Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-05-25
Sending Money by Mail.


responsibility, or the responsibility of the Post
Office Department, in relation TO sending
money by mail. The Department is not re-
sponsible for money lost in the mail. Money
forwarded in letters is entirely at the risk Of
the senders. A postmaster IS not obliged 10
register money letters but The Department ad-
vises 2ostmasters to keep memorandum book
for the specification of all such letters when
requested, so that in case of subsequent loss,
the special agents OF the Department may have
something tangible to start upon in making
their Investigations.
1t is always safest to send checks payable to
order, instead Of bank bills in letter when
the amount is large. The payment of checks
if stolen, may be prevented. Undoubtedly,
the sending of small amounts of money in the
mail, is on the whole as safe as by expresses
or any other mode Of transmission.
In most cases where money is lost in the
mail, although the fault is all laid at the door
of the P. 0. Department, the sequel proves
that the fault belongs either TO the sender or
person addressed. Most of the losses that oc-
cur, are from Hegible or erroneous SuperSoip-
ton. A New York paper relates a case in
point. A gentleman in Poughkeepse was
owing sum of m0ney-some SOTO per-
son in New York city, and he averred he had
sent it 10 him by letter. The person to whom
it was due, not receiving the letter, suspected
il was not sept, and commenced suit against
the gentleman for the amount. At the same
time the gentleman was about to sue the other
person fer SANDER in relation 10 the matter.
The day before the time appointed for trial i.
the identical letter containing the money was
forwarded from the Dead Letter Office at Wash
ington to the postmaster in Poughkeepsie.-
So Of course all legal proceedings were rem
dered unnecessary. The trouble was, the let
ter was not properly directed. 1t contained
the mans name, the name of the street, and
The number Of his residence, but the poStoffce
il was TO 90 TO was not designated.
Two instances of somewhat different char
acter recently occurred in-ths State. A draft
for large amount was registered at a post
office in Kennebec county, and mailed for Bos-
ton, 10 pay nole becoming due day or two
subsequent. Ii was not received-the note
was protested, and the sender was Immediately
notified by telegraph. The case was in mys-
terry for week or more, when one of the
clerks Of the firm 10 which it was addressed,
found il in his coat pocket, which he carelessly
left in Salem or Lynn, or somewhere else,
where he went after taking the letter from the
postoflice on the very day it was mailed.
Another case connected with the same par
ties and pOstoffices, recently took place. A
letter containing about 800 in bills and 500
IN drafts and stamps, was regularly registered
and mailed. Several days passed and it could
not be found. A special agent of the P 0.
Department took the case in hand, and was
about proceeding on the route to investigate,
when the person in Boston to whom the letter
was addressed, found it at his house. He had
taken it from the office in Boston on the day of
lis arrival and mailing, and surprising it to
contain document he was expecting, left it
at his house unopened for a 'oeek!
Ii sometimes happens that dishonest clerk
or postmaster is found among the thousands Of
persons connected with the postolfices and
mails, but the cases are rare. More trouble is
caused by the carelessness Of those persons who
send or receive money by mail than from any
other cause. And yet the public are too much
inclined 10 find fault with the postoflice depart
ment when the blame rests somewhere else.
Under the present efficient management Of
Postmaster General Campbell, than whom a
better man never held that responsible office,
the utmost vigilance is exercised TO protect the
community from loss and make the mails a
safe and reliable medium for the transaction Of
business, and tie transmission Of intelligence
among the people.