The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-05-05

OF the inspectors. who, unknown to the
postman. stands near by and watches
until the letter Is gathered up. Return
ing TO the Office the inspector notes
whether the letter Is in the mall pouch
which Is to carry It to It's destination.
III II Is not there, the field of suspicion
ID narrowed down to the Dostman who
carried 1t from the box to the office and
TO the clerks who handled 1t 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 inspector in
charge. who in no instance interferes
has been accorded.
AS soon as the inspector who is on the
trafl OF test letter finds that II has
disappeared and concludes from his
check system that ii must have been abb
stracted by one of two or three men, he
immediately orders those men to be
searched thoroughly, so that II the tell
tale bill or object is on their person 1t
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 1t is not difficult TO
locate the thief. A very sad and vet in
terestlng case occurred In Yonkers in
the late winter of 1895. Valuable let
ters ana packages were being missed
ana many complaints were received by
me Postoffice, which sent Inspector
Jacobs to ferret out the thief The
usual test letters were sent, and came
through all right, no one knowing of
the matter save the Postmaster and the
chiet of carriers, a man named Walter
W. Robinson. Robinson was man of
unusually pleasing appearance, and was
prominent in the church circles: he was.
IN ract, what Is termed n general favor
ite, both with his employers and ac-
quaintances, and suspicion had not once
Iallen upon him. Indeed, he had been
the Postmaster's chief aid in investi-
satng the crime. and had given the de-
tectiHes every help possible When 1,
was suggested that he might be the
tnlei' the idea was Indignantly repudi-
ated, but the inspector still chung to
ms Theory and sent n test letter, of
which neither Mr.. Robinson nor the post
| master were Informed. 1t was lost. An
other ana still Il third met with the
same fate; then Robinson was searched.
ana the marked money was found upon
MS person. He then broke down. plead
ed guilty at the trial and was sentenced
70 Two years and six months in the
Kings county prison.
lhere are many complaints of money
| uost lES the malls, which upon investi-
cation prove to have their source I'm the
dlshonesty of employees Porters Office
boys, petty clerks, all have opportuni-
Ties to take what they know are valua
ble letters, and often avail themselves
or them. For instance. only short
| TIME ago, many complaints were re-
| celved from the Presbyterian Missions.
which were losing money Mt an extra
| ordinary rate. The culprit proved to be
their office boy a lad of sixteen with
salary of 81 week. When searched
| VIC was found upon him, as well as
| over $40 worth of stamps which he had
| Just taken from .;he drawer He CON
| fessed his fault and said that he had
| spent the money in taking his girl 10
/ the theatre, that they went two or three
times week, and that he liked TO give
her small presents. There are many
| similar cases and a remarkable fea-
| ture OF them is that often the people
who have made the complaint refuse to
| press 1t when they know 1t concerns
one of their employees. and sometimes
they do not even discharge the Offender.
1t may be surprise for some to know
that the safety of registered letter is
not guaranteed by the postofflce and
| that it does not hold itself responsible
| for the loss of n registered letter al
though 1t Will, OF course, do everything
| In Its power 10 hunt II up anu find the
thief If there is one. Owing 10 the
snethod of checking registered letter
from one station to another. 1t is gene
rally easy TO find the point where the
letter dropped out OF sight: and most
Of the complaints IN this department
as we'll as that of the Special Delivery
Departures; are complaints of delay
rather than loss.