National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-07-11
GREEDY FOR POSTAGE STAMPS.


"Thcre cnp be no checks cOntrived but that
YOU will have to trust some one,' said Gen.
Ilazeu, third assistant postmaster general, lost
night, "uud that is why we have to record
another leak in the department The system
under whrn postage stamps are manuiac-
turcd aud Issued to postmastcrs is such as to
preclude almost the possibility of loss, or
rather of fraud, that would not quickly be dis
covered. They are delivered by the agent of
the department in New York direct nom the
maruiactory, and such checks ure used that
every sheet is accounted for. Of course, in
the billion and n half or so of stamps made
annually there are occasionally some thut are
spoiled In the printing or perlorating or
cunning and such cannot be sold, AS the de.
livery IS rot made of any smaller lots than nail
sheets, when one stamp III the hundred
which constitutes sheet is damaged ever SO
slightly the others on that half are condemned
also These rejected half sheets are sent on
here aud, aitcr being counted, are destroyed
by burning i'm Il furuNcc. This process Is car
ricd ON by Il committee of three, selected from
the different divisions and changed irom time
to time. IT occupies one day cach week, inc
number destroyed in that time being about
l,WO,OOO representing from TO 6 per cent OF
the total issue"
"Thcre does not seem to be much chance for
fraud there" suggested the reporter.
"Bnt one OF the last committee selected was
not honest and after the count and before the
destruction would seize an opportunity When
lllt OllltIN Ntlt NV lOOhltb " ohNN'
/ from the table" ~
"His HumcW
as Hermann Bergman, Yclerk, in the reg
| istcrcd letter division, anl'onc in whom i'm
| pliciL confidence had been Ilaccd. He Is II
| Sl,2lg clerk, u marrlg4 man. believe, and u
member in!i high stphding OF one OF the leading
Gen Hazcp,hddcd that the amount OF the
| pccu!utlon Mas probably not large stamps oil
,he higher denomination coming in very
rarely hi the shape of spoiled sheets; The
cileet will be not to change the system put 70
Cause the members Of the committees TO DC
A reporter also saw Postmaster General
Gresham last night with reference to the mat
ter, which he ,aid had already been brought
to his notice. He said that If there had been
any such thefts they had occurred III the thlid
assistant postmaster general DIVISION, where
all the damaged sheets OF stamps returned
from the American Bank Note agency III new
York to the department are sent. These dam
aged sheet of stamps are, he said the only
stamps that are received by the department.
The department issues paper 70 tue american
Bank Note company lor the printing of stamps,
and the company Us obliged to account for
every sheet furnished it. These accounts are
made up weekly, the number OF sheets oil
stamps issued by the company to postmastcrs
upon the requisitiOn OF the department, the
number Of printed sheets in the company
safes, the number of sheets in process OF
printing; and the number pr damasGa ShSe,i
with the number of sheets OF paper Issued u
the company. Formerly the latter did not re-
turn the damaged sheets, but accounted lOl
and destroyed them but since Postmaster Cen
ern Howc's administration they lave been re-
turned to the department
Mr Gresham sGid 1t was possible that some
of the good stamps had been held back by 0nC
! or two others Of these clerks. He had, h. said
late yesterday afternoon spoken to Mr.. flazen
the third assistant postmaster general, abQu
, the reports of thetts, and the latter. he said
knew nothing of them, but told him that IL any
stealing had been going ON the amount stolcl
could not be very great, The postmaster gen
cral said further that he would make an in
: vcstigdtiOn of this matter.
The amount stolen could only be surrnised
as no records made of the number destroyed
, but, us Bergman has only been designated as
member of the committee on Il few occasions
the amount could not have been large. III
was not arrested last night, but it is under
/ stnud Ihnl Ln viii be tn-dNy.