, Su-,

Your most obedient humble Servant,

F. De WINTON,

Mr. H. M. JARVI8, Ottawa, ''^*'^'"' ^' '^" ^''«'-^^'> 5rt:re<«*jfc

[On 10th November tho foregoing Petition was sent by command of
Hia Excellency the Governor-General, to the Secretary of State for con-
sideration, and report as endorsed upon the margin by Major DoWinton,
Governor-General's Secretary, and was in turn transferred by the
Secretary of State to the Post Office Department.

iMemo.j

On 2nd December, 1879, Major DeWinton, by command of His Ex-
cellency the Governor-General, wrote to the Secretary of State, calling his
attention to his former communication, dated 10th November, which
still remained unanswered, and this communication was in due course
sent to Postmaster-General, to which the following reply was sent.

[Copy.)
Post Office Department, Ottawa, 5th December, 1879.

Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of
4th inst, requesting an early reply to your communication of 11th ultimo,
respecting the case of Mr. H. M. Jarvis, and"! am to say that after full
and attentive consideration of the papers relating to tho arrest and trial
of Mr. Jarvis, and communicating with the various legal officials en-
gaged in tho prosecution, as well as witli the Inspector of the
division and tha London Postmastor, the Po itmastor-Goueral arrived at
the conclusion that altliough Mr. Jarvis had been acquitted, t ][ie verdic t
coul d only bo c onsidered by him one^of " n ot pr oven" and that the facts
established so strong a~pf6sumplio;i of guilt against Mr. Jarvis, as to
render his continuance in the Post Office Department inexpedient, the
superior officers of the Post Office Department at London, as well as
those of his own rank all believing him to have purloined money letters/'

No it""iitional investigation has been ordered by the Postmaster-
General, ui^d Mr. Jarvis has long since been informed that the Post-
master-General did not see that he could take any further action in the
matter.

I have, ttc,

(Signed) WM. WHITE,

Secretarij,
The HoNonRABLE The Se::retary o;- State.

Copy.

Ottawa, 12th January, lb80.

Sir, — I am dii-ected to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the
9th inst,, and its enclosure, requesting that the decision of His Excel-
lency the Governor-General upon your petition of the 30th October last
may be communicated to you.

General therein conveyed ^^ ^''''''''' °^ *^« Postmaster-

I have the honor, &c.,

H. M. Jarvis, Esq., Ottawa.

EDWAED J. LANGEVIN,

f^'nder Secretary of State.