Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-08-15

VI WIG AlIlteu FNtSattS are hlotttN WIFI
crime, More than 100 roStmaSterS 70
wrong every year, Over / 900 persons are
annually arrested for trying in some way
OF other to pilfer from the mails, and ON
the average more than two puStntlices are
robbed every day, year In and YEAR out
Last year there was an Increase of 80 per
cent in postotfico hurgArioS, there being
1876 moro such crimes during that time
than in tho year preceding, and within the
past ten years there has been an increase
of 241 per cent in postal rohbcries. Tho
indications are that tho present year will
break the record, and that il will show
more burglarieS than any in our history
The robhing of postotlices is now reduced
TO u science. 1t Is known that there arc
In the country n class of professional bur
glars who devote themselves TO rohbipg
postoftices. They are experts in their line,
and their stealingS equal fortunes They
have their fences, through whom they get
rid of the stamps they steal and every.
thing connected with them seems to be
Systematically organized
They operate in all parts of the couu-
try, though the headquarters of ono of the
biggest gangs seems to be in New York
During the past two or three years they
have become holder than ever. The post.
office department has for some time known
of their existence, and the inspectors arc
working night and day TO wipe them out.
Two years ago the matter was taken up
by congress, and an appropriation of Sl0,-
900 was made to bo used by tho postoflioe
department in the shape of rewards for tho
arrest and detection of such robbers Last
year this appropriation was Increased to
$25, 900, and tho result is that the depart
ment now has standing rewards for noted
postal burglars. 1t is now sending bills
announcing such rewards to the different
detective offices Of the country.
OF all such desperate postoffice robbers
the department has no moro remarkable
case than that Of Rube Burrows. This
man was famous train rohbcr and bur
glar. He had been engaged In n number of
postoffice robberies, and he ended his Ca
reer through an attempt to rob u mail
train in Mississippi in 1889, He had two
confederates, and the three mon entered
the train by way Of the engine. They GOV.
cred the engineer and fireman with their
pistols and then made their way back to
the mail car. They took all of the regis.
tered packages and succeeded In making
their escape. The postofiice department
offered 81 900 for the arrest of Burrows.
The railroads also offered rewards, and a
man named Carter finally captured him.
He was taken to Alabama and was put
into village Jail. Carter had gone Off to
sleep at the hotel. He left white man
and two negroes to guard Burrows. Dur.
ing the night the white man went Off into
a cabin to sleep, leaving the two negroes
alone. Burrows had little canvas bag
with him at the time of his capture. He
asked these negroes to get this for him,
saying that 1t contained some crackers,
and he was hungry. They did this. Bur
rows at once put his two hands into tho
bag, and notwithstanding the handouts
on his wrists pulled out two pistols. With
these he covered the negroes. He made
them go and bind and gag the white man
aud then mace one of the negroes bind the
other. The unbound negro he compelled
to lead him to the room in the hotel where
Carter was sleeping. He made him knock
at the door and say to Carter that he was
wanted at the Jail The result was Carter
opened the door and found himself facing
the cold steel Of Burrows revolvers He
did not finch, however, but pulled his ps-
tol and began firing. A number Of shots
were exchanged, and Burrows was killed
Carter received several wounds, but he re-
covered and got his reward
One of the biggest robberies Of stamps
that the department has ever known was
that which occurred last fall at the bureau
Of engraving and printing The govern
ment until within "a short time has been
having the stamps made by the American
Bank Note company of New York. 1t cost
the government cents Thousand. Now
Uncle Sam makes his own stamps and
saves 800, 900 year by doing So Last
October, however, 1t was found that two
employees Of the bureau had been stealing
stamps by the thousand The officers woke
up one morning to find 10000 Q cent
stamps missing, and 1t was discovered that
these men had sent out short packages to
the various postofiices and had sold the
stamps they stole. There were two women
mixed up In the case, and just before dis
covery the men took satchsl filled with
stamps and ran of with the girls to New
York. They returned within day or so
and went back to work. They denied their
crime upon being arrested, but were con
yicted and are now serving out sentence In
the penitentiary.
A big stamp robbery occurred in Mime
apolis nine years ago. The thieves stole
800, 900 stamps. They did 1t at night,
breaking through the stamp window The
stamps were locked up In the safe, but the
burglars opened 1t with diamond drill.
The value Of their steal was about Sl4,.
600. They took their booty to Chicago and
tried To dispose of 1t there through some
men who acted as postage stamp fences.
They had still ~, 900 worth Of stamps left
when they were discovered. arrested and
sent 10 prison. The gang of burglars In
New York do not seem TO have this trou
BILE in disposing Of their stamps. A vast
amount o. stamps comes into the big cities
in the transmission Of small sums through
the mails. The merchants sell them
through brokers at small discount, and
millions Of stamps are disposed Of In this
way. 1t is estimated that New York uses
90, 900, 900 worth Of postage stamps which
she does not buy Of the government.
There Is no way Of detecting stolen
stamp, and the postage stamp fences thus
have little trouble In getting rid OF the
amounts they buy from the robbers. New
York Herald.
State Care Of school Cbiidreb's Teeth.
Canada may be the first country to In.