Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-22
ONE WAY To ROB THE MAILS
An Inspector Tells OF n Post Ofncs
Thiefs Ingenious Plan

From the Cincinnati Tiraes-star
We get some pretty tough cases. said n !
old post Office inspector yesterday. ..but /, his
been my fortune TO run down every case on
which was set to work"
what was the most difficult case Won over
hsndled?" asked the reporter.
at happened while I was stationed a, rtica-
NY, about seven years ago." replied the in
spector. MANY letters containing valuable,
had been missed and by dint OF hard work va
managed to trace the Job down to one clerk. a
shsved-faced young fellow OF about tveutv-tvo
years He was clerk who distributed the
letters into the boxes Of the carriers.
AS said, we managed 70 get this far on ths
case and then l set my trap. had decoy
letter containing SO gold piece mailed from
country town IN Connecticut 20 a proninent
stove dealer in Utica. The letter failed 20
reach the carrier promptly and felt we had
our man solid at last.
Il waited for him until the dinner hour and
40 he was leaving the Office accosied him. lie
came with me and look as closely as might 4
ialled 10 detect any signs of uneasiness in his
features, they were perfectly immobie. lie
walked with me into the Office OF the postmss-
.ef and submitted 20 a thorough search but no
trace OF the letter or S20 gold piece was found
on his person
10 say L was dumfounded is drawing 70
mnoiy. lie appeared TO be very indignant
~. nu' Nhetner 4 was right or wrong at the time,
ne Ply Eoooeries came 20 a sudden stop.
40 more complaints were heard for A month.
linen they began again This time l VAS
man "" my
One day when was about TO give ID the
oa'e IN despair noticed the fellow tearing up
an envelope and dropping il 20 thc soor
nheh ne HAD gone picked up the scrnrs OF
paper and after hard Job managed 20 niece
~ a was dsheartened when saw that the
envelope mad been addressed to himself I
was about TO walk away when q thought .;ruck
me.
Il came down the next morning before the
young clerk came TO work. aud stationed nv
sell behind a letter rack. free from obserya-
.,on, put IN such position that could see
the iellows every action saw him take SOW
eral stamped and addressed enyelopes frorn
ms pocket and walk over 10 the stamping table
ana cancel the stamps During the course OF
the morning saw the fellow slip four letters
insIue OF as many envelopes and seal the en-
Veiopes Then 1 knew nv suspicious were cor
rect. went 10 the carrier who carried tho let-
yer 10 the mans home and secured the four
letters addressed to the fellow himself.
have You carried many letters like thisY
asked him.
"'Yes, sir the carrier said I oa--v Co.,
or hve day.
then called the fellow into nv Office and
toio MIN we had determined 20 have the mail
OF an clerks delivered at the Office 20 tighten
% the cirf-Crs. L then told him
.nat mad four letters for him and handed him
.Ee mlssives had received from the postman-
Inc fellow turned pale. and was on the VERGE
OF iaintng when asked him to open and read
the letters in my presence.
with trembling hands he did so and inside
tne envelopes, addressed to himself. / found
Tour valuable letters addressed TO a BIZ, whole
SAFE house. He broke down and confessed that
ne mad been stealing for about six months and
tnat during that period he had distracted
nearly sl,5Uo from business letters He had
spent the money in gambling"