National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-10
PILFERING LETTERS.
ARREST OF A posT-oFFlcE CLERK.
Alleged Systematic Robbery Of Letters In the Dead
Letter Office How an Employee was
Watched and Detected-His Confess
sion to the Special Agents.

Thomas Marion Baker a second-class
clerk in the Dead Letter Office of the Post Office
Department, was arrested by Special Agents lid
ball and Henderson about two o'clock yesterday
afternoon for robbiDg dead and unavailable letters
| passing through his hands. The prisoner was
taken before United States Commissioner Bundy,
and, in default Of $1,000 bail, was committed to
jail 10 await a hearing on Monday next.
! The particulars in the case as related
are as follows: Baker, who resides at
No. ODD street southeast, and who originally
/ hailed from Funkstown, Washington County,
Maryland, where he married, has been in the
i postal service for the past twelve years About
I eight years ago he was assigned TO duty in the
Dead Letter Office. During the last six years there
have been many complaints received regarding
the disappearance of letters forwarded 10 the
Dead-Letter Office from points all over the coun-
try These complaints were referred TO the special
agents of the Department for investigation, and for
some time Messrs. ndbali and Henderson have
been carefully examining the matter and finally
became convinced that the letters were being
| stolen by some person inside the Department.
Within the past few weeks the circle of inquiry
has been gradually narrowed down until
two days ago, when the agents were salts
fed that they had spotted their man, and
! the only thing remaining was to keep him under
such espionage would result in the discovery of
the thief en- fagfG,ite dslicta. On Tuesday il
known positively that Baker had
TORN OPEN LETTERS
and hid them about his person, but for good
reasons it was determined TO wait until yesterday
before making the arrest. Yesterday about noon
parties who were secretly watching Baker saw him
tear two letters to permit his inspecting their
contents and then, under pretense of being seized
with revere fit OF coughing, slip them into his
pockets. This or some other artice on the part of
Baker was absolutely necessary, Us two other
clerks were seated on either hand of him,
from whom he was compelled to hide his move
ments. One of the duties assigned TO Baker
that OF escorting visitors through the Office. and
peculiar call has been used TO apprize him that he
was required for such service. After he had Sc
cured the second letter on his person yesterday,
this call was given, and upon repairing TO the en-
trance to the bureau Baker found himself con-
fronted by Agents Tidball and Henderson, who
invited him to walk down to the inspectors Office.
He was somewhat startled at this proposition, and
betrayed his guilt so manifestly that the precau-
ton was taken to have one of the agents walk by
his side, while the other brought up the rear thus
rendering it impossible for him to get rid of the
letters unseen Evidently realizing this Baker
went quietly TO the inspectors office, where Agent
Henderson said TO him:
Baker, you are clerk in The Dead Letter Of
fice?"
'Yes, SIR was the reply
Turning suddenly upon him Agent Henderson
then said: want that letter you have secreted in
your bosom-theFe it is
The guilty man was taken completely aback at
this, and aftera moments hesitation handed the
letter to the agent. Upon searching him the other
letter was found in his vest pocket. Overwhelmed
by these convincing proofs of his guilt, brought so
suddenly to light, Baker confessed that for long
time back-how long he could not remember-he
had carried on system of robbery, tearing or cut
ting such letters as passed through his hands,
which, from their external appearance, indicated
valuable Enclosures, slipping them into his pocket
and after securing the contents, destroying them
outside of the Office.
HIS METHODS.
One of his methods was to get TO the Office earlier
than many of his fellow clerks, and 70 abstract
such letters as he thought worth rifing from the
pile their desks thus in the event of their being
missed, diverting suspicion from himself. During
the day it was also his custom 10 pile up letters in
front and on each side of his desk 50 as to screen
himself from view much as possible while mutt
lating letters in search Of money.
Ofthe letters found on Bakers person one is
postmarked Oakland, Cal, with the date so
blurred as TO be illegible and addressed TO Mrs.
Charles Henry, Moline III. This letter torn near
The middle so as 10 disclose the money which it
contains. The other letter was postmarked
Moorestown, \. j., January q, and is addressed
-" franklin Roberts, No. COG South Third street.
and is cut completely open, and
contains $50 in currency and stamps. Chief Dali
las states that heretofore Baker has been re- !
garded as a very efficient and trustworthy clerk |
and was one Of the most rapid workers in the of
flee