The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-07-10
NAIL THIEVES.
Cricks of Rascals Who Rifle Uncle
Sans Letter Boxes.
nuch Money Is Annually Pilfered from
Envelopes by Expert Operators
Schemes by Which They
Are Caught.

One of the few cases of recent occur
,ence where money has been stolen in
the New York postoffice happened in
March, 1905, when o clerk named Lagan
was detected in secreting letters.
1t was his duty to distribute the let
ters into boxes, and as he did this rapid
ly he managed to throw about one out
of five into his vest, which was really q
large pouch open at the top. Lagan was
sentenced to three years in prison.
In the fall of 1891 a gang of expert
thieves was found to be plundering mail
boxes oil over the country. In each city
they would proceed IN the same manner,
their first care being to get possession
of the paddock attached to mail box,
which they could easily do by saving
through the staple.
Having procured this lock, 1t was
child's play for them to make key
which would fit 1t, and this key would
open any mail box in the city.
Having provided themselves with the
key, the rest was plain sailing. Every
evening one of the thieves, disguised in
Ullc lSS ultLUlOn WOulu lutt4AC LIS
round from box to box in the most open
way, being practically free from inter
ference or suspicion, since not even the
policeman in any neighborhood or resi-
dents there would have any idea that
he was not q postman, perhaps o new
one, and he would be left free to go
ahead with his depredations.
~ ,4@J o1x
be brought to the rooms occupied by the
thieves and there carefully examined.
Every letter would be opened, either by
steaming the envelope or with PEN
knife, and If found to contain nothing
valuable would be resealed and mailed
again, so as to lessen the chances of
suspicion. Of course, money and all ar
ticles of value were retained, and q
great quantity of checks We're obtained
in this way, the latter being In many in
stances raised" or "altered" so that
the conspirators were able to realize
large sums on them.
The originator of this ingenious
scheme of robbery was Prentiss Tiller.
who is now Serving time" in the jack
5oA PCIlACShl4uAy " WhIlO LIS oSSoAlPiISCo
We're sentenced to from 10 to Is years.
AS 1t Is almost impossible to take
postofIice thieves in the act of robbing
the mails, the inspectors have to rely
upon ruses in discovering the guilty
clerk or employe. One of the most COM
mon and successful devices Is that of
the test letter, trap in which many
Rorhf- n1,oTNlNxroa haxra honr
taken.
After weeks, sometimes months, of
surveillance, the question Of guilt Is
narrowed down to two or three men,
upon whom the decoy Letter or package
is then tried.
d. For instance, if the complaints have
been in regard to small pieces of Jew
elry, such as are often sent through the
mail, the test letter will contain scarf
pin or pair of sleeve buttons, inclosed
IN such way that they can be plainly
felt by anyone handling the letter.
And If money has been stolen, then
the letter is prepared with bank notes
wrapped in thin paper, so that they can
be readily seen on holding the letter up
to the light. Whatever is inclosed in
the letter is marked In such a way that
1t may be easily identified afterward.
Thus prepared, the test letter is
mailed in the district from which came
the letter in regard to which complaint
has been made. The letter is posted by
one of the inspectors, who, unknown to
the postman, stands near by and
watches until the letter is gathered up.
Returning to the office, the inspector
pouch which is to carry 1t to it's destina,
tfon. If it is not there the field of sus
picion Is narrowed down to the postman
who carried 1t from the box to the office
and to the clerks who handled it while
being stamped and put in the mail
pouch.
If the letter is found In the pouch,
then 1t Is checked at every subsequent
point where 1t Is liable to be handled,
the checking being done by the inspect
or In charge, who in no instance inter
feres until the usual opportunity for
theft has been accorded.
AS soon as the inspector who Is on the
trail of test letter finds that 1t has dis
appeared, and concludes from his check
system that 1t must have been abstract
ed by one of two or three men, he i'm
mediately orders those men to be taken
to a private room and searched
searched thoroughly, so that if the tell
tale bill or object is on their person it
must be discovered.
There are many complaints of money
lost in the mails, which upon investiga-
tion prove to have their source In the
dishonesty of employees. Porters, office
boys, petty clerks, all have opportuni-
ties to take what they know are valu-
able letters, and often avail themselves
of them.
For instance, only short time ago
many complaints were received from
the Presbyterian missions, which were
losing money at an extraordinary rate
The culprit proved to be their Office boy,
lad of 16, with q salary of four dollars
q week. SIe confessed his fault, and
said that he had spent the money in
taking his girl to the theater; that they
went two or three times q week, and
that he liked to give her small presents.
There are many similar cases, and a
remarkable feature of them is that
often the people who have made tha
complaint refuse to press it when they
know 1t concerns enc of their employees,
and sometimes they do not even dis
charge Abe offender.-Boston Globe.
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