The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-30
THE DETECTIVES MAP.
How Inspector Sharpe Sticks Pins Through
the Postoffice Thieves.

How Inspector Sharpe Sticks Pins Through
the Postofhce Thieves.
Washington Special
Chief Inspector Sharpe, the head Of the detect
i've service in the Postofice Department, resigned
his Office several weeks ago to engage in private
business His resignation was accepted, to take
effect on Sept !. His record is that of capable
officer: He is an East Tennessee man, tall and
spare In stature, and in appearance and manner
the typical detective. During the war he was O
Union man, and did good service AS depart
ment officer he has been terror to rascals and
has hunted many of them out OF the service
even when they were sheltered by strong politi-
cal influence Some years ago. for instance, a
Vermont inspector was discovered to be con-
niving at postofice rascality in that State, and
was discharged. The man had been bench
man of Senator Edmunds, and the Senator
called at the Postoffice Department to what
could be done. The Postmaster general asked
the Senator and Inspector into private Office,
and told Colonel Sharpe to explain, which the
Inspector did very fully.
And you recommended the mans dlSchargef"
| asked Mr.. Edmunds. harshly.
Yes did," replied Colonel Sharpe ''and had
| known the mans character sooner l would
| have bounced him months ago"
We'll, you did just right, 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 Colonel Sharpe follows a simple but
| day to the writer
ITO catch these thieves" lie said, "T had
| constructed large railroad map Of the United
! States which hangs in my office. Now,
| supposing man mails letter in Boston for
| Kansas City containing S50-a very bad practice
| but people will do it. The letter never reaches
| its destination, and pretty soon get COM
| planning letter stating the circumstances.
| Now, if the supposed case were an isolated
one, we probably could do nothing The letter.
in going from to Boston to Kansas City, would
| pass through thirty or forty hands, and it would
| be useless to try to fix the blame But the
| Boston mans case is not isolated. Every day
we get from one to fifty similar complaints from
all over the country, and this fact, as you will
see. enables US locate the mischief
First we ascertain exactly when and where
| the missing letter was mailed and its address.
| Then we are ready for the map spoken of. 1
| take the Boston mans letter and bunch of
similar complaints, and then l begin to stick
| pins into my map. know just the route which
| a letter would take to go from Boston to Kansas
| City, and | stick pins along to sketch out this
| course Then take the next complaint Per-
| haps this from man who lost money trans
hitting it from Mobile to Chicago. Very we'll
| 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 to Buffalo, the fifth from Saginaw City
to Philadelphia, and so on Now, before very
long the map begins to hook quite interesting.
The pins are strewn all over the country, but
we notice one track-say for instance, between
Chicago and Cleyeland--where all the lines
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 somebody, you know-that
there is trouble in his section, ard tell him to
keep sharp look out We inquire into the
habits and associations of the clerks and we are.
perhaps, enabled to spot the man at AT
other times it is more difficult But we always
fetch him. Detection is certain.
But don't the clerks know of this systeml'
Perfectly well, replied Colonel Sharpe.
"Then why do they say steal!' was asked.
"Ah, there you ask me too hard question:"
said the inspector. "I'm sure | can't tell.
| 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
it. For the next few days he is scared to death.
He thinks everybody reads his guilt in his face,
4 I'd he is certain he viii be caught and put in
p rison. He resolves never to steal another
| letter, and possibly he does not But generally
in about month or two 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 he does not wait a
| month before he tries it again. And before long
| he is stealing all the letters he gets hold Of
which contain money. About that time I
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 only after
one"
But why do men keep on stealing when they
see others caught, and understand that the
machinery of detection is so perfectl"
LAS said before" replied the Inspector, that
can't answer, except in this way: Every rogue
thinks himself little smarter than anybody
else. He sees that others are caught, but he
thinks that he is too cunning and can cover his
tracks"