The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-21
Els FIRST TRIP WAS TO JAIL.
Unfortunate Young Man in Main Sees the
Toni Iont Cars.

Bangor, Me-, Sept. 20.-United States
Postal Inspectors w. b. Snow and J. NJ
White were in this city today. on their
return from Columbia Falls, near Ellis
worth, where they arrested assistant
postmaster Joe Crandon on a charge
of robbing the mails.
For several months the postoffice Off
Gals have had trouble in getting let-
tiers through the postoffice at Columbia
Falls from points east of there for
which that is a distributing office.
Mortified, JOnesb0ro. Addison, Wesley
and other towns in that part of Wash
ington county.
The mails going eastward from these
points remain over night in the Column
bia Falls postoffice, and as soon as
complaints were made by parties liv-
ing there that letters TO Boston and
New York parties containing remit
t2nceS had not acfed their destination
attention was Immediately turned TO
this distributing point of mail matter,
as very likely holding the key to the
iTrerularity.
The letters about which complaints
had been made were directed 10 Bos-
Ton and New York business houses. the
larger number having been addressed
TO two Boston dry goods firms. They
were sent by customers, and contained
sums of greater or less amounts for
various kinds Of goods
Messrs. Snow and White were given
the case. and on their third visit 10 that
section rhey located the case at Column
Bis Falls office. Their plan was TO mail
decoy letters. seven OF which were
mailed at Jonesport at intervals OF a
few days. not one Of which found its
way through the distributing office at
Columbia Fails.
When the facts We're made clear the
work Of the inspectors was brought
down 70 very narrow compass. II was
known that Joe Crandon. the assistant
postmaster. who attended 20 the duty
OF asserting the mail at night for the
morning connection west, slept in the
postothce building. and il was decided
that he had some knowledge of the
nOn-3rrival of the letters.
Accordingly the officers visited his
room at an early hour this morning.
Crandon was not in. but he was found
upon the street soon after. sad was
taken into custody.
He sSoutly maintained his Innocence
and treated the suspicion Of the officers
with Indifference But when a search
Of his person commenced he made =
clean confession Of his transactions.
although doing il with considerable self
command. The search revealed twelve
letters upon his person, some Of which
We're d2coy letters.
II Is claimed that Crandon has been
ToeninS the mails for 4 cOnsid ara BE
;ime Ills plan has been 10 take such
letters directed 10 business houses in
Boston snd New York as he SUSPECTED
contained money. end open them. Those
found with remittances were DESTROYED
tire money beng kept by him. while
others were scaled up and Forwarded.
CrGDdon was avraigned before United
States Commissions Dunton ~ Els
worth this morning. and in default Of
s. 600 bail Was committed n jsH
Crandon has been very popular. He
Is seventeen, although lie looks sor,,,-
what older. IS about six feet tall ana
a isne appearing fellow. He has hon
a pitcher IN 4 baseball team this sum-
fler, has been popular with young u ON
e.. AID a times has been thought -
nave been rather exsravagant in the
Spending - his money.
t5e al rarely been outside u his ~
axe village ard had never seen = r.u-
&c q, tratn before his trip This morning
10 Ellsworth