The San Francisco call., 1896-09-23

This table shows the gradual increase in the
number OF postohces from the time when
mails were transported almost entirely on
horseback 10 the present day OF steam and
electricity. The records of this bureau fail to
give the number of Offices in existence in 1918.
With the exception OF a slight decline in 1912,
the table shows a steady increase from 1890 to
1853 when for several years the variation was
slight until 1865, during which year 1929
offices in excess OF the number established
were dropped from the records, owing to the
disorganized condition OF affairs at that time.
Since that date the number has steadily in
creased.
OF the twenty postoffices in the Territory of
Alaska, but one has reached the Presidential
class. Juneau was made third-class Office on
the 1st day OF April last.
Since the organization of the In spector force,
quarter OF century ago, it has not simply
developed in numerical strength, but has Sc
cured such high character and effectiveness in
its personneI as to entltle it to rank as one of
the most important adjuncts of the postal SER
vice.
Under the head of arrests for offenses against
the postal laws it is shown that during the
year there were 2074, OF which number 15S
were pOstmasters, 80 were assistant postmas-
ters, 43 were clerks In postofiiceS Id were rail-
way postoffice clerks, "a were letter-carriers,
~ were malicarr1ers and 8 Others were en-
ployed in minor positions in the postal SER
vice. Four hundred and seventy postoffice
burglars were arrested, while the remainder of
ostal service, who were arrested for various
offsnses against the postal laws. OF this num-
ber 1108 cases were disposed OF i'll the United
States courts and SO in the State courts.
There were 1921 postoffices burglarized dur
ing the fiscal year 1894, and 1861 Offices sub
1ected to- the same class OF depreciation in
1895. or decrease of per cent while during
the last year there were 1474 reports OF
burglaries received, or further decrease of a
little less than 8 per cent for the year. and a
decrease OF little over per cent as com
pared with 1894. On the other hand, while
the burglaries are shown to be on the increase
the number OF burglars apprehended indicates
corresponding increase. During the year
1894 there were 351 of these offenders ar
rested. In 1895 the number of burglars cap
tured was 423, being an increase of % per
cent, and during the last fiscal year 40 such
criminals were apprehended, making an in
crease OF 10 per cent over the previous year.
Thus, while the number of postoffices depre-
dated upon by this dangerous class of crimi-
mails has steadily decreased during the past
two years, the number of offenders arrested
has increased nearly 81 per cent.
The final pages of the report are rem
dered peculiarly interesting by a brief
synopsis of some of the special cases suc-
cessfuily prosecuted during the last year,
and they afford an insight into the meth
ods employed by postoffice inspectors.
Among these cases may be mentioned
that of William B. Marsh, tried and con-
victed of robbery of the mail stage near
Houston, Idaho: the robbery of the mail
stage near Spearfish, s. D., by George r.
Hayes and Ulysses G. Pitts; the holdup
and robbery of the Oregon mail train near
Riddle, Or; the arrest of George Carson
and Sidney Yennie, who were implicated
with Killoran, Allen and Russell in a
number of bold daylight robberies of post
Office safes, wherein the robbers secured
thousands of dollars worth of stamps;
and the apprehension of Abe Rothschild.
who, though only forty-five years old, has,
according TO his own confession, over two
hundred criminal charges against him in
the United States, distributed in every
State and Territory, and VINO has COM
mitted crimes in Canada, Mexico. Cuba,