The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-03
ROBBING THE MAILS.
Thieves Who Make a Business
of Plundering the Post.
INCREASE OF TRAIN "HOLD-UPS"
Fortnight Mail Stages stopped Last
Year-GaDgs for Pfllaging Oniees-
Catching Dishonest Employees.

WASHINGTON CITY. Dec. 2S-rSpeciai
spondence- I-Robberies OF trains car
rylng the United States mails BY armed
hIghgaynen have been 50 frequent of late
as 20 alarm the possofzice authorities.
More startling even than any Of the recent
crimes OF this character IN Texas, Colo
rado and Wyoming was the holding up"
Of /. postal conveyance on the public
streets in Chicago the other day, on which
occasion registered matter valued st 81, 20
vas stolen. Well-nigh appalling IS IL 70
consider the fact that fOrty-eight stage
coaches Transporting letters for Uncle
sam were attacked and pIundered dur
ing the last year. Until recently
the ro5bing Of stage bearing
the mails vas q rare occurrence IN
The Southern states, such depredations
being almost wholly confined 70 the wild
West, whore settlements we're sparse and
outlaws numerous. Within the twelve
month ended June %. seventeen coaches
were held up and pillaged in the south,
twenty-eight met 4 similar fate in the
West, two IN the Middle states and one IN
New England.
Eight hundred. and sixtT-eight post
Offices were ro5bed by burglars during the
year. II has been discovered that IN
many cases these crimes were executed bv
organized gangs OF thieves, operating
under directions from q chief at
headquarters IN one big city or
another. New York appears 70 be the
center for the business. As rule the
robbers attack postoiiices far distant from
their headquarters. where they meet 81
intervals and divide the plumber. They
are equipped with appliances for breaking
into the strongest buildings. frequently
employing explosives. cracking safes By
the most expert methods, and not hesi-
tat!ng 70 resort 10 murder on occasions
No wonder that the inspectors OF the de-
partment, when they met in Washington
City fortnight ago, strongly recon-
mended that increased rewards be offered
for the capture Of such criminals.
These inspectors have thrilling expert
ences sometimes in trying 10 capture mail
robbers. One OF the most desperate Grim
inals Of this description vas the notorious
II. W. Burton, otherwise known IS Ham
White. He achieved the repute OF being
the most daring highwayman Of recent
times, and obtained the very remarkable
distinction OF two sentences for life i'm
prisonment. 4 feature OF his work was
that he always did il alone. holding I'd
stage coaches slngie-handed, although him
self cripple. He committed four such rob-
berries in one day near Austin. Tex. No
bandit was ever more courteous than he.
In one case, where he went through a
Tehlcular conveyance on lonely road in
1877, he took SO from one passenger and
gave him back 81 for supper: another,
who was . drummer from Chicago. gave
up SO and got back s. commission for
cash, while third unfortunate was per-
mitted to keep his watch because OF its
sentimental value IS an heirloom.
That particular adventure, which oc-
Cured near Luling, Tex, brought about
Ham Whites arrest. Although sentenced
for life he was pardoned by President
Hayes in 1881. But the business OF high
way robbery had an irresistible fascination
for him and within six weeks he was az il
again. Seeking q new field Of operations
in Arkansas, his lonely figure clad in
brown jean pantaloons. cavalry boots.
slouch hat and mask of black cloth. be-
came very soon a familiar terror OF the
road. His final exploit was the robbing Of
stage between Fayetteville and Alma.
There were fourteen passengers, thirteen
men and one woman, and they were obliged
10 get out one by one while the brigand
covered the head Of each with a cloth
sack, as a preliminary to going through
them. This was invariably his method.
Two hours later he took lunch at the same
hotel with his victims and was interested
in listening TO their stories OF the bravery
which each had exhibited in the irving
ordeal they had been through, although
he SrrhSauva-rfx- =
met with more peaceable party. After
being captured, he made a desperate at
tempt 70 escape from the office of the ialI.
being alone with the jalier. at whose head
he presented dummy pistol which no
had made IN his cell out of leather and
tinfoll. However, the jailer knocked him
down with pair Of shaCkles and Quietly
secured him. His plan was TO get the
keys, lock his guards IN the Jail and run
for 1t.
In the more ambitious OCCUPATION of
robOIng mail trains an unriyaled celebrity
was earned by the famous Reube Burrows
who may fairly be considered 10 nave
been the most remarkable outlaw of the
century. Beginning life as school
teacher he soon found Z more congeniaI
employment IN robbery and murder. be-
taking himself 10 depredations on the
postal service incidentally. His last i'm
portant achievement OF this sort was an
attack upon tram near Buckatunua.
Miss, on the Mobile * Ohio railway. in
September, los9. In this adventure he
vas accompanied by Joe Jackson and
keUbe Smith, two criminals OF almost
equal notorlety. The three Iaen. mounted
the tender and covered the engineer and
fireman with their pistols, proceeding
tAersGpon 10 pIllage the express ana mail
cars, taxing Gil the registered packages
which they found N tie latter.
by ta1s time Eeule Burrows had be-