Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-08-01
POSTAL CLERKS LOT

POSTAL CLERKS LOT
Howthe Employees OF the Unit
ed States Mail S~erviceHandle
the Matter on Moving Trains.
A party Of gentlemen sat In the corridor
OF . hotel last evening, enjoying their
Havanas and relating experiences con-
nected with different vocat,ons which they
had followed. Among them was q man
who is at present interested in one OF
Rochester's largest wholesale houses, says
the Rochester Union, but was formerly In
the employ Of the government, having
worked for many years as postal clerk on
the New York Central Railroad. Il
worked" said he, ''for several years as
postal clerk IN the railroads in the
southern states, but IS my home had al
ways been In this city l asked to be trans
ferr ed to some line In this state, which
would enable me TO live among my friends.
My request was finally granted, and l was
appointed to . position as night clerk on
the Central-H hudson, running from SYRIA
cuse to New York.
IAN incident connected with my ap-
pointment is worth relating. The man
whom l succeeded was suspected of ap-
propriating letters that contained money,
and a detective was detailed to watch
his movements while at work. It was
discovered that he frequently, while sort
ing the letters, threw one into a pigeon
hole in the desk before him, and at the
end of the route would place those letters
in his pocket. The detective watched this
proceeding on several occasions, and fin
ally arrested him upon his arrival in New
York City at the end of q trip, There was
found upon his person about fifty letters,
all addressed 10 q large jewelry firm in
New York and containing nearly 500.
As he had been in that position for six
months 1t was difficult to estimate the az.
gregate sum that he had stolen during that
time, but it is probable thst he amassed a
small fortune.
LETTERS WIT MoNEY IN THEN.
ITO a person who has had no expert
ence in the business It must seem difficult
for q clerk to ascertain by merely handling
q letter whether o fnot it contains money
but a maj who has sorted mail matter for
three months will know . money letter a.
soon as he touches It. There are, how.
ever. few cases Of the kind, and the one l
have told you of is the only one of which /
had direct knowledge during my expert
ence in the service.
THE life which l was obliged to lead
was q hard one" continued the ex-post
clerk. I'VE would leave Syracuse at 8
o'clock in the evening and arrive in New
York on the following morning. On some
occasions we would finish our work before
reachingth the metropolis, and In such q case
would fix a bed upon M of the tables.
using q small sack for q pillow. After
arriving in the city and procuring break
fast, we proceeded to the dOrmitory in the
federal building, which is supported by the
government, and occupied by the clerks at
but a triiing expense to themselves. This
dormitory is situated In the dome of the
building and contains about sixty beds.
Upon entering each clerk is obliged tn
register his name, the line upon which he
runs and the time he wishes to be awak-
ened. We usually start OH the return trip
about 4 O'Clock in the afternoon and
worked steadily until 6 o'clock the next
morning, when we arrived in Syracuse.
l have often arrived in New York. after
making the down trip, when the train
was several hours behind time. and had
barely time enough to get q lunch and
commence work on the return trip, thus
working, for two nights In succession
without sleeping.
IGNORANT OF BUSINESS MATTERS
..During my experience In the service 1
came in contact with many OF the en-
ployes and found them to be, in the ma
iority Of cases, men Of considerable cul-
ture and intelligence. They are usually
fairly well educated and Informed upon
current topics. but like many men in the