West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-10-16
a DETECTIVES MAP.
How the Chief Inspector OF the Post-oT-
hce Department Pius Thieves.

OG ~ I'VE MAP.
How the Chief Inspector OF the Post-of-
flee Department Pins Thieves.
One of the most important duties of
the Chief Inspector is TO detect railway
postal clerks who steal letters contain
ing money. To accomplish this In
spcctor Sharpe follows a simple but in
genious system, which he explained the
other day to the writer
''ro catch these thieves" he said. IL
had constructed large railroad map
of the Un'ted States, which hangs in
my Office. Now suppoSing man
mails a letter in Boston for Kansas
City containing fifty dollars very
bad practice, bat people will do it. The
letter never reaches It's destination. and
pretty soon we geta complaining letter
stating the circumstances.
Now, If the supposed case were an
isolated one, we probably could do
nothing. The letter. in going from
Boston to KaH1s City, would pass
through thirty or forty hands, and il
would be useless To try to fix the blame.
But the Boston mans case is not iso-
lated Every day we gct from one to
my NliiiisAi llll'ltllNN lIOIn All ONtl
the country, and this fact, rs YOU will
see, enables us to locate the mischief
First we ascertain exactly when aud
where the missing letter was mailed
and its address Then we are ready
for tho map spoken of take the BoS-
ton man s letter and bunch of similar
complaints, and then begin TO stick
pins into my map | know Just the
route which letter would take TO go
from Boston TO Kansas City. aud stick
pins along TO sketch out this course.
Then take the next complaint Per
haps this from a man who lost money
transmitting it from Mobile to Chicago.
Very well. trace out the line such II
letter would take The third perhaps
was sent from New York TO San Fran
cisco, the fourth from New Orleans To
Buffalo, the fifth from Saginaw City to
Philadelphia, anl so on. Now, before
very long the map begins TO look quite
interesting. The pins are strewn all
over the country, but we notice one
track-say, Tor instance, between Chi
cugo and Cleveland where all the lines
unite. That where the thief is
knowing now where the stealing is
going on, We advise our most trusted
man in tha' division we have to trust
somebody, YOU know that there is
trouble i'm his section, and tell him TO
keep sharp look out We inquire into
the habits and associations of the clerks.
and we arc, perhaps. enabled TO spot
the man nj once. At other mes il is
more difficult But we always fetch
him Detection is certain
But don't the clerks know of this
systemp'
Perfectly wcll,' replied Colonel
Sharpe
Then why DO they stealp' was asked.
"Ah, there you ask me too hard a
question" said the inspector "l'm
sure ! can't teIl. only know they do.
and the history of almost all cases is
the same. A postal clerk will be
tempted and VIII steal letter that he
feels has money in IT, For the next
few days he is scared to death He
thinks everybody reads his gu It i'm his
face, and he is certain hc will he caught
and put i'm prison. lie resolves never
to steal another letter, aud possibly he
does not But generally i'm about n
month or two months his fears and re-
morse have worn on. Evidently he
has not been caught and is not sus-
pcctcd. 4 good chance comes and he
steals another letter This tmo he
doe, not wait month before he tries
1t again. And before long he is steal
ing all the letters hc 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, rs fishers will now and then land
two or three fish Mt once when the bit
ing is very lively We caught three in
two weeks once in different parts Of the
country, when we supposed We were
| only after one
But why do men keep on stealing
when they rc others caught. and under
stand that tbc machinery of detection
is so perfccl''
"As / said before, replied the In
,pcctor, "that / can't answer except
in this way Every rogue thinks him
self a little smarter than anybody else.
He sees That others are caught, but he
thinks that DEE is too cunning aud can
cover his tracks - W0shiggton SDcciaL