The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-17

| department OF the Union racine Kali
way company under George Curtis, of
| this city, which he held until appointed
assistant postmaster of Kansas City,
Kan, under Postmaster V. J. Lane. He
filed this position during Cleveland's
first term in the presidential office. Just
| before President Harrison'S election
( Mr.. Mapes was elected county clerk on
| the Democratic ticket and served two
years He was then appointed city as
| SCISSOR by Mayor w. A. Coy, Republi-
can, which place he filed until appoint
ed postmaster of Kansas City, Kan, by
President Cleveland in 1893 While in
the employ of the Union Pacific railway
company he served one term as council
man in Kansas City, Kan, and was the
| Democratic nominee for mayor at the
first election after the consolidation Of
the cities at the mouth of the Kaw. He
| withdrew from the race, however, and
T. F. Hannah was chosen
COULD NOT STAND DISGRACE.
No inspection of the office had been
made since Mr.. Mapes was checked IN
three years ago. He was an exception
ally well qualified business man and ex-
| pert bookkeeper. While the shortage
was growing for many months, his re-
ports were so skillfully prepared that no
suspicion was aroused until the last re-
port was examined. Something in 1t
caused it to be reviewed and the depart
ment at once ordered Inspectors George
Sutton and W. L. Reid to proceed at
once to the office and inspect the records
and check the business thoroughly
They arrived in this city for that pur-
pose last Thursday evening, and on Fri
day went to Kansas City, Kan, and
spent a couple of hours on the books.
They were to complete the work, with
Mapes' assistance, on Saturday, but he
failed to be on hand, and they complet-
ed the work alone. They made no state
ment whatever to anyone as to what
they found, and he did not know the re-
suit of their investigation when he Kill
ed himself, except that he knew he was
short and they would learn that fact.
| He also knew that this morning he
would have to hear their charges
against him, and he resolved to die
rather than face the disgrace or his
! crime.
BONDSMEN IN CHARGE
Mr.. Mapes gave a bond for 1000 as
postmaster, his sureties qualifying for
double that sum- They are able TO
make the defalca ton good and the gov
eminent will lose nothing. Assistant
Postmaster Warren refused to give the
names Of the bondsmen, but from out
| side sources the list was given as fol-
lows: Thomas b. Bowling, ]. K. P.
Barker, George Hoersman, Thomas B.
Daley, n. H. Sawyer, D. E. Cornell and
| Senator Edwin Taylor. Three Of the
sureties are good for the entire bond
alone.
The bondsmen were officially notified
Of the suicide of Postmaster Mapes and
of meeting to be held at 100 o'clock
oh n
meet the inspectors for discussion of
the shortage. The bondsmen are now
in charge of the office and will remain
in charge until Mr.. Mapes' successor is
appointed.
SHORTAGE NOT KNOWN.
Until the records of the office have
been thoroughly overhauled and COM
pared with the records of the postoffice
department the exact amount of the
shortage cannot be accurately determ-
ined. Current rumor places the amount
at from s., 900 to S10,O 900. Inspectors SUIT
ton and Reid were asked about the mat
ter last evening and, although they ad-
mitted there was a shortage, they de-
clined to state the amount or discuss
the matter. They are unwilling to make
public any matters that they are inves-
tigating as representa- ives of the gov
eminent. It is known, however, that
the shortage Is confined entirely to the
general postal account, which belongs
entirely 10 the postmaster, and that the
records of the money order department
and South Side station are correct.
That Mr.. Mapes had contemplated
suicide for a time is proved. Nearly
two months ago he was in this city
drinking, when one of his friends found
him and chided him for his bibulous
L, hot h. COR
tainly make trouble for himself with
the government He replied promptly
that he proposed to have a good time,
and when trouble came he would stop
it all with a pistol. His friend paid lit
tie attention to the words at the time.
DRANK TO EXCESS.
The friends of the late postmaster at
tribute not only his shortage but also
his death to excessive drink. They say
he had been drinking heavily for the
past six months and in that way squan-
dred the governments money. His as
sociateS have endeavored time and time
again to get him to quit drinking, but
it seemed like ii was impossible for him
to abstain. He was generous to fault
and would share his last dollar with a
friend or any person in need.
HOW HE BECAME POSTMASTER.
The tragic death of Postmaster Mapes
recalls the story Of the warm fight that
took place for the appointment of a
postmaster of Kansas City, Kan, three
years ago. There were two candidates.
Frank Strickland. and Frank Mapes.
Strickland was for many years lum
Der dealer in this city. but failed. He
seemed to have the inside track" for
the office. when some of the friends of
Mr.. Mapes brought up failure and
Strickland suddenly disappeared. He
was gone for over a year, but returned
and is now engaged again in the lum-
Der business. Mr.. Strickland left while
suffering under a great nervous strain. |
His departure placed him out of the
race and Mr.. Mapes was appointed. |
Thus the political ambitions OF these |
two men caused their downfall
FAMILY HISTORY.
Postma ster Mapes is not the only one |
in that family that met death al his |
own hands. Judge Sharpe, father Of |
Mrs. Mapes, killed himself in Kansas |
City, Kan, about twelve years ago. He !
was one OF the leading attorneys of |
Kansas. but his inability TO control his |
appetite for liquor led him to shoot him
self. This is not the only sad feature of 1
the family history. Fred Mapes, a |
brother of the late postmaster. was run |
over and killed by a Missouri Pacific |
freight train about fifteen years ago. in /
what is now known as the Cypress |
yards.
The Mapes family is closely linked /
with the history of Wyandotte county. /
The father of the deceased postmaster |
came here when the Missouri Pacific /
road was first built 70 Omaha and was !
employed as conductor for many years. /
AT his death he left a large estate 10 /
his widow ard children. Mrs Manes /
I'D shnr-.IH 80. -h.a aaa III o. Ed L