Weekly Trinity journal., 1870-03-19
Secrets of the Postal Service.

lFOm washington on ACCOUNT Vi Iue shllllul uS-
lection of post Office robberes. He says;
A very large percentage of depredations on
letters is made by the families Of men who suffer
(said MIR. Dupro, the detective) as an example of,
which can recall, just now, the name of a cell
ebrated claim agent of Washington city He
was in the habit of receiving every day large
fees from his clients n every part of the country,
and he came to the postofice TO complain that
quantities of his letters were daily robbed of
their remitances and returned to the writers with
taunting remarks, appended, as, - Didn't you
think this money was going straight? You are
fool to think that our cash can reach the agent.
Robbed by the postofflce man; try it again"
The agent came TO the postofice with loud COM
plants of dishonesty there, and the Postmaster
asked me to investigate the case.
SON RoBBING HIS FATHER.
saw speedily that the emptied and returned
letters were superscribed with the left hand. ]:
bothered me to know what object there could be
ia thus returning the covers of robbery, and
was sure that no postoffce clerk could be SO alb
surd.
| dropped couple of letters to the claim
agent, and in day or two called upon him.
Who gets your mail from the postoffice ~
"My son brings it every morning
Well, it's your son that's robbing you ~
The old man flushed up indignantly.
"My son, sir that is a slander 1t is impos-
sible he is the soul OF honor, and my chief
sistant."
Well, do you want me to examine himY'
ayes, sir; but you will find it vain. He is
my only SON."
Directly the boy came in, and addressed
him
g Did you receive yesterday, two letters from
b and J-P'
| "No, sir ~
AS he said this red line started from his jaw
and ran up TO his temples.
"Look, there" said to the father, 81 don't
always believe in marks Of guilt; but how is it
your boys face hushes like that when | merely
mention two names2 Thomas, it is necessary
that search you"
searched him and found nothing.
"There - said the father, "you never were
more off the track in your life"
Thomas" said /, "where do you sleep2 !
should like to go to your room"
Arrived at his | opened his chamber
secretary, and there | saw one of the enyeops
| had myself directed.
"Thomas, what are yor doing with that
velop"
He threw up his hands. 81 own up" he
cried g am the depredator."
What did you return those letters with re-
marks for, in your left handwrtingT
g Because did not want my father to lose
that money. | wanted the people to know that
it had not come to hand, so that they might
| enclose it.p
| | TOOK the BOY again 10 his IatDer, VINO SAID,
in ii tone of triumph
"WeH, sir, | suppose you are satisfied ?"
Yes" said |, - am satisfied your son is a
thief"
" Father" said the boy, "hes right. l am
guilty !"
The old man burst into tears.
" ! leave your boy with YOU" ! concluded,
6 there is no charge against him unless you
make it,"
The son was soon after sent to visit the West.
ONLY ONCE A THIEF, BUT FOR $40, 900.
You would be surprised to see, sometimes,
continued Depro, how people become thieves by
the mere habit of handling valuabes which are
exposed by somebody's careessness. A short
time ago package of bonds to the amount of
$40, 600 was stolen in the New York city post
office. They had been sent from Newport,
Rhode Island, and we've for soldiers widows
warrants, etc, so that the outcry was natural
and it came from all sides. The bonds were too
bulky to go inside of envelop, so they were lied
TO the envelop, but this fact we did not ascer-
tain till we found the thief The package was
put IN red-backed eDyelop, signifying a regis
tered letter Now, at the pOsloifice u mail is
tumbled upon large table aud consecutive
clerks go through it energetcally, each picking
out his portion First of all comes the clerk of
registered letters-which are always important
letters-and him we surrounded with spies for
two years in vain for nothing was seen in any
place or at any time to give us a wink of evil
dence that he was the culprit.
The real thief let me anticipate, was the
newspaper clerk, who handled that mail some
time atterward. The red-backed envelop turned
undermOst III the ransacking, aud left the wrap
per on top, so that the registry clerk mistOok it
tor covered newspaper. He therefore lett it,
and so did successive clerks, till the newspaper
sorter came along. Discovering this prize
among his books aud newspapers the latter was
] 1,,1iIso II :,
was at once transferred 10 the pocket OF his over
coat which was hanging close by.
lhe thlefs name We may call Tippy Ramsdelt,
and, when he got home aud opened IL, the poor
pauper was SO overcome to find himself pos
sessed of $40 600 instead of $40 bill, that he
was frightened out of his little wits. He hid the
bonds tor nearly two years, aud we, in the mean
time, having exhausted all means of detection
had given up the task.
Suddenly we received a dispatch " Bond
number lie, ,664 has turned up" We traced il
to the New York house of Jay Cooke L Co. 1t
was small bond for 500, and the clerk at
Cookies remembered that it had been presented
by boy named Ramsdelt clerk for a bounty
| agent IN Park Row, who said he found it in the
park.
My mind went back at a wink to the hitherto
unsuspected Game of Tip Ramsdelt the boorish
newswaper clerk. | knew that be had brother
at Elizabeth, aud that brother had spry son
So arrested the boy, and myself and another
| special agent went separately at work with him.
The boy had been well-drilled, and nothing
could shake his story that he had found the bond
in the park, while my colleage tried every means
TO bring out the truth. Then went to him.
4" Boy, where did you get that boudF'
" found it, sir, in The park"
You lie you rascal Tell me who gave it to
you, and If tue rest are given up nobody shall go
TO Jail"
| lie still protested that he had found it in the
park talked to him good while, and found
that he was not bad boy and that be had
been TO Sunday school, and had some moral
ideas, and pictured to him hell in all its mate
rial horrors of sulphur and thirst, and fire.