Litchfield enquirer., 1869-11-18
OF THE POSTAL SERVICE.
A TALK WITH A DETECTIVE.

A correspondent of the Chicago Tribune writes from Washington an account of the skillful detections of post-ofice robbers. He says:
 A very large percentage of depredations on letters is made by the families of men who suffer (said MT. Depro, the detective), as an example of which I recall, just now, the name of celebrated claim agent of Washington City. He was in the habit of receiving every day large fees from his cli- ents in all parts of the country, and he came to the post-off1ce to complain that quantities of his letters were daily robbed of their remittances and returned to the writers with taunting remarks appended. as, Didn't you think this money was go- ing straight? You're fool to think that your cash can reach the agent! Robbed by the post-ofice man; try agaip!'' The agent came to the post-office with loud complaints of dishonesty there, and the postmaster asked me to investigate the case. -# ..j lr ..-
 SON RoBBING HIS FATHER.
 saw speedily that the emptied and re- turned letters were superscribed with the left hand. It bothered me to know what object there could be in thus returning the covers of robbery, and was sure that no post-office clerk would be so absurd.
 l dropped a couple of letters to the claim agent, and in day or two called up- on him.
 "Who gets your mail from the post-of. fice?" '.e
 My son brings it every morning.
 "Well, it's your son that is robbing you" s5Fa.l -.1s1'-
 The old man flushed up indignantly:
 "M y son sir! That is slander! it is im- possible! he is the soul of honor. and my chief assistant" 1aTa.p2 e6. .z
 Well, do you want me to examine him?" ---
 "Yes sir; but you will find it vain. He is my only son" aa..@ ,5a5. T.,i la.
 Directly the boy came in, and address ed him: -..r .--. srs <.
 ':Did you receive, yesterday, two letters from B- -7-- and J--?' -s-t.T
 ''No, sir!' .,4 - sass.-I ,f-. ..is -o
 As he said this red line started from his jaw and ran up to his temples.
 sIlook there, said to the father, "I don't always believe in marks of guilt, but how is it your boys face fushes like that as, it is necessary that search you" IT
 
 ''There," said the father, ''you never were more off the track in your life. ''-sso1 Thomas" said I, s'where do you sleep? I should like to go to your room" 3ss.1 Arrived at his room opened his cham Der secretary, and there saw one of the envelopes had myself directed. sys '"Thomas, what are you doing with that envelope?"af 2'% f@1z' g4r ea5 He threw up his hands. 'I own up,' he cried ;7'I am the depredator. 7dnol s'What did you return those letters with remarks for, in your left handwriting?" @"Because did not want my father to loose that money. l wanted the people to know that the money had not come to hand, so that they might re- enclose it'' 7o rse rf.rl .-s @ I toQk the boy again to his father. who said, in tone of triumph:
 Well, sir! I suppose you are satis- fied!''g4, ee:&a 1sya - ,.rel-..
 "Yes!' said I, sI am satisfed-that your son is thief D~a
 Father" said the boy, "he's right. I am guiltyP'Jl oagg' ad. ~
 The old man burst into tears.
 T leave your boy with you I conclu- ded, .'there is no charge against him un- less you make it. "sao .sss1a lo
 -- The son was soon after sent to visit the West. eol aafEsa ssf 4a.F e.sss. ' A' F. ONLY ONCE THIEF, BUT FOR $40,00O. s You would be surprised to see, some times, continued Depro, how people be- come thieves by the mere habit of hand ling valuables which are exposed by some body's carelessness. A short time ago a package of bonds to the amount of $40, 900 was stolen in the New York city post-office. They had been sent from Newport, Rhode Island, and were for soldiers widows war rants, &c.;: so that the outcry was natural, and it came from all sides. The bonds were too bulky to go inside an envelope, but this fact we did not ascertain till we found the thief. The package was put in a red backed envelope, signifying 'sreg- istered" letter. 2 Now at the post-ofice a mail is tumbled upon large table. and consecutive clerks go through it energeti- cally, each picking out his portion. First of all comes the clerk of registered letters which are always important letters and him we surrounde ] with spies for two years in vain; for nothing was seen in any place or ak any lime to give us wink of evil