Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-06-11
An Outrageous Steal.

PORTLAND, Ore, June 5.-Ihe Ore
gonian's Lewiston, Idaho, special
says: Isaac Hibbs was appointed
postmaster at Lewiston in March 1884.
Last January registered mail pouch
was robbed. An official investigation
developed nothing, and the affair was
eventually forgotten. On May last,
Hibbs left for an alleged silver mine
on the Upper Columbia. The postal
inspector. alarmed at his continued
absence, investigated the affairs of the
Office and found Hibbs had written
receip pts for a large number of regis
tered mail packages destined for fcti-
tious Indifferent postoffces supplied
from Lewiston.
The modus operandi was as fol-
lows: Lewiston is mail distributing
point for large number of offices in
Northern idaho and Eastern Wash~
ington. Hibbs would issue money
order for fictitious name at these
Offices, drawn IN favor of bank in
Iowa where orders were payable. The
customary letter Of advice was for
warded to the paying postmaster. He
then wrote to the banks that he would
money order and requested the banks
to cash them and place the amount to
his credit on deposit until he arrived.
Later he wrote the bank that ne
could not make the contemplated visit
and requested that a draft for the
amount of money on deposit be re-
turned by registered mail to fcti-
tious name attached to the money
orders and always at some Office where
the mail passed through lewiston.
The drafts arrived by registered mail,
Hibbs signed fictitious names and re-
turned receipt card and the transact
ton was completed. Many orders are
limited to $500 in favor of one person,
but with forethought and judicious
distribution of dates and places an
opening offers through which unscru-
pulous postmasters could bankrupt
the United States.
The amount of the defalcation ex<
ceeds $40, 900 and is expected to reach
$50, 900. The scheme is surprisingly
simple, and officers are surprised It
was never thought Of and worked be-
fore. John Evans, the cashier of the
First National bank; William Keltor-
back, cashier of the Lewiston Nation
al bank; Alexander, Thiesser and
Woodwork were his bondsmen for
5000. Alexander and Thiesser were
secured before Hibbs' leaving. Hibs
was last seen May 80, at the second
crossing of the Canadian Pacific TAX
ing in Missoula and Helena and gath
ering drafts ordered sent there,
Flashes from the Capital.
NEW POSTMAsTRRs.
WASHINGTON, June 5.-The PRESS
dent to-day appointed the followin &
postmasters:
A D. Tinsley at Sibley Iowa.
| Thos Ingalls, at Marblehead, Mass.
Henry A. Belts at Winsted, Conn.
| Richard n. Hall at Grenada, Miss, vice NJ. K
Mister, suspended.
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS
WASHINGTON, June 5.-The com
m1ssioners of the district today ap.
pointed VIM. B. Powell, of Aurora.
ILL.,, uperintendent of public schools
| of the district of Columbia. Mr..
Powell Is a younger brother of Major
Powell, of the geological survey.
PENSION INFORMATION.
Sidney L. Wilson, pension agent
for the District of Columbia, says that
the statement that the names of 300
pensioners of the district had been
dropped from the rolls because they
were not legally entitled to pensions,
is an entire misapprehension of the
facts.
Of the 200 above mentioned ISL
were pensioners who have died since
1882 and whose names had been taken
from the rolls In an official report
he says: ''It is plainly stated when
death occurred liz each state and vixen
the list payments were made. In
| many instances the government owes
| the estates of these pensioners for the
| time elapsing between the last pay
ment and the dateof their DEATH