Iron County register., 1897-02-11
a BAND OF THIEVES

E2ent OF Stamps Run Down by the POsta
Authorities-One imPortanE Arrest Al
| ready Made, to he Followed Up by Others
| Evidence of Guilt Found Upon the
| Prisoner.
| NEW YORK, Feb. AFTER years OF
| hard work, 1t is now said that the post
office authorities have succeeded in
| running to earth a band of thieves
| which has been robbing the govern
/ ment OF stamps at the rate of about
| 500, 900 a year for many years back.
/ The first arrest was made yesterday
| in this city, and it will be followed up,
| it is further said, by the arrest of the
others of the gang.
The man who was arrested in this
| city is Hamilton Z. Coleman, a clerk
| in the chief clerks department in the
general land Office in Washington.
| He was arrested on a telegram from
| Washington Over S5, 900 worth of
stamps were found on his person.
These stamps are known as periodical
stamps. AThey ranged in value from
one cent to sixty dollars. A number
of these sets of stamps are sent to each
postmaster every year. When a pub
fishing house presents 1000 pounds of
pu blished matter, for instance, the
postmaster gives it a receipt for the
postage paid and cancels stamps
amounting in full value to that sum.
These stamps are returned can
celled to headquar ters in Washington.
new issue of these stamps was or
dered i'll 1894. Before that time an is
sue had not been made since about
1875.
The collectors of postage stamps are
eager for the stamps and always have
been, and so the stamps have be en-
stolen and sold to them. The face
value of a set of the stamps it $40 T. 55.
The market price. it is said, ha been
almost twice that much, so that tn e
thieves who have been stealing them
have been making small fortunes. 1t
is against one of the statutes of the
United States to have these stamps in
ones possession, the supposition be
ing naturally that, as they are never
for circulation and not intended to
leave the hands of the authorities. the
persons who have them must neces-
sarily have stolen them.
/ Coleman was taken before Commits
siOner Shields. Post Office Inspector
Morris made an affidavit that Coleman
had received these stamps from one
Randolph j. Albrecht, and that he
had them in his possession in violation
of the United States laws. The COM
missioner set his examination for next
Wednesday, and fixed his bail at
81, 600. He sent several messengers
out looking for bondsmen.
Coleman said he was innocent; that
the stamps were his property, and
that he could prove his innocence.
The detectives in this city said to-
day that they knew but little about
the true nature of the story behind
the arrest. They refused to tell who
Albrecht was.
Among other things found in Cole
mans pockets were a number of en-
velopes bearing the imprint OF Burger
& Co., dealers in stamps at 50 Nassau
street.
Mr.. Burger said to-day that he did
not know Coleman.
Coleman has friends in this city
From what they say it appears that
the stamps found upon Coleman were
sold to Rudolph F. Albrecht, dealer
in stamps, of 30 Mass au street, about
three weeks ago, by A. G. Townsend,
L philatelist, having an office in the
loan and trust building. Washin gton.
When Mr.. Albrecht sought to dispose
of the stamps, inquiry as to how he
came by them was instituted by the
philatelic papers.
"Where did these stamps come
from?" these papers asked.
ut is against the law for Albrecht
to have them"
Then Mr.. Albrecht took counsel
with himself and friends and wrote to
Townsend about the matter The
result was that Coleman came to this
city to take up the stamps sent which
he did, and was arrested a few mo-
ments after he had received them from
Mr.. Albrecht.
The stamps have absolutely no
face value, commercially" said Mr..
Albrecht to-day, for they are not in
tended to leave the custody of the
post office people. But they are val
uable to philatelists and according to
the series bring large prices. Two or
three hundred dollars for set is no
unusual price"