The times., 1897-10-25

According to the annual report Of Cen.
Bristow Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral, and headsnlan of this Administration,
the ak has been swung at pretty lively
rate since President Mckinley came into
power The report. of course covers the
fiscal year ended Iune 0 last, and it ap-
pears that during that period ,299 fourth
class postmasters have been appointed tp
fiji vacancies caused by designations; 5,1l5
upon renewals, and 7-s2 upon deaths. There
have been COL postorfices established, 939
discontinued and the sites of ,067 changed.
Twenty-Five Presidential offices have been
relegated To the fourth class.
o. Presidential postmasters q have been
appointed upon designations; Eli where
commissions have expired; I29 i'll cases of
removal: 40 where incumbents have died,
and l94 where offices have become Presi-
Dental.
Une OF the interesting features OF the
report is that devoted to the work of the
in>pcctors-the detectives who ferret out
crimes against the postal laws. Gen.
t<AOW
details 10 show the character Of this
work, and among has stories are the fel-
lowing:
= vault in the postoffice at certain col
lege, located in the college library build
ing, vas wrecked t.y explosives on the
night of April 8, 1897, and 50, 259 was
stolen iherefrUm, 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 him to follow the theory that
ii WAS the work of novices. a quiet ih-
vest gaticn. months later, developed that
ii seventeen yeaT-uld son OF the aged
postmaster who was also secretary or tie
college and who WAS well known for his
own sterling honesty and integrity, was
indulgine ia expenditures far beyond his
means, and had been sending numerous eX-
press packages To d chum in distant city,
whose associations had also brought him
under suspicion.
When confronted with these circun-
stances and natly accused, the boy siren
uouay denied all knowledge of the crime,
anu successfully withstood sweating"
process OF two hours duration. But he inn
ntediatcl ayaiIed him self Ufthe opportunity
To CONVEY a noteof warning TO his partner
which oDportuaity the inspector consider
ataIy afforded him by a TEN porary release
and was neatly trapped ny an interceptiop
Of IDS communication, which resulted in
bringing the boys together, and III obtain
ia. complete confession from each. and
also in the recoyeryof 81, 800 of the stolen
msney.
The robbery was planned and executed
by these two lads as follows The safe wds
unlocked by the poStmaster's sou, WIN
knew the combination, and who withdrew
the money, after which the other placed i
stick OF dynamite on the lock hehlHd the
vault dcoi which be closed, lighted the fuse
aud fled before the explosion occurred,
which gave the job a professional aspect
aud which later was the cause OF the arrest
OF TWO notorious safe blowers by private
detectives, who sought TO connect them with
the burglary.
one Of the most successful and probably
the most important enterprises in which the
/ inspectors participated during the year WAS
Tho breaking up and capturing of a band os
burglars and bank robbers who had her
hes duuaTUers at Hanover. Kas. During tue
Summer and fail OF 1896 the indiscrimnIate te
Tobheries OF postoffices, depots and banks
in the northern counties of Kansas and the
southern sections OF Nebra SKIS Were of such
] frequent occurrence a ) to keep the law
abiding portions Of those communities in a
/ state of perpetual excitement and terror.
/ Il was plain that the region was infested
with an organized gang OF burglars. a de
tail Tram the inspectors force was directed
4 to co cooperate with special agent Of the
Missouri Pacific Railroad Company and the
/ State authorities in a united effort TO
/ locate ;he depredat rsand place them ehintI
the hars.
A. a. Baird, alias Big Az E. j. Fuller
! and Fred Whiting We're arrested for rob
ting a bank al Davenport, Neb.. on NoveHr
ber l3.
All OF the parties named, with single
/ exception, have been tried, convicted.
sentenced and imprisoned for long terms
! by the Sta1c courts. and it is prol bic that
two or more of ulem can be indicted for
the robberies Of tie Iostoffices at HoIlen
/ berg, Kan Relleriew, Kan, and Hebron,
Neb. The importance OF this work IS easily
| seen in the fact that not single post
! Office robbery in his territory was reported
for months after these arrests, while they
had previously averaged two a week.
Probably 10 arrest and conviction during
/ the rear Illustrates more perfeetly the
! patience, perseverance and skill of the
/ postoffice inspectors in protecting the
mail from dePredations than that OF Henry
LaraEay, who was not an employe OF
| the postal service. but of the Grand Trunk
/ Railway Company. His depredatiOns were
! particularly en.barra ssing 10 the Govern
nPnt, however as they We're confired TO
! the Canadian american mail to which lie
had easy access at the depot in Detroit,
when in his care at night while waiting
to make connection with the Western
| strains.
HIS method was to rip open the canvas
mail bag and extract packages OF letters
| therefTCIh, then sew the rent, and send
the bag TO it's destination. In this way the