New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-08-22
Extensive Post-office Robberv.

CnIcago officers have unearthed 81 robbery
and such robbery as almost appals one ia
Its yastness. The culprits have been captured
and the stolen mail matter recovered
least a great portion of it,. The valuation of
TINS matter will not fall short Of 5000. 600
Inc story of the crime is an interesting one.
Inc thieves are named 0berkamf and Mack.
the former confessing that he had been rif1inp
the mail boxes in Chicago for long period
and that he got into these boxes by means Of
regular mail serVice key. Herefuses tostate
Where ne obtained the key. which is numbered
LOO. IL bears the name OF the Chicago, st.
Paui, Minneapolis & Omaha railroad was de-
signed for the use of the mail service on that
road. Just how 1t was lost, and to what clerk
to belonged, will be Investigated at Washing.
ton. Oberkampf sent for Detective Klineer and
gave him letter which led to the arrest of
{ Mack, who took the officers to his room on
cottage GroVe avenue, where he turned over
a lot OF checks and drafts. Mack, who is an
1nteihgent appearing man of about forty
years, SAID that Qberkampf had given them
to him to keep and that he did not know
where the latter had got them He dis
claimed all connection and knowledge of the
crime. and said that he first became ac-
qualnted with the German while engaged in
the insurance business He had enpaged
Oberkampf to address circulars for him.
His connection with the affair was clearly
proven, however, when it became known that
ne had been frequently seen in the company
OF Oberkampf at the latter's rooms. AS to
how long the prisoners have been operating
the ofhclals can give no definite an
sWer. However, they think that Ober-
kampf has been breaking into mail
boxes for the past two years, and it is
known that for that space of time he
mas not done a stoke of work.
yon Oberkamf was indebted to his land
lady, and in payment rendered her a check
which she accepted and returned him diff.
ference OF about $50 in cash. The check
tufned out to have been forged, and she
placed the matter in the hands Of the police,
VINO located the man in a room on North
Market street. In searching this room. the
officers We're astonished to find q trunk filed
to the top with letters. They had all been
opened, and bore no postmark, and each had
had the stamp removed. 1t was then ascer-
tanned that Won Oberkamf occupied still
another room, and when this was searched
another trunk full OF letters.
all in the precise condition described above.
were found. AT another room in the hotel
were found valise packed with broken mail
matter, and bunch of keys One of the
Keys was one which opened railway mail
pouches and another would open any letter
box IN Chicago. Ell the captured mail mat
Ter Was taken to the Office OF the postoffice
inspector. The envelope contained all sorts
OF queer things usually sent through the
mails, from dry goods samples, and bits oi
lewelry, to writing pads, and photographs
But that which showed the magnitude OF
the depredations was the presence of piles
OF insurance policies, trust deeds, drafts,
checks, money orders and promissory notes
The largest check was for $4,000, drawn
by a wholesale grocery house of Chicago on
the Continental National bank. Numerous
other drafts, ranging in figures from 81, SOC
to $l 900, and scores drawn for $500 each
Wee found. The post-ofice authorities are
Notwithstanding how the postal keys came
into Won Oberkamf7s possession. ia is SIM.
posed that some letter carriers, anticipating
the loss of his position, had duplicate 81
his key made, and that he gave it to Vou
oberkamf, sharing with him the proceeds.