The evening times., 1897-10-25

According TO the annual report of Gen.
Bristow. Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral, and headsunan of this Admins tration,
the ak has been swung at a pretty lively
rate since President Mckinley came into
power The report. of course, covers the
fiscal year ended June 80 last, and it APP
pears that during that period Z ,299 fourth
class postmasters have been appointed IL
fin vacancies caused by designations: 5,1l5
urun renewals. and 80 upon deaths. There
have been go l pOStoffices establish shed, S39
disau ntinued and the sites of ,061 changed.
Twenty-Five Presidential offices have teen
rcleeated 60 the fourth class.
of Presidential postmasters a have bes,n
appointed upon designations; 21t where
commissions have expired; l29 IN cases of
removal; 40 where incumbents have died,
aud l94 where offices have become Presi-
dntial.
-vne OF the interesting features of the
report Il that devoted to the work OF the
in>uectors-lhc detectives who ferret out
crimes against the postal laws. Gen.
Br istow leiates a nunIber of interesting
work, aud among his stores are the fol
lowing:
\ vault in the postoffice at a certain col
lere, located in the college library build
ing. vas wrecked ty explosives on the
night of April 6. 1897, and S2,259 was
stolen thcrefrUTn, indicating the presence
of tie professional burglar, for whose
arrest a liberal reward was Offered by the
local authorities. But the inspectors sus.
piCion led luim 10 follow the Theory that
Ill was the work of noviCes. 4 quiet ib-
veStigaticn. months later, developed that
seventeen yeaT-Uld son oi the aged
postmaster who was also secretary of tie
college and who was well known for his
own sterling honesty and integrity, was
indulgin ia expenditures far beyond his
means, ard had been sending numerous ex-
press pack ages To d chum in a distant city,
whose associations had also brought him
under suspicion.
When confronted with these circum-
stances and flatlg accused, the boy siren
uously denied all knowledge of the crime,
ana successfully withstood sweating
process uf two hours duration. But he inn
ntediately availed him self Ufthe opportunity
10 CONVEY a noteof warningt To his partner
which opportunity the inspector consider
at,.ly ffOrded him 10y "A TEN purary release
and was neatly trapped hy an interteptioq
Of Ids COMMUNICATION, which resulted in
bringing the boys together, and i'll obtain.
inE a complete confession from each anG
also in the recovery of 81 565 OF the stolen
nr-ney-
The robbery was planned and executed
by these two lads Is follows. The safe was
unlocked by the postnIa st.r's SOn, who
knew the Combination, and who withdrew
the money, after which the other placed a
stick of dynamite on the lock hehIud tnr
vault dooi, which be closed, lighted the fuss.
and fled before the explosion occurred,
which gave the Job professional aspect
aud which later was the causs OF the arrest
OF TWO notorious safe blowers" by private
dei ectives, who sought 10 connect them with
the burglary.
one of the most successful and probably
the most important enterprises in whchtne
inspectors participated during the year WAS
tn, lsrea king up and capturing OF a hand o!
burglars and bank robbers who had her
hea duuatters at Hanover Kas. Daring tue
sl.uiincr and "a n OF 1896 the indisCrimnate
rohberies OF postoffices, depots and hanks
in the northern counties OF Kansas and the
sgutbefn sections of Nebra SKIS Were OF such |
freudent occurrence q to keep the law |
abiding portions Of those communities in |
state of perpetual excitement and terrDr. |
Il was plain that the region was infested |
with an organized gang OF burglars. A de |
tail from the inspectors force was directed |
to cooperate with a special agent of the |
Missouri Pacific Railroad Company and the |
la..ra ff..a of.
locate ;he depredat )rs and place them ehind |
the haTs.
A. A Baird alias pig AL E. ]. Fuller
and red Whiting Were arrested for rob
hing a bank at Davenport, Neb., on Novenr-
ber 3.
All OF the parties named. with single |
execution, have been tried, convicted,
sentenced and imprisoned for long terms 1
10y the Sta'e courts. aud 1t IL prol able that
lyyo or more Of uiem can he indicted for
the robbeues Of tie I'stoffices at Hollen
berg. Kan BelleVicw, Kan, and Hebron,
Neh. Tic importance OF this work is easily
seen in tie fact that not single post
JfflCe robbery in his territory was reported
FOR Hl9uths after these arrests, while they
had previously averaged two a week.
Probably 10 arrest and conviction during
.hc year Illustrates more perfectly the
patience, perseverance and skill of the
postOffice inspectors in protecting the
lail from dePredations than that of Henry
Larawav, who was not an employe of
The postal service. but OF the Grand Trunk
Company. His depredatio ions were |
en.barra ssing 10 the Govern
nent, however. as they We're ooDfi..ed to
he Canadian American mail, 10 which lie
lad easy access at the depot I'm Detroit.
= hca in his ocre at night while waiting |
% raake connection with the Western
strains.
HIS method was to rip open the canvas
mail bag ard extract packages OF letters
herel'rUiH, then sew the rent and semi |