Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-03
FRAIL HUMAN NATURE.
Inspector West Talks About the Evil
Side of Human Nature, as Exhibited
Through the Medium OF the U. 8.
Mails.


"We see great deal of a certain phase of
human nature" observed Chief Post Office In
spector West in speaking Of the work of his
office at Is not the pleassntest or most agree
able side of human nature, but we have no
doubt of its existence. The apostles OF the doc
trine of the perfection of human nature would
find but few followers from among our number
Their practical every day experience is against
this theory in whatever attractive guise it may
be presented. The arts which are devised to
practice upon the creduiity of the innocent the
bold attempts Of hardened swindlers and the
mean devices of mean men are brought to our
attention every day through the medium of the
mails. OF course this is only part of the mat
ter which passes through the mail, and the pro-
portion Is comparatively small, it is pleasant to
know. There are nobler traits of character
illustrated in the matter which goes by mail
but of course that kind never comes to us. We
get only the bad and dishonest. Take for ex-
postal employees. You would snppose t 6af
in the face of the inevitable discovery that fol-
lows any dishonest act on their part, that they
they can't or at least they don't. The oppor-
tunity Is presented and they fall. Yet il is well
known throughout the ranks of the postal en-
ployes that there has not been case of theft
which has not been Investigated and the guilty
person discovered. 1t seems a great deal 10 saw
that the act OF an obscure clerk in abstractng
a few letters from the thousands that pass
through his hands can be traced to its sources
but experience has shown that If the thefts
continue for any length Of time. that discovery
is certain and sure. AS is natural every man
thinks that he will be an exception. In some
unexplained way he Is going to be an
OF reasoning that man argues he will
win the capital prize in the lottery Under
the stress of temptation and the urgings of de-
sire, man will argue in a very tOrtuous style
and come to conclusions which seem absurd to
logical mind. There are of course all sorts of
motives which prompt the first theft. for after
nf
the transgressor's course is easy and nat
ural transition. This man is pressed for debts
will overwhelm him, unless he can tide over for
{; few days, and there are men who steal be-
cause they are bad and are just as ready 10 get
money in that way as in another. You can
generally tell what sort OF man he Is, when the
dread hand OF the law reaches out and drags
him from his obscurity into the fuil glare Of
public notice. Then the man, if he is a self
de ceived man, as would term the victims of
a delnsive logic, will be- recognized by the eye
criminal at heart make themselves known as
il ielon was written on their brows."
81 am reminded a, OF rather peculiar class of
Einued Mr.. West, 'who, while they do not rep
resent very high type, yet illustrate timely
species OF low cunning. As, tor instance one of
these men, perhaps engaged in some business,
owes Il debt TO some one in another place. The
creditor writes and sends his bill and asks that
the amount be forwarded at the earliest con.
yenieDce. The debtor sits down and writes in
reply that he will lind inclosed in the letter the
amount oi the debt, ana perhaps closes with
some expression of gratitude for the accommo-
dation. He then seals up his letter and posts
ii, but does not inclOse the money as stated.
When the letter reaches its destination OF
course there is no money. The creditor at once
makes Il complaint at the post office that lie
has been robbed. The case is referred to an In
spector. The latter first Of all visits the sender
OF the letter, and requires him TO take oath as
TO his having actually placed the money in the
letter, the amount, and when and where
he mailed. 1t generally happens in such
eases that the man Is afraid to perjure
himself and refuses to take the oath.
further to do with the case, for IL is
certain that money never came intO the United
States mails at all. The 0ffense, IL there has
been one, must be Investigated by other author
ties. But this way OF paying debts Is very often
adopted, aud frequently cases OF complaint OF
letters robbed are found upon investigation to
OF the writer of the letter."