National Republican., 1885-09-05
THE DETECTIVES MAP.
How Inspector sharpe sticks Pins
Through the Postofiice Thieves.


New York SUM-
Chief Inspector Sharpe, the head Of the
detective service In the Postoiiice Depart
ment, resigned his Office several weeks ago
to engage in private business. His resig-
nation was accepted to take effect Sept. |.
His record Is that Of a capable officer. lie
is an east Tennessee man, tall aud spare IN
stature, and In appearance anu manner the
typical detective. During the war he was
- Union man, and did good service. As
department officer he has been terror to
rascals, and has hunted many Of them out
of the service, even when they were shell
tered by strong political influence. Some
wears ago, for instance, Vermont inspector
was discovered to be conniving at postoiiice
Iascality in that state, and was discharged
The man had been a henchman OF Senator
Edmunds, and the senator called at the
POstofiice Department to see what could
be done. The Postmaster General asked
the senator and the inspector into private
office, and told Col Sharpe to explain,
which the inspector did very fully.
'And you recommended the mans dis
charger asked Mr.. Edmunds, harshly.
''Yes, / did," replied Col. Sharpe, "and
had known the mans character sooner
would have bounced him m lnths ago"
'Well, you did just right, y said Edmunds,
and left.
One of the most important duties Of the
chief inspector Is to detect railway postal
clerks who steal letters containing money.
To accomplish this Col Sharpe follows n
simple but ingenious system, which he ex-
plained the other day to the writer.
'sTo catch these thieves" he said, II had
constructed large railroad map of the
United States, which hangs In my Office.
Now, supposing Il man mails letter IN
Boston for Kansas City containing fifty
had Npnntinp ltIt nnppln
will do 1t. The letter never reaches It's des-
tinGtion, and pretty soon we get a complain
ing letter stating the circumstances.
"Now, II the supposed case were an $50
lated one, we probably could do nothing.
The letter, In going from Boston to Kansas
City, wOud pass through thirty or forty
hands, and II would he useless to try to fix
the blame But the Boston mans case IL
not isolated. Every day we get from on,
to fifty similar complaints from all over the
country, and this fact, rs you will see, en-
ablcs us to locate the mischief.
First, we ascertain exactly when and
where the missing letter was mailed anu II,
address. Then we are ready for the map
spoke Of ! take the Boston mans letter
and n bunch Of similar complaints, and
Tlen / begin to stick pins into the map.
KNOW lust the route which Il letter would
take 10 go from Boston to Kansas City, ant
stick pins along to sketch out the course
THEN take the next complaint. Perhaps
this Ia from a man who lost money trans
mtting Il from Mobile TO Chicago. Very
well. I trace ont the line such Il lctte
would take. The third, perhaps, was sent
from New York to San Francisco, IN
fourth from New Orleans TO Buffalo, TN
fifth from Saginaw City TO Philadelphia
and SO on. Now, before very long the maj
begins to look quito interesting. The pin
are strewn all over the country, but we no
tice one tracl--say, for instance, betweel
Chicago and observation-disclosures all the line
unite. That's where the thief Is.
"Knowing now where the stealing Is go
Ino on, we advise our most trusted man II
that division we have to trust somebody
you know.-that there II trouble In his sec
lion, and tell him to keep sharp lookout
We inouire into the habits and assOciat ion
of the clerks, and we are, perhaps, able
snot the man ut once, AT other times u
more difficult But we always fetch hin
Detection is certain"
''But don't the clerks know OF thls sy'
tenn"
Perfectly WE'LL" replied Col Sharpe,
s'TLen why do they stealg' was asked.
HAI, there YOU ask me too hard que
dion" said the inspector, "lm sure can
tell. 0gly know they do, and the histor
.of almost ali cases IL the same. posl'
clerk will be tempted, aud will steal letl'
that he feels has money in IT, For the nel
few DAYS he Is scared Ia death. lie thinl
everybody reads his guilt In hi0 face, and ]
is certain he will he caught and put
prison. lie resolves never TO steal nnoth
letter aud possibly he does not But gee
orally In about month or two mouths D
eear and remorse have worn on Evident