Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02

to lessen tho chances of suspicion. Of
and all r aefs sus of value
checks were obtained in this way, the lat
ter being in many instances raised" or
altered" so that the constructors were
abe TO realize large sums on them,
For months these operations were carried
on successfully in many cities, the gang
going through the country and making
their appearance here or there with the
regularity of theatre company. The
losses finally became so extensive and COM
plants so numerous that Chief Inspector
Wheeler took the matter in hand, and de-
| tailed four of the most skllful inspectors in
/ the service, Inspector Jacobs of New York,
| Inspector Sproesser of Washington, In
/ spector Williams of st. Louis and Inspector
| Holmes of Cincinnati, to take charge of the
case. These men worked all through the
| summer of 1891, following various clues,
ard finally located the thieves in Denver.
| From there they followed them to Dallas,
Tex, thence to New Orleans, and SO on
east finally capturing three of them in At
lanta.
The three men were confined on suspicion
in the local Jail, and as the evidence against
them was not yet sufficient for sure con-
| Vlcton, Inspector Jacobs allowed himself
10 be arrested as counterfeiter and was
placed In a cell so near those of the mail
box thieves that he could overhear their
talk. From what he picked UP in this way,
ne gained overwhelming evidence proving
not only the guilt of the prisoners in the
long series Of mail robberies all over the
country, but also that Of certain Harry
Armstrong, another member of the gang
VINO was afterward captured in New York.
II atterward TRANSFERRED that the origin
ator OF this ingenious scheme of robbery
was Prentiss Tiller. who is now Serving
time IN the Jackson penitentiary. while
his accomplices were sentenced TO from
ten to fifteen years.
Tracing the Theft.
AS 1t is almost impossible to take post
ofilce thieves in the act of robbing the
mails. the inspectors have to rely upon
ruse in discovering the guilty clerk or en-
ploye One of the most common and sue
cessful devices is that of the test letter. a
Trap In which many light-fingered EN-.
ployes have been taken For Instance in
the New York post Office as soon as a com
plant Is made. Chief Inspector Ashe de-
talls one or two of his inspectors to in
.estgate the case. After weeks. some
times months. of surveillance, the question
OF quit IS narrowed down to two or three
| men. upon whom the decoy letter or pack
age Is then tried. This test letter is cum
nlhEly prepared SO as to awaken temnta-
tioii, Its contents being chosen SO as TO he
similar Ill character to the articles or OBJ
3ects that have been stolen. For instance,
II the complaints have been in regard 10
small pieces of jewelry such as are often
sent TN ouSh the mail, the test letter will
contain scarf pin or pair of sleeve but
IONS lnciosed in such way that they can
be plainly felt by any one handIjnT tho
letter. And if money has been stolen thu
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
nght. whatever is inclosed in the letter
Is marked in such a way that it NAV he
easily identified afterward
mus 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 in
spectors, who, unknown to the postman,
stands nearby and watches until the Letter
RatnrDinpy IN tI,n np;o
inspector notes whether the letter is in
the mail pouch which is 10 carry il to its
destination II 1t is not there, the field of
suspicion is narrowed down to :he most
man who carried it from the box 10 the
office and to the clerks who handled Il
WINE peing stamped and put in the mail
pouch If the letter is found in the pouch
then It is checked at every subsequent
point where it is liable to be handled The
checking being done by the Inspector in
charge, who in no instance nterferes until
the usual opportunity for theft has been
accorded
AS soon as the inspector VINO is On the
trail of test letter finds that Il has dis
appeared and concludes from his check
system that il must have been distracted
by one of two or three men, he immediate
ly orders those men to be taken to a prl-
vate room. and searched. searched thor
oughly, so that If the telltale bill or object
/ is on their person it must be discovered.
A Successful Decoy Letter.
In the smaller post offices there are many
more opportunities for stealing letters and
packages than in the large ones. but owing
to the limited size of the force employed it
| is not difficult to locate The thief. A very
sad and yet interesting case occurred in
Yonkers in the late winter of 1885. Valu-
able letters and packages were being miss
cd and many complaints We're received by
the post office. which sent Inspector Jacobs
to ferret out the thief. The usual test let
tiers were sent and came through all right
no one knowing of the matter save the
postmaster and the chief of carriers, a man
named Walter w. Robinson. Robinson was
| a man of unusually pleasing appearance,
and was prominent in the church circles:
he was. in fact, what is termed g general
favorite, both with his employers and ac-
[>MIl| @-@