Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-11
POST OFFICE FRAUDS,
Complicated Schemes Worked Down In
South Carolina to Get Money.
Man Well Known in Washington
Said to Be at the Bead
OF the Frauds-

Spartanburg district, South Carolina, Is
Just now the most attractive section Of the
American continent to the inspectors Of
the Post Office Department A shrewd
scheme and great frauds have been un-
earthed. Already one of the most promi-
nent attorneys in Spartanburg. and until
this trouble one of the most esteemed men
In that part Of the state, is in Jail In deaun
OF A.5o0 bonds. His name IS G. P. Barrett
About one dozen Of his alleged conspirators
are also behind the bars. How many more
arrests in this connection are to follow
the Inspectors cannot say, but the trail
they are now on is redolent with the scent
Of game. The sharpest inspectors of the
department have been working on the case
for two years. During all that time they
have been morally certain that Barrett
was the head and front and the moving
spirit Of the swindlers, but could not touch
him because Of lack of legal evidence.
1t was during the Harrison administra-
ton that Barrett was made referee in the
matter of federal appointments, To him
the department referred all applications
for postmasterships in that district. His
tenure Of office was remarkable for the crea-
ton OF new fourth-class post offices. 1t
that the methods of the referee " ere crook
ed. Work was at once begun. Inspectors
Sharp and Baird were at different times
detailed on the case and although they
probed pretty deeply into the frauds they
did not get sufficient evidence to warrant
arrests. They might perhaps have taken
they were after he whom they believed
to be the leader. Mr.. Barrett. When sus-
pieion was directed so strongly AGAINST
Inspector John p. Clum was put on the
hunt, and he soon caused the arrest of
several parties alleged to be implicated
in the steal A short time ago Inspector
Fred. D. Peer went to work and the arrest
Of Barrett and half dozen Others re
suited. More arrests will follow. The end
Is not in sight.
The methods Of the alleged swindlers Were
complicated and devious. One Of the counts
on which several OF the fourth-class post
masters have been arrested Is defrauding
the government by means of false reports
of stamp cancellations. Forty or fifty Of
fees were established. fourth-class post
master gets no salary. but is allowed a
On the first $50 worth of stamps he is al
Swsa S 10 een Then the
amount stated until the line dividing the
fourth from the third Glars is crossed.
collation. of say $50 in stamps. Perhaps
they may not have Cancelled one-fiftieth
Of that amount. They would then draw
their commission. The stamps left on hand
rett. who would dispose OF them and whack
up the proceeds. The department was
less than cost but could not tin lately
locate the source Of his supply. As an in
stance OF the way things were worked, one
postmaster at Owens. Spartan county The
pace was only a hut in the bSckwoods.
1hen his friend Mr.; MeElrath was made
the woods. two miles UP the road. Owens
resigned and was succeeded by his wife
Then Owens was made special mail car
r1er between these two offices and the rail-
road station of Inman. five miles from the
senior post office. special mail carrier
Is ! allowed as eompen ton one-third of
cancellation Mtr nx,..
would report to the department $50 In cam
Seliations, and make good bit on the lie:
NJ NJ melt 6Msara.n would do likewise. and then
MT owens would receive from the treasury
one-third Of the combined amount of the
reported cancellations. Then, it is said.
there would be general divvy.
The men are also charged with usipc the
mail to defraud. Many Of these postma sters
mad naming letter heads printed setting
town, and II is said that Barrett managed
to have them well rated by Commercial
agencies They would order safes, pianos,
organs. type-writers, desks, furniture and
other valuable articles, get possession of
them, transfer them to a third party by
mortgage, and the rightful owner, in many
dered from an Augusta dealer, and in or
der to recover his property he was compeli-
ed to take long hunt give an indemnity
bond of 500. and pay freight and drayaCe
on the instrument both ways
Another part of the scheme was to order
stun sent through the mails as first-class
first-class matter shall be sent sealed by
the putting on Of one postage stamp and
the residue OF the postage may be collected
at the office Of destination. The schemers
would instruct the maiIers to put on only
one stamp. and leave the rest to them
They would report to the department that
these stamps had been Cancelled, whereas
the stamps had never been put on. II Is
also thought that these willy postmasters
instructed some Of their mailers to remit
to them the postage which might be due
aIter DreD1yment the nf
stamp. or course this amount would be
pocketed. AT present the storm center is
In Spartan county, but it is confidently ex-
ing counties of Pickens, Greenville and
York. Barrett was to have had a prelimi-
nary hearing yesterday In the commission
failed to show up. A short time before his
arrest on these charges, Barrett was In
washington seeking appointment as rail-
road commissioner for South Carolina