The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-24
The names of the robbers were James Shell
ton. Martin c. Smith and r. j. Watkin-
MAIL ROBBERIES

The names of the robbers were James Shell
ton. Martin c. Smith and r. j. watkin.
NAIL ROBBERIES.
Reference was made In my last annual
report to the occasional instances in which
trusted employees. with years Of faithful
and honorable services to their credit. were.
without warning, transformed into thieves.
This popularity has been strikingly illus
trated in several instances during the past
year, the most conspicuous, perhaps, being
that of Major John McDonough. assistant
superintendent of mails at the Boston
postoffice. who was arrested on Feb. 2.
1896, on the charge of larceny from, the
mails. He entered the Boston office as a
clerk in 1864, and was made superintendent
OF carriers in 1883. When the classification
Dill went into efect, in July, 1859. he was
made assistant superintendent of mails.
There was upward of two hundred carriers
employed at the Boston postoffice who
We're under his immediate direction, and in
his general supervision of the carrier force
he had access to all carriers cases. and
consequently TO all mail arriving for de-
past ten years he has assisted postoffice
inspectors in the prosecution of depreciation
work at that office and aided in the capture
and conviction OF a number of dishonest
clerks and carriers. He was one man who
was always implicitly relied upon in the
work of ferreting out losses and irregu-
called upon to assist in the particular in
vestigation which finally led to his own
arrest. He had most excellent war rec
ord, had always maintained a high stand
ing in his native State as an honest, frank,
and fearless man, and commanded the
confidence Of his superiors and the esteem
and respect of the men under his charge.
1t is not easy to understand how man
of his standing and experience could thus
plunge himself and his family into dis
grace through petty populations, which
were all the more dishonorable from the
fact that the letters stolen by the super
intendent had been distributed to the car
riers for delivery, and the loss of these
letters would naturally place under sus-
picion the carrier for whose route they
that the superintendent hoped TO divert sas-
picion from himself and thus prevent the
discovery, of his crimes. He was indicted.
arraigned and pleaded guilty, and was
sentenced to Imprisonment for five years
in the penitentiary at Charlestown, Mass.
"A case very similar in nature 10 the
foregoing was that of the arrest Of Wal
Yonkers, n. Y, postoffice. For more than
a decade there had been series of most
kers postoffice which had taxed the ingenu-
ity Of the postoffice inspectors. These losses
were principally of small amounts of money
contained in both outgoing and incoming
letters. The depredations continued through
the administrations of several postmasters.
and such was the high standing of the car
rier for honesty and integrity that in at
had invariably called him to their assist
ance. Finally suspicion was directed to-
ward him, and when arrested on the morn
ing of March 49, 1885, the most convincing
evidence was found upon his person. When
arraigned in court he pleaded guilty, and
on May q was sentenced to two and one
half years Imprisonment in the Kings
County Penitentiary.
Another instance of this character was
developed in the arrest, on March 49, 1885,
of letter carrier at the Washington I'D.
CO. postofiice, charged with stealing from
the mails. He had been an employee of
the Washington postoffice for nearly a
srres had am ekeeent ep
ton for efficiency and integrity. He was ar
rested with the evidence of guilt upon his
person, and upon trial pleaded guilty 10
the crime for which he was indicted.
Last year witnessed the downfall of one
Of the Oldest employees of the railway mail
service, Benjamin Tufts. He entered the
was regarded well-tried and thoroughly
trustworthy employee. A series of losses on
Tufts route finally, directed ir suspicion to
for embezzling mail by the postoffice in
spectors having the case in charge. His
trial resulted in convection and in De-
cember last he was sentenced to three
years Imprisonment at Joliet, Ill.
1.-The arrest and conviction of Elias Wat
son, distributor in the Chicago postoffice,
was a great surprise to all his acquant-
ances Watson, who is a colored man, had
by his own acts Of integrity won the conf
dence of his fellow citizens. For some
years he was a porter in the Palmer House
bathrooms in Chicago and while acting in
that capacity he one day found a. pocket
book containing over $4,000 belonging TO
wealthy Colorado Senator who was about
to invest its contents in real estate. Wat
son Immediately reported his find and the
money was returned to the owner. On an
other occasion he found a gold watch,
which was likewise returned to the owner.
Several such acts on his part had thorough
ly established his reputation as reliable
and perfectly honest man. 1t is not to
be wondered at, therefore. that great sur
prise was manifested by his friends when
he was sent to the penitentiary FOR pur-
Joining small amounts from ordinary let
ferS."