The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-01
A MAIL IN0UISITOR.
Postal Inspectors Officially Frying into
Private Matters.
Erona the Neto York Graphic.

From the Nct0 York Graphic.
Doubtless many New Workers who have
received packages through the mail have
noticed signs of disturbance as if the pack
aces had been opened by some one not the
sander or receiver. This inference may
have received complete confederation from
the carriers demand for extra postage,
hased on the fact that the packages con-
tanned matter not properly mailable as third
or fourth class matter How did the postal
authorities ascertain that any such contra
hsnd goods were inside the innocent looking
+bird Class matter. Are the letters and
otbar matter mailed by American citizens
subjected TO official scrutiny!
The answer is an emphatic "yeS." How
olsa rould the customs authorities aseertai
THAT packages in transit through tie mail
contain diamonds, laces or other dutiable
goods of large value and small bulk? Such
contraband matter is often detained in the
mails from Europe, the overshrewd senders
and receivers paying the penalty of their
IGNORANT dishonesty in the loss of their
nroperty or heavily penalized duty. If
Postmaster Pearson were asked whether
any of his subordinateS are authorized TO
examine the contents of mail matter he
would probably answer misleadingly, for
there is deeply founded prejudice in the
intrusted to the U. S. M. The fact remains,
however, that many packages are opened,
and their contents scrutinized, most fire.
ouentlv without finding any postal or
revenue invasion, but sometimes to the great
detention, annoyance and loss to the receiver
who suffers through the ignorance of the
sender,
PLACE FOR DARK DEEDS.
The Office of the inspector of third and
fourth class mail matter is one of the din
giest in the new post office. The duties of
that official are Of a sort that shuns the
light. His office has become important only
since the discrimination OF third and fourth
class matters has been practiced. The rules
of the service permit no written matter to
be placed inside of packages bearing stamps
enough to prepay third and fourth class
matter With that easy conscience as to
public dues, which is so often exemplified
by Americans who travel in Europe with
reference to the coastwiSe revenue, a great
many people think they can save a few
pennies by underpaying postage. 80 much
matter is handled that it will never be
missed" is about the way they argue, and
lust there they or the receiver of their mis-
sives find them seriously at fault and pay
double postage for the oversight.
The packages arrive at the post Office in
the newspaper mali bags. Every package
not newspaper is separated and thrown
into the package bag, which is carried into
the inspectors dingy Office and ''gone
through" systematically. TIE inspector cuts
the strings and opens each box sufficiently
to let him see all the contents. These are
inspected carefully and perhaps brief note
is found. That ought to have borne letter
postage prepaid. The box is repacked and
an amount equal to double the letter postage
weight of the package is marked on the out
side, and the carrier must collect that
amount before he delivers the package. If
nothing illegal is found, the contents are re-
turned and the box tied up as near like it
was at the first as the inspector is able to
compass
FRYING INTO SECRETS.
1t is only a small percentage that are
found to be contraband Many con tain
only articles of personal adornment which
the receivers would be very sorry to know
had been seen by profane eyes. 1t is we'll
that inspectors become bored to callousness
BY this calling, and don't develop taste for
prying into the secrets of others, which
such calling would permit them to CRAFTY
ad nauseam. A very fare share of such
packages are burdened with the frizzes,
bangs and other headgear for women that
becomes their own merely by purchase
They would be sorry to have it known that
these pretty hirsute adornInents had grown
upon another wOmanS head, but the in
spector knows 1t if he chooses to record the
fact In his memory. Many thousands of
such packages pass through the post office
every week. The examiner has more to say
about them-"combings they are techni-
cally termed-becauset they are both unclean
and unhealthy to handle. The germs OF
infectious diseases often Turk in apparently
innocent tresses, and may breed illness for
the inspector or his family, if he does not
take care to change his clothing before
going home.
Since the Anarchists have been diligently
spreading their propaganda the word dyna-
mite has frightful significance to these
postal inspectors. 1t has only happened
once that anything really dangerous has
been discovered in the mail That was
month or so ago, when the inspector detected
suspicious sounds from an innocent-looking
package of pill-box size. Traces of fulmin-
ate OF mercury were discovered on it. and
II probably contained a considerable
quantity of that explosive, which the sender
thought would explode under the stamp of
the receiving clerk and blow him and who
ever happened to be near him into smith
Greens. The contents of the box were never
fully investigated. 1t was thought best to
be on the safe side, so a volunteer was found
to carry the suspicious package to the mid
Gle OF the North river, where a weight at
tached anchored it to the oozy bottom. The
brave volunteer got days leave of absence
for his reward.
LOVE LETTERS RETURNING.
There is a romantic side to the inspectors
work. He not unfrequently becomes the
repository of the secrets of young people
VINO have met, loved and parted. After
interchange of many letters containing
pledges Of uudying constancy, the chord of
love was snapped and mutual return of
letters agreed upon. Instead of making
tnem up into a large package boldly pro-
Gaining its right to pay full postage, the
sx-lovers in economical mood adopted the
EVlce OF packing them in box and prepay
~ as third class matter The Inspector
however, easily penetrates the fraud and
gouoIe POSTAGE is assessed. That, however,
small punishment alongside the dis
agreeable consciousness that profane eyes
nave mad the opportunity of reading these
spoony records They might be philosoph-
lcai enough to reflect that such missives are
mighty embarrassing literature to third
parties.
:; ne Inspector sees great many practical
JoAeS on their way through the mails. Take
oae package, for instance-a formidable
aliaT weighing about two pounds. The
r r2Ius We're cut and wrapper after wrapper
aeuoVed This process was continued until
central ball of paper was found on which
%Gs written, Nobody but a fool would 20
ois Iar. That settles its character as first
.iaSs matter. The wrappings were replaced