Evening journal., 1894-03-02
LOCKED UP FOR ROBBERY
Letter-Carrier Finn Caught in
His Perhdy.
INSPECTOR MAXwBLIs DISCOVERY

Finds That Some of the Wilmington
Boys In Gray Are Stealing Uncle Sans
Charges-DeCoy Letters Sent Out and
over These Fllnn Was the First to
Stumble Confessed His Guilt:
Thomas Finn, letter carrier, who
lives at No 1900 West Second street,
was arrested just before noon by Post
Office Inspector Maxwell and Marshal
Lannan. for robbing the mails He con.
fessed the charge and was locked up in
the Federal Building.
Films route is in the southwestern
part Of the city. For some time the res
idents along his route have been COM
planning OF losing money in the mails.
Inspector Maxwell set at work on the
complaints. This morning he sent out
decoy letters, placing marked money in
them in the presence Of witness. On
the return Of Finn from his 10 o'clock
collection and after depositlng the let
ters which he had collected from the var.
ious boxes, he was called into the office Of
Postmaster Stewart as he was about to
leave the Office for his home.
Inspector Maxwell Was In
The office, along with another secret
service man. After Finn had entered,
Mr.. Maxwell stated that complaint had
been made Of money In letters disappear
ing on his route. Finn declared he had
no knowledge of how such could be-
Then Mr.. Maxwell put this question TO
him, what have you. in your pocketsG'
Il have three cents, replied Finn.
"Put Them on the Table.
"Now what else have your.
Nothing" said Finn emphatically
TT is very unpleasant for me, but II
you do not turn out what you have
must search you, and the inspector pro-
ceeded to make good his assertion.
mo you won't" blurted Finn as he
tried TO resist, but the inspector grabbed
him and began the search.
Letters we're taken from three pockets
of the gray uniform. Several of them
had been opened and some had not.
Among them were the decoys When
they had been laid on the postmaster q
table
Filnn Broke Down.
He confessed his perfdy without re.
serve. he said he had been taking
money from letters for about two months
having obtained as much as S. from sons
letters Drink he assigned as the cause
for his acts.
Inspector Maxwell left Finn in the
postma ster's office in charge of his asso-
ciaie, aud went up to United States
Commissioner Smiths office and swore
out a warrant for his arrest. In com.
Il ..Tfk kul hr 4
| the warrant, Inspector Maxwell went
down stairs again and Finn was taker
to the lock up on the third floor
Finn has wife and several small
children. He was appointed on th,
letter carriers force on December 1
1890, by Postmaster Stewart. II is saic
that IN order to get a position II
the government service, he changed hi.
politics, from Democrat to Republican
and did considerable work in the Tenth
ward In the 1890 campaign for the Re
publicans. He declared he would carry
the ward, but his assertions did moi
materislize. He is also bondsman foi
the alleged participants IN prize fight
Charles Stretch and James J. Rodgers
who will have q hearing tomorrow
morning.
His appearance is that of "a disslpate,
man and his confession to committing
the deed on that account is evidentl,
correct.
Thesdefendant was arrested on a war
rant sworn out for the violation of sec
tion 5,466, Revised Statutes of the Unite'
States, the penalty being not NOR
than $500 fine or more thai
three years Imprisonment for robbinl
nails 5,467, as an employe Of the pos
Office department to secret. embezzle o
destroy any letter entrusted In his care
the penalty for this offense be
log imprisonment at hard labo
for mot less than one yea
nor more than. FIVE years; 3, 5,469, any per
son who steals or takes from the. mail
the penalty in this case being also i'm
prisonment at hard labor for not les
than one year nor more than FIVE years
This afternoon Finn was arraigne
before United States Commi ssioner Smit
aud pleaded not guilty. He also waive
hearing for the upper court and wa
, held in 81, 900 bail for his appearance a
, the April term of the United States DlI
trict Court He offered to go on his ow
bail bond. but Mr.. Smith would not a,
. cept it unless he gets some other perso
10 20 on it. also.