Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-03-08
ARREST OF A LETTER-CARRIER.
Thomas Finn Arrested Friday for
Embezzllng Mail.
Postofflce Inspector Maxwell Takes the
EinbeES,er Before Commissioner 5. II.
Smith,


Postoffice Inspector Maxwell Takes the
Embezs,er Before Commissioner $. II.
Smith.
A profound sensation was created in
official circles around the Federal build
ing at Sixth and King streets Friday by
the arrest OF Thomas Finn, letter
carrier charged with abstracting letters
containing money from tho United
States mail.
lie was taken in custody about 10
O'Clock by Postofiice Inspectors William
j. Maxwell and Thomas Toy of Wash
ington, who found him on King street,
near Sixth.
lie was taken to the postmastcr's
office, where he made confession to the
inspector. He said his populations had
been in progress for several months and
that lie had utilized his Ill gotten gains
in excessive Indulgence in drink.
Finn was then turned over TO United
States Marshal Hewson Il. Lannan, who
placed him in cell in the custom house
preparatory to his going before United
states Commissioner s. redmond Smith.
For over year tho postotlice lnspec.
tors have been on Films track. 1t was
reported to the office almost twelve
months ago that some one was sys-
tematically plundering the mail, as let.
tiers containing sums of money were
going astray. At first the authorities
were unable to trace the source Of the
population until finally suspicion fell
upon Finn. From that time Oh he has
been kept under close surveillance.
Decoy letters marked money were
placed IN the red boxes at different
points on the letter carriers route, which
comprises u portion of the Tenth ward.
Time and again the letters failed to
reach their destination. Then the authori-
ties knew that hc was the guilty man, as
they had seen HIM approach the letter.
boxes and take out the mail, including
the letters which were marked money"
and which were merely decays. He was
Swallowed and when he failed to turn
the stolen letters in he was marked" as
the guilty man, 40 no one else had an
opportunity to obtain possession of the
missing mail. His arrest followed.
Finding that he had been neatly
trapped, Flinn broke down under ex.
animation by Inspector Maxwell and
acknowledged his crookedness and told
how he had spent the money in drink.
The warrant was issued by Commits.
sloner Smith Friday morning and the
charge was brought under Section 8 ACT
Of the United States Revised Statutes.
lie is charged with "secreting, embez-
cling and destroying letters entrusted to
his care The penalty is not less than
one year nor more than five years.
Finn is u married man and has sew
eral children. He is 35 years old and
resided at No. 1900 West Second street.
TWAS learned from postotIlce official
last Friday that Flinn's populations
had reached approximately over hun
dred dollars, and that he had been
engaged in the work for several months.
lie left the office at 6.15 o'clock that
morning to continue on his route in
Browntown ard returned to the Federal
building about 0.45 o'clock.
He turned in his mail and started to
leave the building when Inspector Max.
well followed him and took him in Gus
tody on King street. He was brought
back and searched and the decoy letters
containing money found in his pockets.
One letter contained $3.50 and was
addressed to a person in this city. Sevo-
raj other letters containing money were
found and were intended for out-of- town
residents. Finn acknowledged that it
was his intention TO rifle them as soon
as he got at a safe distance from the
postoffice.
1t is also stated that complaints have
been coming in thick and fast from
people residing on Films district, as
many as eight complaints having
reached the post-ofllce in one day.
Finn was given hearing before Com.
missioner Smith at 2 o'clock and waived
a hearing for the April term of the
United States court. Bail in the sum of
$1,000 was demanded. He was COM
mitted to the care of Marshal Lannan.
He was rearraigned before Commissioner
Smith on saturday upon the charge of
taking from the mail u letter addressed to
the Leonard Publishing Company of
Albany He was required to furnish $500
additional bail. He was sent to New Castle.