The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-09
ONE OFTHE RASCALS CAUGHT
A Democratic Mail Carrier Detected in
Rif1ing Valuable Letters.
The Thief a Man Whom Postmaster Jones
Appointed in the Place of Republican
Removed for Trivial Cause.

Within the last few days several registered
letters have been stolen from the Indianapolis
postofice In each case the letters were taken
after they had been distributed and made up in
packages for delivery by the carriers AS they
had been stolen from among the packages of
different carriers, nearly the whole force was
letters disappeared one from the mail belonging
to the district of carrier Ward, and one from
that of carrier Locke. On the same day n writ
ten complaint was filed with the postmaster by a
citizen. who had seen Charles Noe. substitute
carrier, take from his mailbag a newspaper,
which he tore into pieces and threw into the
streets. 1t was found upon investigation that
the paper had been directed to a gentleman
named Duluth, but had been delivered at the
wrong address and was given to Noe to return to
the postofice, but for some unaccountable reason
he preferred to dispose of it by destroying it.
Noe was taken into the private Office of the
assistant postmaster. and questioned about the
matter by Captain Dodd. He protested that he
had been falsely accused but finally confessed
that the statement that he had destroyed the
paper was true, and explained why he had done
So This led to bis being suspected of
the theft of the registered letters. A
trap was set yesterday for catching
the thief. In each of the packages of mail made
up for the different carriers were placed, spc-
uously, letters with registry receipt cards Noe
was on duty during the afternoon, and he was
detected in taking one of the decoy letters from
the of Elijah Eddy, the carrier on the South
Pennsylvania and South Delaware street dis
trct Eddy sent for Capt. Dodd, the assistant
postmaster, and they followed Noe, who went to
the water closet in the basement of the building,
where Eddy rushed in upon him while he was in
the act of tearing open the letter. Noe made an
effort to throw the letter in the sink,
but he was prevented, and, while he
was still holding it in his hands,
struggling with Eddy, the assistant postmaster
arrived upon the scene. Noe was taken up
stairs and held until deputy United States
marshal could be called to take him into custody.
He was arraigned before Commissioner Milligan
during the afternoon, but the preliminary exam
ination was postponed until this morning at
o'clock. ard his bond was fixed at $1,000. In
default of bail he was committed to Jail.
The letter which Noe was in the act of rif1ing
when found In the postoffice basement was ad
dressed to the Oliver Chilled Plow Works, No.
1GO South Pennsylvania street, this city. He
had only succeeded in tearing it partly open, and
its contents were not disturbed One of
the registered letters stolen on Monday
was directed to Schmidt's brewery Two others
were taken last month Among the number
that have been taken, there have, probably.
been many others unregistered of which nothing
is known. but the officials think that Noes
thefts have been restricted wholly to registered
mail So far as known he has got only about
twenty dollars. one Of the stolen letters having
contained nothing of more value than a con-
tract
Noe admitted having taken the letter ad-
dressed to the Oliver Chilled Plow Works, with
the intention OF stealing its contents but claimed
that he had taken none of the others which are
missing. The officers think, however, that he
will make full confession as he is sure to be
convicted, anyhow, on the evidence obtained
yesterday.
Noe is son of Daniel Noe. we'll known in
indianapolis, and is about twenty years old. He
has stupid expression of countenance, and his
head is, phrenologically considered. remarkably
deficient in the region of the moral faculties
His system of stealing was very stupid. as it was
sure to be detected. He is substitute carrier,
and is Democrat, having been appointed in last
July, after passing the civiservice examination,
to fill the place of q Republican who was re-
moved. In this connection, it may be interest
ing to recall the fact that during the four years
of Postmaster Wildman's administration there
was rot single registered letter stolen in the
Indianapolis postofice.
The arrest of young Noe served to adorn the
Journal reporter once thought to give to the
public. ''Once upon a ltime'-no longer ago, in
fact, than last March-Postmaster Widman an
pointed as substitute carrier, a young man of
unimpeachable character. who ad passed the
required examination in every way creditably.
The young man was respectfully connected lone
near relative being a judge of the Indiana SUI
preme Court), though he was poor and the
wages he earned, with commendable devotion,
We're applied to the support of a mother and
sisters. However. offensive
and Postmaster Jones and Captain Dodd had
not been long in the postofice before they
began to look about to see how they could best
dis pose OF him; His offensive partisanship con-
81 I'D in his being Republican-merely nom
in. y, as he had barely entered upon the
exercise of the proud franchise which issupposed
| to belong to all citizens except those in the en-
ploy of the government, and then that franchise
and privilege is permitted only to attach to those
who vote the Democratic ticket.
The young man under the new regime. instead
of growing into duties that would afford him
living salary, found no advance. He was given
only three or four days work each week, and at
the end of each month his wages amounted to
little more than $40.
Some time before under Mr. Widman's ad-
ministration and when the prospect seemed fair
for him to soon be a full-fedged carrier, this
young man had gone into debt, and when
Grandpa Jones and Captain Dodd took charge Of
the Office and assumed censorship of the carriers,
he owed the enormous amount of SO. This rash
young man had sweetheart and he had bought
her present In the exuberance of adde's
cence, which does not always coldly count the
cost In making presents to the one he adores,
this young man had expended all his ready cash
and In addition drawn upon the exchequer Of
the possibilities of the future for 49,
This atrocious misdeed came to the ears of
Captain Dodd. 1t was brought to him by three
or four inOffensiye Democrats who wanted to
crowd out this young man to make place for
Democrats. Whether the news was brought to
Captain Dodd in q market-basket or coal-cart
matters not in this narrative. When it got
there and the Captain had carefully inspected it,
the enormity of the offense appalled, him, and it
was determined that the young man should CO.
The secret commission that considered this young
mans case never, never, never had heard OF any
person rushing into debt to such an extent