The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-02-23
A REMARKABLE POSTOFFICE FINAN-
GER.
Stealing for the Love Of Unsuccessful
Crime, and Punishment.

Marshall p. Laws, aclerk in the
Boston postoffice, has just been ar
rested for robbing the mails. The
Boston Advertiser gives some in
teresting particulars
LAWS WAS DETECTED
with a package of through-letters
for Montreal, some thirty in num-
Der, and n through-package for
Nova-Scotia, some twenty in num-
Der, none of which he had yet opned,
but had placed them in his pocket
preparatory to taking them to his
home in Roxbury. On being arrested
Laws stated with the utmost cool
ness that he had pursued his depre-
dations constantly for more than
two years past. lie said that with
the proceeds of his depredations he
had built three dwelling houses on
Pickering Place in Roxbury, upon
which he had paid more than
$4,000, and that he had deposited
in various banks $4,000 or $4,000
more.
The dwelling-houses on Picker
ing place are supposed to be worth
about $4,000. subject to a mortgage
of only $500. The amount depos-
1t ed in the various savings banks
was $500, and was distributed as
follows; Home Savings Bank. $500
Emigrant Savings Bank, S1700; Bos-
ton Five Cents Savings Bank, S906
West Boston Savings Bank, 90S );
Providence Institution for Savings,
5000, all of which property was
conveyed in trust, togeather with Il
gold watch valued at 500, to pay
the losses which have been caused
by Laws's dishonesty.
1T is HARDLY CREDIBLE
that such an aggregate of money
could have been procured by Laws
in the manner he states, and it may
prove behind all there is something
further to be discovered. The
amount of money in the hands of
General Burt to make resolutions
with is at least $4,000, which will
probable be found to belona to par
ties in sums varying from 81 to SO,
and belonging TO at least $1,000 to
1900 people. No money was OBJ
tanned from registered letters, and
this case is a fitting commentary up
on the universal habit of The people
of transmitting money i'll ordinary
letters in mails.
Ho admitted that he had been en-
gagged in these populations for 80
months and for some time
IT HAD BEEN HIS PRACTICE
to take a package morning aud
night, taking those passing through
the Office on long rouets, but never
troubling decoy letters, London let
tiers, or single letters of any kind
that Ii had been his custom on leav-
ing the Office to take a horse-car pro-
coed at once to his home in the High
lands, Walnut avenue, where he
lived with his parents, eat his sup
per, and then taking his pipe, go
down into the cellar where there
was a furnace and divert himself by
opening the letters abstracting the
valuables and committing the pa
pers to the flames. When asked
why he didn't cease his populations
long ago, he said that he had found
1t impossible, as he had aquired
PERFECT MANIA FOR STEALING
and he could not resist the tempta-
ton more than one day at time,
and sometimes not more than half a
day. 1t is very singular that his
crime is totally Unexplained by any
such incentives as a dissipated life
affords. In his family and among
an immediate circle of friends he
was known as q most moral and eN-
emplary young man. Before his
employment in the post-office he
was in the signal post at the rail-
road junction at Prison Point. His
! father did not know of the arrest
/ until yesterday afternoon and it
| was no less surprise than shock
to the family.
| William l.. Burt, Esq, postmaster,
being present at these iuvesiga-
tons, Immediately prepared deeds
of the real estate and assignments OF
the bank accounts to himself in
trust TO pay the losses, and Laws
executed the same, saying he was
glad to return the money to the par
ties he had taken IL from, and say
ing further that he had taken at
least $1,000 from Messers. f. Allen
Il Co., of Augusta alone,
Laws was appointed a clerk IN
the mailing department in the Bos-
ton office, MAY 8, 1869, with the
best recommendations. He is %
years of age, unmarried, and re-
sides with his parents in one of the
houses erected by him in Pickering
place. He served for three years in
the late war in the United States
naval service, aud
HAS ALWAYS BORNE A GOOD CIIARIC-
TER.
He was quiet and orderly in his
habits, punctual III attending to his
duties, spending his evenings Al
home, having no bad companions
! and spending but little money on
4 himself or others, and withal the
story of his fall and disgrace is in
explicable. When asked by thu
A, postmaster why he persisted il
: stealing these packages of letters
: and what possible use he was max
ing Of the money he obtained, h
said he had tried time and agail
to break of, but he had q passion
g for opening these letters that h
: could could not control.
Laws was taken before Commits
y sioner Hallett and held in $1,000
for trial, and in default OF bail wa
committed.
An eastern editor, in acknowIed
ging the gift of a peck of potatoes
t. Efn6nAee skae