Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-30
PosTOFFICE DETECTIVES.
THE SORT or WORK THEY ARE
CHILLED uPoN TO Do.

THE SORT or WORK THEY ARE
CALLED UPOS To DO.
Considering the hundreds Of thou.
sands Of dollars that are daily sent
through the mails in the form OF
treasury notes, the few Losses from
enlightenment speak volumes for the
general honesty Of pCstOflice EN-
ployes, says the New York Aelrs.
In spite OF the facilities attended by
the government for the safe trans
mission Of money by money orders
and registered letters, the MASSES
seem content TO take chances, aud
it is safe TO say that where one per
son seeks n guarantee for the safe
delivery of missive and its con-
tents, there are two who are dis
posed TO trust in Providence and To
the integrity Of postal clerks. In
stances are on TecOrd where as large
amounts as $40, 900 have been mailed
in unregistered packages, and mis-
directed letters containing sums
from 81 10 500 turn up every day in
the dead letter office.
The average pOstOflice official Is
perfectly convensaIt with the fact,
and If at all weak-kneed morally,
the indiscretiOn OF the forwarder
subjects him 10 constant temptation.
But there is always msre or less
thieviDg from the mails.
One Of the chief duties OF n most
important branch Of the postal ser
vice is the detection II this species
of misdemeanOrs. This branch Is
known as the department Of post
office inspectors They number
from - To- 100, and are under the
immediate direction Of Chief In
spectOT j.. q. Rathboue. The coun-
try is divided into ten districts, the
chief Offices being located in WASH
ingtOn, Boston, New York, Phila-
delphia, Chattanooga, Tennessee,
st. Louis, Chicago, san Francisco
and Austin Texas. Each divis-
ion is under the supervision Of an
official known as postmaster in
spector in charge.
The staff of each division varies
ia number According 10 its extent
and general character. Inspectors
in charge receive a salary Of $500,
and inspectors 81 800 Ter annum,
besides a per diem Of 81 when act
lively engaged in work for the de-
partment. Their commissions run
from January TO January l, ami
appointments are made under the
civil service act. CHEF Rathb0ne
is paid $1,000 a year. The positions
involve considerable responsibility,
and call Cor a degree Of intelligence
and capacity far beyond the require
ments of ordinary detective work.
AS a rule, the clews afforded 10y
cases presented for their investiga-
ton are Of the vaguest character.
There are about 10000 pOstOilicts
in the entire country. When COM
plants are made Of money being lost
in the mails they are at once for
warded TO the chief inspector at
Washington, who classifies them
under the head Of 4, 3, G. and F.
IL may be said in this connection
that the loss OF ordinary letters is
classified under the head OF Is. All
complaints are 'jacketed,r rs Il Is
termed, numbered and. with direc-
lions for the prosecutiopsO Of the case,
returned to the inspector in charge
OF the division in which the com
plants were made. Certain formal
inquiries are sent 10 the writer and
the person 10 whom the letter vas
addressed. IL Is estimated that at
least 20 per cent Of the letters at first
reported stolen eventually turn up;
perhaps having been INSTRUCTED or
held for postage. The eases reported
are subjected to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
To ascertain il the number Of lnsses
center in any particular mail route
or in any particular pOsiOilice. II
they do il is accepted as an indica-
ton OF crOOkedness, and the sus-
pected points are At once put under
the closest espionage. Sometimes
complaints covering a wide expause
ri country seem 10 center en- one
route.
When either a railroad route or
p0st0iliee has been selected for in
there are various meth
DDS pursued'tO locate the supposed
thief. Decoy or ''test" letters, the
latter being the official designation,
are frequently called into play. As
soon as suspicion IS fastened upon
M individual, half a dozen Of these !
Ietters, each marked and containing
money, are addressed 10 some o.
scure town and mailed the same |
lay. If these letters come To hand |
Upright the experiment is tried 4
again and again until the inspectors |
IRE satisfied that they have been
nisled. When any Of these letters |
all 10 csme through 10 their destina-
ion an arrest is made so soon that
Eliminating evidence is generally |
Iound upon their person.
The location Of offices Of the above
character in any town or city is SCI
ectad by the insI ectOrs. who also
ease the premises. In fact, m in
pectOr in charge can temporarily
uspend any postmaster for cause.
n some rerpects their powers are
Credentials issued by
he postmaster general not only
all railroads, steamboats,
md other mail contractors 10 afford
hem free passage, but require that
hey shall be respected and obey
d." They are called upon to rate
Up the salaries OF clerks, and inves-
igate the demands Of pOstmasters
Jr additional help, as wen as to sift
very case where there is reason TO
elieve that the mails are being sub
ected to improper uses.
The detection OF dishonest postal
Jerks is almost certain in the long
an, but there are instances where
have been carried on
ears before discovery. One dis
onest clerk will temporarily cast a
tadow OF suspicion over many
thers. This class ofwork. however,
but one portion Of Inspectors
uties. They are also required TO
How up cases where parties have
At the-mails- - -improper- uses Of
ny kind. Que Of the most import
II of their functions is the SUPER
sion OF fosfoflices or the fnst,
,cond and third classes, and the iu-
OF any charges Of I'M
Helcucyor fnisdemeanors preferred
yainst the postmasters themselves.
r.. ald r. T..r, Nov, Tr;.Is