Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-27
THE DETECTIVES MAP.
bow Inspector Sharpe Sticks Pins
Through the Post once Thieves.


From he Nes0 York Ssta.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23.-Chief Inspec-
Tor sharpe, the head of the detective ser
vice in the Post Office Department, re.
signed his office several weeks ago TO en-
gage in private business. His resignation
was accepted, to take effect on Sept. /.
His record is that of acapable officer. He
is an East Tennessee man, tall and pare
in stature, and in appearance and man.
ner the typical detective. During the
war he was a Union man, ard did good
service. As a department officer he has
been a terror to rascals, and has hunted
many Of them out Of the service, even
when they were sheltered by strong polit-
ical influence. Some years ago, for in
stance. a Vermont Inspector was dis
covered 10 be conniVing at post Office ras-
calitv in that State, and was discharged.
The man mad been a henchman OF Senator
Edmunds, and the Senator called at the
Post Office Department to see what could
be done The POstm sster General asked
the Senator and the Inspecto into pri-
vRte office and told Col. sharpe to ex-
plain. which the Inspector did very fully.
And YOU recommended the mans
Gischarge?' asked Mr.. Edmunds, harsh
Eyes, / did" replied Col. Sharpe;
sand had I known the mans character
sooner would have bounced him months
ago"
'swen, you did just right" said Ed
munds, and left.
One Of the most important duties Of the
Chief Inspector is to detect railway pos
tai clerks who steal letters containing
money. To accomplish this Col. Sharpe
follows a simple hut ingenious system,
which he explained the other day to the
writer.
''To catch these thieves" he said, 81
had constructed a large railroad map OF
the United States, which hangs In my Of
fee. Now, supp0sing a man mails q let
ter in Boston for Kansas City containing
$50-a very bad practice, but people will
do it. The letter never reaches it's desti-
nation, and pretty soon we get q complain
ing letter stating the circumstances.
Snow, if the supposed case were an
isolated one, we probably could 10 moth
ing. The letter, In going from Boston to
Kansas City, would pass through thirty
or forty hands. and il would be useless 10
try and fix the lame. But the Boston
man'sicasei is notisoated. Every day we get
from one to fifty similar complaints from
all over the country, and this fact, as
you will see. enables US TO locate the mis-
chief.
First we ascertain exactly when and
where the missing letter was mailed and
its address. Then we are ready for the
map / spoke Of. take the Boston mans
letter and bunch of similar complaints,
and then | begin to stick pins into my
map. l know Just tn route which a let
ter would take TO 20 from Boston TO Kan
sas City, and l stick pins along to sketch
out this course. Then | take the next
complaint. Perhaps this is from man
who lost money transmitting il from Mo-
bile 10 Chicago. Very well. | trace out
the line such a letter would take. The
third, perhaps, was sent from New York
TO San Francisco, the fourth from New
Orleans 10 Buffalo, ana the fifth from
Saginaw City TO Philadelphia, and so on.
Now, before very long the map begins to
look ute interesting. The pins are
strewn all over the country. but we notice
Due track-say. for instance. between
Chicago and Cleveland-where all the
tines unite. That's where the thief is.
Knowing now where the stealing is
going on, we advise our most trusted man
in that divisiOn-we have to trust some
body. you know-that there is trouble in
his section, and tell him 10 keep a sharp
look out. We inquire into the habits and
associations Of the clerks, and we are,
perhaps, able to spot the man aJ once.
At other times it is more difficult. But
NC away letSH Alhi' DctSOlioH 10 Sei-
tain"
''But don't the clerks know Of this sys-
Temp
Perfectly WELL" replied Col. Sharpe.
'tThen why do they steal ?" was asked.
"Ah, there you ask me too hard ques-
tion," said the Inspector. "I'm sure /
can't tell. l only know they do, and the
history OF almost all cases is the same.
A postal clerk will be tempted and will
steal letter that he feels has money in
II. For the next few days he is scared TO
death. He thinks everybody reads his
guilt in his face, aud he Is certain he will
be caught and put in prison. He re-
solves never to steal another letter, and
possibly he does not. But generally In
about q month ortwo months his fear and
remOrse have worn off. Evidently he has
not been caught and is not suspected. A
good chance comes and he steals another
letter. This time be does not wait month
before he tries II again. And before long
he is stealing all the letters he gets hold
OF which contain money. About that
time ] am sticking pins into my map. 1t
is sure death. Sometimes we get more
than one. as fishers will now and then
land two or three fish at once when the
biting is very lively. We caught three In
two weeks once in different parts OF the
country when we supposed we were after
only one"
but why DO men keep on stealing
when they see others caught, and under
stand that the machinery Of detection Is
so perfectw again asked the reporter.
GAS said before" replied the Inspec-
tor, that can't answer. excepting this
way: Every rogue thinks himself n
little smarter than anybody else. He
sees that others are caught, but he thinks
that he is too cunning and can cover his
tracks"
USES OF COCAINE.