Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-09-03
MAIL THIEVES.
Tricks Of Rascale Who Rifle Uncle
Sans Letter Boxes.


ly he managed to throw about one out
of i've into his vest, which was really
large pouch open at the top. Lagan was
sentenced to three years in prison.
In the fall of 1891 gang of expert
thieves was found to be plundering mail
boxes all over the country. In each city
they would proceed in the same manner,
their first care being to get possession
of the paddock attached to mail box.
which they could easily do by saving
through the staple.
Having procured this lock, 1t was
child's play for them to make q key
which would fit it, and this key would
open any mail box in the city.
Having provided themselves with the
key, the rest was plain sailing. Every
evening one Of the thieves, disguised in
the regulation uniform, would make his
round from box to box in the most open
way, being practically free from inter-
ference or suspicion, since not even the
policeman in any neighborhood or resi-
dents there would have any idea that
he was not postman, perhaps new
one, and he would be left free to 60
ahead with his depredations.
The stolen mail thus obtained would
be brought to the rooms occupied by the
thieves and there carefully examined.
Every letter would be opened, either by
steaming the envelope or with PEN
knife, and If found to contain nothing
valuable would be resealed and mailed
again, SO as to lessen the chances OF
suspicion. OF course, money and all ar
ticles of value were retained, and q
great quantity Of checks were obtained
in this way, the latter being in many in
stances raised" or ALTERED" SO that
the conspirators were able to realize
large sums on them.
The originator Of this ingenious
scheme Of robbery was Prentiss Tiller,
who is now Serving time" in the jack
son penitentiary. while his,accomplices
were sentenced to from 10 to Is years.
Al it is almost impossible to take
postoffice thieves in the act of robbing
the mails, the inspectors have to rely
upon ruses in discovering the guilty
clerk or employee. One of the most COM
mon and successful devices is that of
the test letter, o trap in which many
light-fngered employees have been
taken.
After weeks, sometimes months, Of
surveillance, the question of guilt is
narrowed down to two or three men,
upon whom the decoy Letter or package
Is then tried.
For instance, if the complaints have
been in regard to small pieces of jew
elry such as are often sent through the
mail, the test letter will contain scarf
pin or pair of sleeve buttons, inclosed
in such way that they can be plainly
felt by anyone handling the letter.
And if money has been stolen. then
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 light. Whatever is inclosed in
the letter is marked in such a way that
it may be easily identified afterward.
Thus 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 inspectors, who, unknown to
the postman, stands near by and
watches until the letter is gathered up
ulbk ~ AC OlHSCs thC ihSYSNtoA
: notes whether the letter is in the mail
: pouch which is to carry it to it's destina-
? ton. If it is not there the field of sus-
picion is narrowed down to the postman
, who carried it from the box to the Office
and to the clerks who handled it while
being stamped and put in the mail
pouch.
II the letter is found in the pouch
e then it is checked at every subsequent
I point where it is liable to be handled
Q the checking being done by the inspect
or in charge, who in no instance inter
feres until the usual opportunity fol
theft has been accorded.
AS soon as the inspector who is on tht
trail of O test letter finds that it has dis
G appeared, and concludes from his checl
g system that it must have been abstract
e ed by one of two or three men, he i'm
e mediately orders those men to be taker
4 to a private room and searched
searched thoroughly, SO that If the tell
tale bill or object is on their person i
must be discovered.
There are many complaints of money
c lost in the mails, which upon investiga
pIOSC W uuSC tiClA SOuICC III tHs
i dishonesty of employees. Porters, offic'
boys, petty clerks, all have opportuni
ties to take what they know are valu
able letters, and often avail themselve
;, of them.
Sc For instance, only short time ag'
es many complaints were received from
Of the Presbyterian missions, which wer
~ losing money at an extraordinary rate
: The culprit proved to be their Office boy
ID lad of 16, with salary of four dollar
s week. He confessed his fault, an,
~ ~ said that he had spent the money il
- taking his girl to the theater; that the,
W went two or three times q week, an,
no that he liked to give her small presents
n. There are many similar cases, and
ne remarkable feature Of them is tina
IS often the people who have made tn
I'd complaint refuse to press it when the
know it concerns one Of their employees
and sometimes they do not even dis
e. charge The Decentralization Globe.
"a Railroads In India.
A good deal of public interest alta che