The sun., 1896-01-19
THE CRANK LETTER OFFICE
WHERE AMI NAN CAN HAVE HIS
VIETS PLACED ON FILE.
He Gets Omcial Communication Set
ting Forth that His Letter Has Been
Put for Safe Keeping tho File.

WAsHINGToS. Jan. 13-lt Is not generally
known, but 1t is fact that the Department OF
the Interior possesses separate official file for
the reception of all communications which are
received from persons who do not write con
ccrning department matters. but send letters
to the Secretary OF the Interior which are either
Inspired by the sentiments OF an Anarchist or
tho absurd ideas of crazy person. In short.
IL is II crank iilc." and in IL nre recorded all
letters coming from cranks, fools, lunatics. or
Anarchists, ms the case may lie. No other OF
tho executive departments maintains distinct
file for such communications. and whenever u
paper of this sort ~ received Mt the Treasury,
War. State, or any of tho departments other
than the Interior II is completely ignored, unless
1t 10 obvious that n reply is needed. AT the In
terror Department, however, the communi.
cations are acknowledged In every case where
an answer can be sent, and in its due course the
p'per is placed on the crank file" for future
reference II any such contingency as would
demand the existence of the communication
should arise.
The file is kept in the miscellaneous division
of the department. where all communications
are sent which do not directly relate to one Of
the other divisions Of the Secretary's office. as
the appointment, the land and railroads or tho
Indian divisions. Scarcely IA day passes that
some communication which must he referred
to tho Crank file" does not come in. The let.
tcrs. all of which are peculiar, and many OF
which are ridiculous arc generally received
from land settlers who have claims before the
Interior Department and desire to have them
ahjudicated. They are sent by aged and de-
Crepit pensioners. or clse they emanatc from
some poor Western land claimants. who be-
lieve that they have been oppressed by the
department and desire redress for the alleged
wrongs imposed. II is often found that when
land claimant or settler writes to the de-
partmcnt asking for information as TO the
status OF his case or urging immediate action
upon his claim he incorporates personal mes
sages to the Secretary of the Interior and even
to the President.
There many cases In which the writer
addresses his communications to the official
My Dear Pre- sdent Cleveland" thus disre
gardng all rules of official communication.
Many correspondents have the habit of writing
to the department Mt certain periods, either
communicating some messages of ridiculous
purpOrt or making some statements or claims as
cases the officials are threatened with danger.
but no attention is paid to letters Of that char
acter, as they are regarded AS coming from
One OF the most lulicrous communications
WHICH has been RECEIVED for some time came In
Newark. y. j.. and is devoted to u statement
of claims which he desires the department to
ses s his r ii n ads hoss AND b he
nave been received before that the Government
owes him 81! 900 on what he calls the
"Fre,lerlck claim His letter Is couched in
ridiculous and absurd language. but the climax
comes in the address which lie has put on the
letter, He eyidently has little regard for the
Department. for he addresses his communities
iioa to Mr ;; IlGksy sshmt~ ~1 IL ,slIs the
cheat him out of his money. hut he hopes that
it may be paid befor" the lst of January. other
In,
yers. who will institute civil pro ,ecution
against YOU
cation was received from Mr. Frederick. in
which he referred to his elaine" The mes
picked up on the street, for !, was badly marred
with dirt and tobacco stains. He renews his
threats of civil prosecution and says he
hopes the Secretary Of the interior VIII answer
aim by return mail. The letter has been placed
for M millions viii be paid, inasmuch as hs does
proof of his title to the money.
Some amusement is found in the letter which
Demrtmen,." Der The message age is written o on ~ a
piece Of newspaper cut into an /, shape: about
as follows: "tlrvclund gives way to the money
besmcared bankers instead of to the peoples
falls out Of the White House he will see the day
and feel the weight OF his mistake. Not one
got an Office from him III Pennsylvania
Another crank who has contributed abun.
DAINTY t" the frank iIs is A +. Moore of Of
before ne department. His hobby seems to he
II religious one or an rrelgous one. for he de
observing the sabbath day. The following Is
IL sample of his writings:
appeal. Will the old eagle sit still and suffer
himself to b" torn to pieces in the 0ncoming
storm blythe four winds from the seven hills that
! is coming down "n him like hurricane. or Will
/ he arise and execute true judgment and show
mercy to the downtroddcn and oppressed. and
release the widows and orphans IN their dstres.
| and give empl lovment unto the poor and break
! every yoke that th"Se four Winds lieathen
ISM nm unnn hr M the nm prons IN Sn
law in the United States of America to be re
| oeaed that does set any day apart rs n sabbath.
for IT is not In accord with the spirit and proc
lnmation of our forefathcrs. or with the words
| of our Heavenly Father"
| In another letter he enclosed clipping from
the -idmnt Rcri'm and Sdhbnh Herald, In
which gyen IN ay acGopnt Gt the an
leader. WHO, with several Of lis followers was
arrested and impri.oned in Tennessee. To the
mS%%ar a" III. aonHred II" Ho
Church hslieye this lis. sect is right in refer
m st anHnsr h;nr, fsa% cs,as h.
mrnt. and hnv, inscribed on the gold and sill
! Yer now in circulation rs money, In God wC
| trust. IL this true, or is il II national false
| hOoh:'
one individual from the West. who was ap.
| parcntly not well educated. hut evident y
! meant we'll in his statements, recently wrote
! to the department inGuring as to the status oi
| his claim. and asEing why u lad not been uctcd
| upon. He said that his cla I'M had been pend.
| Ing FOR some time. that he had written to the
officials of the General Land Dncr. and had
| been advised in reply To resort 10 nrbitraction
| meaning. of course. that Arbitration" had been
suggested I" him ms the proper means OF set
! sling his cast.
| shortly after tic birth of II third daughter
| to PRESIDENT and Mrs. Cleveland. II letter was
! received from II widow who WAS apparently in
| distress and wanted the department 10 straight
Ell ont her title to her Homestead entry In one
! Of the Western State. She reviewed the his
! tory OF the case. ana after concluding with tho
! land matter, she made reference to the fac
that there had been nm addition, TO the l,resi
| d"ntial family in the prrson of Marion Clcvr-
| land, She said she regretted that It had been
n girl. and hoped tia, the President would
= have better luck next time
/ \ short tine ago II letter was received at the
0flice Of the Chief Clerk OF the Interior DE
! pnrtmcnt which was To all appearances writ
| len in shorthand. but after several of the OIL
.i;l stenOrrnu uhers had ndra Orel 10 trauslnt G