Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-06-12
The Idaho OefalcatiOn.

LrwsroS, Idaho, June 4.-lsaae
Hibbs Was appointed Postmaster ht
Iow,s,on In March 1854. Last Jan
uarv regis,cred mail pouch was
robbed. Official Investigation de-
veloped nothing and the afliur was
syunluslly forgotten. On May I'd /,
last Hibbs left for an alleged silver
nine On the upper Columbia. The
postal Inspector alarmed ut his con
continued absence. investigated the
affairs Of the Office and found Hibbs's =
writing. receipting for n large mum
her of registered mail packages.
destined foI fictitious names in dif-
fereht postoflicch. supplied from
Lewiston.
The modus oJ,erdndi was as follows:
Lewiston IL "A mail distribution point
Tor a large number oi Offices in north
ern Idaho aud eastern Washington,
iibbs issued money orders for iic-
ti,ious individuals at these Offices,
drawn In favor of bank in the
town where tho orders were payable.
The customary lettor VI advice was
forwarded 10 the paying postmaster.
lie then wrote to the banks that he
woald shortly visit town. enclosed
the money order and requested the
banls To- each them and place the
amount To his credit on deposit un-
al he arrived. Later he wrote to the
hank that he could not make the
contemplated visit aud requested
that drafts for the amount Of money
on deposi, lie returned by registered
mail, to the fictitious namo attached
10 the money orders. and always Mt
some nflico whose mail passed
through Lewiston. The drafts ar
rived by registered mail. Hibbs
signed the fictitious names, returned
the receipt cards aud the transaction
was completed.
rns esrucArios vrny HEAVY.
Money orders are limited to $500
daily in favor Of one person. but
with fors,hought and iudicious dis
tribu,ion Of names aud places an
opsn,ng offers through which un-
scfapulous postinasters could bank
rapt The United States.
The amount of tho dcfAlcation ex
essds 90. 900 aud IL expected to
reach go. 0.O00--amaxing moderation
considering the opportunities.
The postal inspector says the rob-
berries will nscsssitate the authorities
ss-organising the money order system
Of the United States and elsewhere.
The scheme 10 remarkably simple.
and officers are surprised that it
vas never thought Of and worked
before.
John Evans, cashier Of the First
National hank. William Keltonbach,
cashier of the Lewiston National
bsak, Alexander, Thicssen and
Woodwor,h were his bondsmen for
5000. Alexander and Thiessen
we're secured before Hibbs's leaving.
Hibbs was last seen May 30th at
The second crossing Of the Canadian
fseiAc. taking In Missoula and Hell.
ems and gathering drafts ordered
cent there.
-. Levi ssss Dsfsisstiss.
wAsnsoron, Juno 7 The Sunday
Capsix Gays the losses oi tho Gov
ssnnsnt from the dishonest oper-
stions of the Postmaster nj Lewiston, j.,
Idaho, will no. bs very large; that
The Postofics Department has got
track VI and intercepted fourteen
Of tsiuy letters, each Of which con-
ssihs 1000 worth pf money orders,
which we're sent by Hibbs. the de-
fsal,sr, to bsnts In the west for
eoliso,son, and that the Canadian
postal department has stopped mail
isssndsd for Hibbs Mt Victoria,
bfltish Columbia.
II IL asssstAl tx sc.u. ,-,cl.J ~.