The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-28
BAKING PONDER.
MONEY LOST IN THE MAILS.

Postmaster Haines Has Word Of
Warning for Those Who Put Bills
in Letters.
Don't send money through the mails.
This is the advice which Postmaster
Haines requests the MORNING News to
give the patrons of the Savannah post
office.
''You have no idea,'' said Mr.. Haines
yesterday, "of the number Of complaints
that l receive Of the loss of money sent
through the mails, or rather the loss OF
letters containing money. Why 1t IS that
people will persist in sending money IN
letters in this enlightened day and age
when a money order or postal note can
be obtained for a few cents, l cannot i'm
agine. The fact is that many people do
this and that grea, many OF them sutfer
loss by it. Complaints on this line are re-
ceived almost daily.
People should understand that money
sent in unregistered letters through the
mails is exposed to a very great danger of
being stolen and the possibility of detect
ing the thief is very small indeed. 1t is
almost impossible to trace an ordinary
letter. even for a short distance, and the
government inspectors have no clue
whatever to work upon in such cases.
The dishonest employees of the postoftice
department understand this fact. 1t is
very simple matter for an employe engaged
in handling letters to discover if any letter
contains money. If he is dishonesty dis
posed, all he has to do is to lay aside
letter which he thinks contains money
until such time as he can examine it at
leisure. BY running a little pick with
small hook at the end through the letter
from one side he can easily ascertain if
the letter contains greenback, or he can
1,
Of the envelope and open the letter. If
the letter contains money he sticks it in
his pocket until such time as he can eX-
anime it unseen.
After abstracting the money the letter
is destroyed. This is why so many let
tiers which contain money never reach
their destinations. AS no record is kept
of ordinary letters it is matter of i'm
possibility almost to tell into whose hands
it fell last. Many people do not seem to
be aware of this fact, and seem to ex-
pect US to trace up their lost letters
About the only way in which the
inspectors can detect the thieves
is to send decoy letters which they
know will pass through the hands of
the suspected parties. If the decoy is
taken a watch is kept upon the suspected
party. 1t sometimes takes months to
faSten the crime upon the guilty party,
even when the inspectors are certain of
his guilt. The thief is bound to be caught
up with some time If he continues his
nefarious practices, but it is too late to be
of any benefit to the parties who have
suffered loss by him. The only safe way
Is to send money by money order or regis
tered letter, and parties who do other
wise are deserving of no sympathy"
Mr.. Haines also requested the attention
of business men who complain of letters
addressed to other parties being placed in
their mail boxes. Instead of handing the
letters back to the mail clerk and then
complaining to him afterward, Mr.. Haines
said the proper thing to do is to bring the
missent letters to him, so that he might
investigate and place the fault where it
belonged BY this means he would soon
be able to put a stop to such carelessness
on the part of the employees of the post
Office, or give them a chance to find other
Jobs