Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-10-26
The House Mail Robbery.

REPORT OF THE P. o. SPECIAL AGENTS
Special Agents Tidball and Henderson, of the
Post Office department, have made an elaborate
report to David B. Parker, ESQ.,, the chief of the
special agents, In connection with the recent
loss of letters and other mail matter of persons
connected with the House of Representatives
They say their investigation has developed "a
case of carelessness in the handling OF the mails
without parallel in our experience" After
recitfng the mannerOf delivering the mail of the
House of Representatives by messengers, the
report says;-"For long period the important
upon messenger OF the name Of j. r. Fisher.
Row faithfully he performed his duty will here
after appear. When we began the in
vestigation of the losses referred to we had oc-
casiOn to use the House mails in order to test
the honesty OF certain suspected party Aware
that IT was Fishers special duty to get the mail
diately (having failed to find what we expecteGD
to know whether he had procured the mail on
that morning, and were Informed that he had
obtained the mail as usual and were assured
that no person except himself had handled IT,
PURSUING our inquiries we aScertaned that a
cOlOred boy named Joseph Mcdonald had called
early that morning at the post Office and had
examined the House of Representatives mail.
we then called upon the superintendent of the
post Office for an explanation, and were told
mat the boy was permitted to examine the
boy was duly authorized to handle the same.
Apprehensive, on account of Fishers misstate-
ments, that collusion existed between him and
1he ooy, we endeavored to find the latter,w with
not knowing where he resided, we did not sue
ceed IN finding him until the following morn
ing, when, on his arrival at the post Office In
company with Fisher,we took him into custody.
The boy denied having taken any letter, but
admltted having examined the mails by direc-
tion OF Fisher, and had been doing so for a
long time. He also stated that Fisher the even
ing before had told him that some letters were
missing lag and instructed him not to get the mail
that morning. Mcdonald further stated
that he was not messenger of the
House, but that he was employed by Fisher to
drive the mail wagon. For this service Fisher
Pald MIN 81 per month. In addition thereto
Mcdonald said he received like sum from each
OF two or three other persons for special ser
vice in collecting their mails. He stated that
ne had never been sworn in to the postal ser
vice, and that his access to the mails was by
arrangement and permission of Fisher In the
trial before Justice Mills, Fisher on cross-exam-
maiion, SO the report says, swore ''that he knew
IN, and had no right to handle the mails; that
the boy was employed by himself and paid by
hlmseH and others under a private arrange
ment:, He stated further that he was aware
that the postmaster OF the House of Representa-
uves had issued orders forbidding irresponsible
persons to enter the post office or have anything
10 40 with the mails. He admitted that he alone
had handled the mail on the morning in dues dues
tlon, and that he had informed the boy that let
teis were missing, and instructed him not to go
aef e ,nte 9ne man on that morning for fear he might
.Had he {Fisher) told in the beginning of
Ine !Ia part the boy had taken, and not
giving him the hint to "cOver'' himself the
result Of our investigation would have been
more SATISFACTORY. But Fisher, for some reason,
prefer preIerred and pursued different course. II,
under these circumstances and surroundings.
lepredat10ns have not been committed upOn
Ine mails under Fishers charge, the fact may be
agement on his part. The agents say, in sub
mttlng their report, that 1t is not their purpose
70 renect upon Postmaster Stewart, of the
polntment have been expressed to us" He Isl
competent and pains taking officer, and having
issued stringent orders for the guidance Of his
responsible for the misconduct OF an untrusf.
worthy employee"