The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-05
CRIME IN THE POSTAL SERVICE.
The Chief Inspector Tells About the
POstOfIice Burglar.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
Washington-"Th months of March and
April were busy times for our forces of in
spectors" said Col Wheeler chief post
office Inspector, to-day. In fact, during
the last six months our men have had
more work on hand than would seem pos
sible for such a limited number to handle.
We have just completed a thorough in
spection of all presidential pOstofiices in
the United States, in addition to our reg
ular case work, which alone ordinarily
keeps the inspectors going day and night.
There are nearly 4C00 presidential post
offices IN this country, and some are very
large offices. While it may seem easy to
say, Make an inspection of an office. yet
it Is quite another matter to complete it
properly.
For instance, take a large office like
New York city or Chicago To MAKE
thorough inspection of such an office re-
quires the constant services of a half
dozen inspectors, for a week or so. This
will give an idea of the task which con-
fronts an inspector when il becomes nee
essary to check up a big office of the
first class. We had trouble with the st.
Louis Office because the cashier tried to
conceal deficit of some $4,000. but the
inspectors finally got down to the facts,
and the money was collected. In several
other offices we also found something of
the same nature, but in every instance we
have collected the amount of the short
age. and the government has not lost
dollar
''rhe postofiice burglar gives US a great
deal OF trouble. His advent in the annals
of crime is recent yet he is a type pecu-
liar TO himself and it would seem that he
has come to stay Postofiice burglars, as
a rule. are the most desperate characters,
possessing every cunning, and are ready
to seize on any chance TO 'nft bundle
OF stock or crack a safe; any method
suits them il II will enable them TO get
the doodle. The plumber Is usually In
postage stamps, which are disposed Of
through the medium of a fence, the burg
lar seldom realizing more than 30 per cent
Oh the real value OF the stolen stock; yet
with this heavy DISCOUNT the occupation
seems aRuring and consequently keeps
our men constantly on the alert.
This sort OF depreciation became so
common that / found % necessary i'm 1884,
10 can especial attention to Il IN my an
nual report. and recommended TO the POST
master General that a series 81 rewards
he offered for the apprehension Of these
criminals. The suggestion was adopted.
and has materially aided our men in fer
reting out the perpetrators We now
have am annual appropriation from con-
gross for this purpose. and for the last
three wears the number Of hughries has
fallen off in a slight degree. That the
burglar h stiu at work. however. rs at
tested by the fact that hfty-thrcc were
captured duriug March ana April all
though my opinion is that the general
result for the fiscal year will show ftlll
another decrease In the aggregate OF post
once rohheries.
IAN interesting chapter IN the history Z
crime can be made from that unfortunat
trait IN human nature which suddenly
transforms the tried and trusted postal