Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-10-28
Ttie Eaousc Ea'I Robbery.

Special agents IiGDall anC HeE1, 1909, II tto
Post OEica department, have made an elaborate
rcncrt % David 3. Parker, esq. the chief of
tho special agents, 10 connection vith the re-
c ut loss # letters a1d other mail matter of
perscus connected with tie House OF Repre-.
ueo,at!7es. Tacy ssy their Investigation has
developed "a case CT o1reles3oes8 10 th5 hand.
iug Of the naiS without parallel in cur ex
peritrce.' After reoiting the manner Of dc.
live.iny The mail CT the House Of Representa-
ti7es by messengers, tho rercrt says:-"For q
long plr:od the important duty OF collecting
these mails has devovcd upon Z messenger OF
tho uame of J. K. Fisher How faithfully be
performed his duty will hereafter appear. :
:: < Wbc1 we began The Investigation OF the
losses referred to we had occasion TO uss the
House mails 10 order TO test the honesty ct
oe~tain suspected psr:y. Aware that it was
Fishers special duty to get the mail from the
Post O(icc, VIC called upon him immediately
(ha5iog failed to fod what wo cxpeotsd) to
kuow whether he bad procured the mail on
that morning, and were Informed that be he'd
obtained the mail as usual, aud were assured
| that 20 person except himself had handled Ii.
| Pursuing our i.qurics we sscsrtalned that
| cocred by named Joseph Mcdonald had
called early that morning at the post otiioo and
had examined the House OF Representatives
| mail. We then called upon tho superlntcnd.
ept vi the post offios fer aa explaaalor, and
we're told that the boy was permitted to cX-
AMIGO the mails upon the assurance OF Fisher
that he Che boy) was duly authorized to han, =
die tho same. hpprebenslva. on account CT
Fisher misstatoments, that COLLISION exiSted
between him and the boy, We endeavored to
fad the latter. with view to preventing
further comll catioas; tu. not knowing where
lie resided, we did not sucoeedi fading him
rival st the post othoo 10 COMPANY with Fisher
We took him into custody. Tho by denied
having taken any letter. Ia! admitted havlcg
examined the mails by direc:i,n of Fisher and
had been docg 80 for long time. lie slso
stated that Fisher the eveoicg before had told
him that some letters were missing and To-
sructed him not to get the nail that ucrnlng.
! Mcdonald further stated thet be was 80. a
messenger of the Hcusc, bu: that he was EN-.
ploycd by Fisher to drive the mai! wagon. For
| this sely.ca Fisher paid him So per month. La
addition thereto McDonald ssid he received
Exc sun from each OF two or three other per.
sons ;Cr special services IN c9Ilcc Ing thslr
mails. To stated that be- bad never been
sworn IN to the postal service, aud that his
acegsa to the mails was by arrangement and
permission of Fisher. 10 the trial before j Us
t:ci Mills, Fisher On crosse aXamloat!oD, -
| the rrptr: SAYS, sRora that be knew at the
time chat Mcdonald had not been sHoTa 10,
and had 20 right to handle the mails: that the
boy ws4 em!loyed by hlaself and paid by him.
! SILT and oihlr5 uadcr private arrangement
| He stated further that be was aware that the
postmaster of tho House Of Rspreseu a,ives
had issued orders fortilding irresponsible per.
sons to enter the postofioe or have anything to
do with the mails He admitted that be alone
had handled tho mail Ga the morning In ques.
ton, and that he had Informed the boy that
letters were missing, and instructed him DOT 10
20 after the mails Oh that morning for tear ne
might get into trouble" Tho report further
says: Had be (Flshcr) told in the beginning
Of the part the boy had taken. aDd not warned
him CT our operations, thereby giVlog him tue
hint to cover" himself. the result of our 10,
vestieation would have been more satisfactory.
But Fisher, for some roas,D. preferred and
pursued different course. II, undo! these
CT. leu 4ataEc:s aud surroundings. deDrcda:lous
have not been committed upon the mails under
Fishers charge, the fact may be attributed to
good luck rather than good manacemcnt on his
part. the agents say, 10 submitting their re-
port, that it is not their purpose to reflect upon
Postmaster Steuart. of the House, whose as
surarces Of regret aod disappointment have
been expressed to US Flo is competent
and pains takicg officer. and having issued
stringent orders for the guidance OF his subor-
diuates, should not ba held personally RESPONSE
| bic fer tho misconduct of an u1trustwor,hy
employee. - Washington Star.
| It is due 10 Mr.. Fisher, who is 9 most
worthy gentleman. aud has always boroe a
high character 10 Richmond, his home, to state
! that be pronoupces the statement Of the detec
ives a5 an attempt to ioiure him, and that he
has filed full! statement of all the circum-
STAGES at the Post Odioo Department.