Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-06
CAUGHT In THE ACT
OPENED REGISTERED LETTERS
And Then cieve1ly Sealed the Envelopes
Again-Hs IL the Son Of Nor
ley's Postmaster.

Gilbert Ball. q young man IL years
old. and deputy postmaster At Morley.
WAS arrested yesterday by Deputy
United States Marshal Brewster Ola .
charge Of taking money from registered
letters. He Was brought TO this caiy
and arraIgned before United States
Commissioner McQuewan AZ O'Clock
last evening. The young man waived
examination and the commissioner held
him to the grand jury in the sum Of
81 900. In default OF bail he was
confined IN the county jail here to
await the action Of the grand jury.
The story OF yonng Balls system Of
robbing the mails and the manner IN
which he was detected IL q new one,
his plan of operations being original so
far As the knowledge OF the United
States postal authorities extends in
such cases. Orville Ball. father OF the
young man, Is postmaster and he ap-
pointed his son deputy.
Contained NO Money.
Somewhat over year ago complaints
from the Offices surrounding Morley
began to pour into the department at
Washington, that registered letters
were received containing no money.
Trouble from the source ceased IL June
OF last year, but in tho following
November the thieving began again.
Postal Inspector j. J. Larmour was de.
tailed by the department to trace down
the SQUIRE of the robbery. He went to
work with decoy letters and marked
kill 10 kn v,.;r - 81
office, but nothing occurred TO furnish
the Official with q clue. The manner
in which The money had been extracted
from the letters was soon discovered.
Ii WAS found that tho outer or large
envelope which contained the smaller
one had in each case been cleverly
opened. The flap OF the envelope had
been raised at one end and the envelope
had been cut across with sharp knife,
making an opening through which the
inner or small envelope containing the
money had been taken. The small en-
veiope had been steamed and opened.
Neatly Sealed Again.
After the money had been extracted
the envelope was resealed and put back
into the larger envelope. The raised
flap had been reseaied with mucillage
so neatly that the opening through
which the letter had been taken was
covered. entirely concea!ing its exist
ance. The inspector finally concluded
that the work had been done at the
Morley office and on Thursday he
mailed q registered letter at Sylvester,
a few miles from Morley, addressed to
Boston and marked the bills enclosed.
He aud Deputy Marshal Brewster
boarded q q. Il. Il /. train yesterday
morning and waited the result. When
few miles south of Morley the officers
went into the postal car where the
clerk was distributing mail and
the inspector at once recognized his
marked letter. He took the package
aud opened it across the end, when he
discovered the same condition as had
characterized the disturbed letters on
former occasions. The money had
also been taken from the smaller en-
velope.
Confessed the Theft.
The officers left the train at Howard
City and took freight train back to
Morley. They found the young man
and his chum in small printing office
which they were operating themselves.
Ball was asked what he did with the
money he took from the registered let
ter the night before. The question was
a complete surprise to the young man,
but upon being pressed he made
clean breast of the whole mat
ter and opened drawer in the
Office, revealing SIT, among which
were the two 81 bills and the 81 bill
that had been put into the registered
letter by Inspector Larmour. The
young man then confessed that he had
been taking money from letters for
some time. The Inspector during his
Investigations had accumulated nine.
teen letters that had been opened a.
described. Money lost in this way has
been reported to the amount of $120
up to date. Mr.. Ball, father Of the
young man, WAS taken by surprise by
the revelations made by the officers
and was nearly Frustrated by his sons
crime. The boy is bright, intelligent
fellow aud was respected by his neigh
bors and associates. His habits have
been considered as exemplary, and no
cause for his actions could be assigned.
His father IA n prominent member IF