The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-08-17
THEY STOLE THOUSANDS.
Gigantic Plundering of Letter Boxes at
Chicago Disciosed-The Pilferers Under
Arrest and mich IaluahIe Mail Natter

Gigantic Plundering of Letter Boxes at
Chicago Disciosed-The Pilferers Under
Arrest and Much Valuable Mail Matter
Recovered = Checks. Drafts, ETC., Val
ued at Many Thousand Dollars Stolen.
CHICAGO, Aug. 10 Two of the most i'm
portant arrests made in Chicago in long
time were those of Fred Oberkampf and
Thomas F. Mack, who are now in the coun
ty Jail. About four weeks ago Oberkampf,
who is unmarried and 20 years of age,
rented room from Mrs. Christina Dohrn
at l19 East Erie street He is well edu-
Gated, speaking several languages, and
dresses well. He represented himself
to be the assistant Superintendent of
an insurance company. Mrs Dohrn no
ticed that every time her lodger came into
the house his pockets were stuffed full of
mail matter. This fact he explained by
saying that he attended to the correspond
ence. Of the insurance company. Ober-
kampf became indebted to Mrs. Dohrn in
the sum of S25 for rent, and on Augusta
gave her a check for $50, she returning to
him the change. Mrs. Dohrn presented the
check to j. P. Clarkson, real-estate deal
er, on whom it was drawn, and the diseov-
cry was made that it was forgery:
|
warrant before Justice Kersten for the ar
rest of Oberkampf for forgery. The war
rant was put in the hands of Detective
Whalen, and on Saturday last at about 5
o'clock the officer arrested his man at the
corner of Franklin and Washington streets.
Whalen had examined Oberkampf's
effects left at Mrs. Dohn's. There were
two "grips " which contained a large
amount of letters, packages ETC., evidently
stolen from the mails, as the stamps had
all been torn off and there were no post.
marks. Several letters were found on the
prisoner and also two checks, one
for $1,000 and one for $50. Whalen
informed inspector Kidder of his
find and together they re-examined the
"grips" Inspector Kidder armed United
States Marshal butcher and Officers
Whalen and Klinger with warrant and
they went to work on the case, with the
result that they traced their man to the
Metropolitan Hotel, where he had lived
under the name of Fred Mallet. A "grip''
containing papers, etc, was found here
and postal mail key. He had also board
ed with a man named Kugel at 1870 Market
street, for fourteen months, and here the
officers found a trunk full of mail matter,
consisting, as before, of letters,
checks, insurance policies, title deeds,
certificates of stock, drafts, gloves,
etc. The prisoner was taken to the Chi
cago avenue station. AT first he denied
everything and told d number of. conflict
ing stories. However, he yesterday morn
ing confded to butcher the name of his
partner, and also his whereabouts. The
officers acting on the information given, ar
rested Thomas F. Mack. In the latter's resi-
dence was found bundle of papers which
proved to be checks insurance policies,
trust Deeds title deeds etc. The prisoner
declared that he knew nothing about them
| and that he was only taking care of them
for Oberkampf He admitted finally that
Oberkampf had key with which he
opened the postal boxes on the streets,
and also that he had shared with him the
money obtained from Mrs Dohrn
Oberkampf admits having robbed the
mail boxes and says he has only kept
a few of the letters and securities-that he
was in the habit of destroying them. The
property in checks, drafts, deeds, stock,
! ETC., now in Inspector Kidder's room
represent about 81, G09,0 the checks and'
drafts alone amounting to over 100000
Below are given the names of some of the
makers of the checks recovered by the
officers together with the amounts:
Leopold Mayer & Son, S. 000 Merchants s. L.
& t. Co. Bank $4,000; Hollis & Duncan, S546. 10;
Merchants's II. g. L. Co. Bank, $1,000: Chicago
National Bank, s7S4.1s; Chicago First Ma
tional Bank, $500; Chicago First Ma
tional Bank, $4,000; State Savings Assoc
citation, s89674 First National Bank, S7OO;
First National, $500. Letters of credit on
the Union Bank of London, $3.50; F. G. Jung.
BERT 1906; Wagner Palace Car Co., $54186;
Otis S. Farr, S3,4S1.57; Merchants Loan and
Trust Co., $4,000; Ellinger & Sons, 81, 9S5.55;
Marshall & Illsley, s9,4e5.53; First National
Bank, Chicago, $3.50; FIRST National Bank,
Chicago, s527; Union Trust Co., S43796; Park
National Bank, $500; S. D. Kimbark, $1,000.
The prisoners were taken before Com
missioner Hoyne yesterday afternoon,
when Mack waived examination and Ober-
kampf's case was continued till Thursday
Both were held in $1,000, and being unable
to secure bail were remanded to jail
About Mack's career nothing is yet
known, but Oberkampf belongs to good
family in Berlin, Germany. He has been
in this country nearly three years and has
never worked a day here. He has made
good living by pilfering the mails, using
the money he found in the letters and sell
ing the postage-stamps. The stamps which
he soaked off the envelopes he remuci1-
aged and sold at a drug store on Indiana
street. e
There yet remains a trunkful of letters
and securities which the authorities have
not had time to examine, and which will
make the total amount of the robbery much
greater. All the property is now in pos
session of the Government and can not be
returned to the rightful owners until after
the trial of the prisoners. A number of
letters found by the officers were mailed in
1886, showing that the thefts had been 60
ing on; for about two years.
Postmaster Judd and Inspector Kidder
are jubilant over the capture, and point
out that many of the numerous complaints
against the postal service under their care
are now explained Inspector Kidder says
this is by far the biggest mail robbery that
ever took place on the continent.
Mack declares he knew nothing about
Obakampfs operations He had been
asked by the latter to take care of pack
age for him, and through friendship did
So This was the package found in his
room. Oberkampf also says Mack is inno-
cent.