McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-10-02
MAIL ROBBERS.

Officials Of the Ne,c Haren Postofiee Bafsed
A New Haven business man alleges that his
mail has been robbed and that letters con-
tanning money received at the New Haven
postofice have been stolen. Detectives have
been at work on the case, and the postoffice
officials are supposed to have exerted them.
selves in the way of special surveillance, but
SO far every effort in the line of investigation
has proved futile, and despite the fact that
the postmaster, the chief clerk and other EN-.
ployes Of the office keep an active watch, the
alleged robberies have continued with little
interruption. The total of the alleged rob-
berries make large sum. George G. Pown-
ing, who is the head of the Yale silk works, is
Ter in the scrap silks so dear to the femi-
partner were the pioneers in this line and now
control large business. Advertising largely
they have secured customers all over the
country, their mail being among the largest
received at the postOfiice in New Haven. AS
the correspondence generally relates to orders
for goods most of the letters contain money
ranging in amount from fraction of a dollar
upward. AS a rule tho sums are too small to
tratiOn of letters. During the latter part Of
August complaints begad to pour in upon the
firm from customers at distance who claim
to have forwarded money without receiving
in return any of the goods ordered. so ire
ouent became these complaints that Mr..
Powning made known the fact at the post
after certain features of the case. but their
vigilance effected nothing.
1t was at first suspected that some person
had obtained duplicate key to Mr.: Pownlng's
repttiOusly. A close watch kept in the post
office lobby upset this theory, for nobody save
Powning opened the box, though the letters
continued to disappear. In the meantime
new lock was placed upon the drawer, and de-
tective work was transferred to another phase
of the case. For fortnight the postofice
any result other than the embarrassment Of
discovering that despite their surveillance the
thefts continued without interruption.
Though satisfied that the thefts really were
taking place, all detective expedients have
been equally Intellectual, until the postoffice
authorities have settled down to the opinion
that either there is no hope of cornering the
side.
Chief Clerk Boyd said his attention had been
called by Mr.. Powning to these alleged irregu-
larites some time ago, and that he had care
fully and persistently Investigated every
phase in the case, but as yet had been wholly
unable to find the slightest evidence of crook
Office employ. Il can only say this" said Mr..
Boyd, ''that the boxes now in use at the post
Office have been in service for SO long as to
they have been steadily in use, and we have
found that many of them are continually get
ting out of order. and think there is more
than bare possibility that these losses may
be accounted for in this way. Many of these
boxes have become so defective in theirlocks,
etc., as to have given us trouble with other
parties but until this instance there has never
been any reason to suspect any crOOkednesS
upon the inside of the office. We know that
in some instances keys in use at the Office
have become SO worn by long use as to now fit
and unlock half dozen drawers" The in
vesigation will be pushed, and inspectors
from washington are expected.