Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-08

and I will remit you by draft, regis
tered letter, or express, cash $24, and
will also give you No. 2 H. G. Sing
er Machine, or q No. 3 Improved F
F. Weed Machine, price SIS.
Sixty dollars worth Of stamps viii
only cost you $24; that is all you viii
have to pay the Government for them
therefore you make the machine
CLEAR, free Of cost to you.
| Now, this is an offer never made be.
fore, and as there is nothing wrong
in your accepting it I think you will
undoubtedly do so. Az every family
needs a good machine, and now whom
you can get it without cost to you, &C.
cept the offer, and order the stamps
promptly on January 1st, 1873.
If you accept my offer, the stamps
must be delivered by February lst
1878, and if you have any doubt that
I will act fairly and honestly with you
then send your stamps to L. G. Coy,
cashier Merchants National Bank, or
to 8. B. Leigh, City Treasurer, Little
Rock, Ark, and tell them to deliver
to me and forward to you the ma
chimes with $24 in cash. L
The machines are widely known,
and are first-class in every respect.
A great many Postmasters have Ac-
cepted propositions heretofore, 9nd
have bought machines of me, and they
are well pleased. No doubt all Of
them that see this notice will accept
faud order again, as Il will costA Ath01h
NOTHING. Trusting that you will ac-
cept, and notify me at once that you
do 80, and order the stamps promptly
on July 1st, 1878. / am, respectfully,
8. B. KIRBY.
December 16, 1877.
1t will be seen that all Postmasters
who accepted this proposition got a
sewing machine free, and as every
dollar made by them was
STOLEN FROM THE GOVERNMENT,
the enormity Of this fraud can be bet
ter approximated when the fact is
stated that within radius of twenty
miles Of Little Rock over 81, 900 worth
Of stamps were thus disposed of al
country Post.offices.
Mr.. Kirby has been in this business
go long without being disturbed that
he was confident the law could not
reach him. Encouraged by his sue
cess, he enlarged his field of opera
tions and invited Postmasters in all
the Southwestern States to share with
him the profits of this business, assur-
ing them that there was no danger Of
being punished as he had taken tenn
inent legal advice" on the subject
Whether he told the truth about it or
not, certain it is that he grew very
conceited of having devised lawful
scheme to defraud the Government,
and he even boasted of it to the agents
of the department, and when they
would ask him to desist, he would
simply laugh at them. He felt him.
self 50 bigger man" than the Post
master General, because he got more
pay from Uncle Sam, and as for spe-
cial agents they were entirely beneath
his notice. These he would treat con-
temptucusly, snap his fingers in their
faces aud challenge them to prosecute
him if they could; he had "eminent
legal counsel and knew what he was
about.
recently visited MIR. Kirby, with the
sane result, and deeming it his i'm
perative duty to make an effort to
suppress the evil, Mr.. Small thereup-
on consulted with the authorities st
Washington, and received instruc-
tions to confer with the United States
District Attorney and proceed with
the case. The result is the indict-
ments mentioned. Should the convic-
tion of Kirby be secured, of which
there is said to be but little doubt, it
will largely increase the revenues Of
the Post-office Department, and will
at the same time result in the aban-
donment Of all similar schemes to de-
frand the Government, for it will
teach all operating in that way that
they cannot safely shelter themselves
behind mere technicality of law.
This is considered the most impor-
tant post-office case that has been
brought before the courts for years,
embracing a larger field, involving
more money and duplicating larger
number of people,
Too much credit, the authorities
say, cannot be given Judge q. C.
Waters, the United States Attorney,
for the able and energetic manner in
which he has conducted his part of
the case, and the action of the grand
jury cannot be too highly commen-
ded. What has already been accom-
plished will have q very salutary eff
feet throughout the country, and the
nrOha hilieioo are that m onv rns<m q a /
ters and others who have defrauded
the Government in this way will now
come forward and offer to make res
titution to the Government on condi-
tion that proceedings be not institu-
ted against them. Interest and duty
both make this the most advisable
course for them to pursue.