The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-17
TIE LETTERS WERE OPENED
Resident Manager s. @. Pardee Of the
Fidelity and Casualty Com
pany I Accused.
Charged by His Assistant With Taking
Personal Mail From n Post
Office Box.

Postal Inspector Monroe and United
States District Attorney Knight began an
investigation yesterday of serious charge
made against S. c. Pardee, resident man.
ager of the Fidelity and Casualty Company
of New ork.
Pardee is accused of opening letters that
came through the United States mail and
were not addressed TO him, and also of
making false representations at the Post
office whereby he obtained mail from the
box of Charles Watson, the assistant resi-
dent manager of the Fidelity and Casualty
Company.
The Postoffice officials are implicated in
the matter, as they had no authority to
give Pardee access TO Watson's private box,
and when it is known in Washington that
Pardee was allowed to take letters adj
dressed to another person out OF the Post
office trouble is expected.
The postal people received a protest
fir ON Watson, who demanded an investi-
CATION, but instead of getting any satisfac-
ton from them he was surprised TO learn
that the whole matter was dropped.
After waiting for some time Watson grew
impatient and retained an attorney, upon
whose complaint the authorities were
10 investigate Tile Clldl SCS
against Pardee, although doing SO was dis
tasteful to themselves.
Watson was indignantfwhen asked for a
statement Yesterday. 81 came here on
December 10 last said he. any mail
was addressed to the office at 219 Sansome
street, where Mr.. Pardee opened it with
out my consent or knowledge. l stood 1t
for four or five days and then got box in
the Postoffice for my own private mail.
On January 80 left town for a two weeks
visit to Southern California.
"On my return | found that Pardee had
gone TO the Postotfice and on some kind OF
false representation got hold of my mail
daily. He opened family letters that We're
private and not intended for me, and what
do you think he said?
Z" Il thought your letters were on business
of this Office, and, therefore, l felt that
had perfect right to open them
"Mr. Pardee is a stranger to me. He
was sent here last December from the home
office as local manager, and we met for the
first time in the office here.
II entered protest with the Postmaster,
who thereupon assured me there would be
an investigation. But / heard nothing
about the matter afterward. Not wishing
to let the charges drop | retained an attor-
ney. He forced the authorities to inves-
tigate this business, and the examination
began this morning. 1t is a very serious
assurance that his private letters will be
regarded by the postal officials as inviolate
| as the law provides, or redress for such a
fragrant violation of the law of the land"
City Inspector Meares at the Postoffice
stated he regarded the matter as "squab-
bic between partners"
eve do this right along he said. "If a
business man comes here and says his
manager or one of his employees is in the
country, and he believes that some of the
correspondence addressed to that employee
relates to his business, we give him the let
tiers. 1t would be a hardship to refuse.
! We gave Mr.. Pardee access to Mr.. Watson 8
| letter box on such representations.
1.-THE case is now in the hands of Inspec-
tor Monroe for investigation"
! Pardee explained that he thought Wat
sons mail contained matters relating to
| his company's business, and for that rea-
| son he had the right to open the letters,
which, in his opinion, were on office affairs.
! He called upon Postmaster McCoppin yes
terday, but was refused an interview on
the charges.
The extreme penalty for the offense with
which Pardee is charged is fine of $500
and one year in the penitentiary.