Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-05
who IA SAFE


During the ''Ssfe Burglary" trial yesterday
large number of kilograms we're produced in
court and the fact was ELECTED that the prssi-
dent OF the Western Union Telegraph company
ordered the employees in New York and Wash
ington 20 permit counsel in the case and Mr.
Buford Wilson an their clerks aud assistants
TO examine the dispatches, running through q
period OF time from March /, 1874, to Septem-
Der 1. and 10 take copies OF such as they desired
70 use. Is further appeared that kilograms of
strictly private chsracter-ss between man
and wife-relsting to private business were
thus examined. Indeed, some OF such dis
patches produced in court were manifestly OF
such confidential character that even the
prosecution declined to read or use them as
evidence. The public have generally supposed
thst kilograms were q sort of privileged COM
municaton, and that the Companies were
pledged TO privacy. If that be not true-if per-
sons are permitted, under any pretencs, TO ex-
anime and produce dispatches-if they can be
used a. evidence against party IN a criminal
case where he cannot be = witness to explain
them, or in a case TO which they are utterly IL
Televant-or if a party must, in order TO
show their iTrelevsncy, make public his
private business and that Of other pea
pie, then, indeed, Is telegrsphing a
most dangerous mode Of communicate The
Western L MON company has done itself great
harm by the course it has pursued. 1t is quite
evident that some new rule mu It bes adopted TO
shield its customers and to guard the sacred
nes and privacy OF the business committed to
The operators who are held out a. persons
pledged OF sworn to secrecy, yet who slvsys
produce on giDaI kilograms under aueak pro-
test, and permit irresponsible men to examine
and Tanssck the files under an order of Presi-
dent Orion. Such a censorship Is at var with
the feelings, rights, and freedom OF every citi-
zen, and must lead TO such change in the con-
ducts Of telegraph companies as will insure Alb
sOlute privacy by the destruction OF original
dispatches 10 sOOn As they shall have been trans
United, and the keeping of no copies OF teIe-
grams received. Short of this no man is safe
This would seem TO be also 9 matter of seIfpro
lection 70 the companies. The only injury that
would result 10 them would be the loss of the
large fees they now claim before they will furn-
ish parties with copies of their own dispatches.
We make these remarks quite irrespective Of
the present trial or its issues, but as a word OF
needed protest against what we conceive to be
most dangerous and unauthorized use of pri-
vate kilograms by the company to which they
are entrusted. The practice seems to have had
It's origin in the exigencies Of the prosecution in
the Impeachment Trial, when under General
Buffers rsvenous grasp the prOmptIy-surren-
dered telegraph files were Tansacked with an
interruptions disregard of private rights that
shocked the moral sense of the country. The
censures then expressed upon their course
should have taught the company TO put a stop
10 the practice then and there: and to give the
public assurance that private kilograms coz
nded 10 them should be, st least, as sacred a.
private letters conhded 70 the mails.