Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-07-28
OFFICIAL PAUL PRYS.
POSTAL SNEAK THIEVES OF THE
FRENCH GOVERNMENT.

Delicate Method. Employed py Them In
Opening zetters-with Little Patience
They Overcome Gum, Sealing Wax or
Metal Fastener,
The incident which occurred in the
French chamber concerning the viola.
tion of the secrecy of letter addressed
to NJ. Delcasse by high official of the
ministry OF marine has stirred the pub.
lie, which is surprised that such pro.
ceedings take place under the third re.
public. Created In $780, the cabinet
noir was q permanent office under
Louis Philippe and Napoleon III. who
used and abused it in order to learn the
political secrets of their opponents. 1t
was generally believed by the public
that the Office had long been suppressed
by the present government. But after
the incident mentioned those who still
believe in the secrecy of the post, of the
telegraph or of the telephone exhibit an
incredible credulity which is extremely
rare at this fin de steele. Those who
are so imprudent as to write their in
/ khOcp tAouSlto SChSC1dAdS any pO1ItlblAA
in power will be wise no longer to i'm
agine that letter which arrives at its
destination apparently unopened has
not been read by third party. As is
we'll known, it is also easy for an Off
cial to learn the secrets of the telephone
by applying his ear to the receivers at
the central Office, and by SO doing to
intercept phrases which are both in
structive and amusing. 1t now appears
that the postoffice officials also give
themselves up to the delicate pleasure
of satisfying their curiosity.
They employ 20 different methods in
order to assuage their professional in
quisitiveness. If an envelope is closed
in the ordinary manner by thin layer
of gum, they have the choice of two
systems-when the paper is tough and
strong they slip with great precaution
a very thin but not cutting blade be-
tween the two gummed parts, and with
a little practice they are soon able to
separate the paper without any tear;
when tho envelope is thin and brit
tie they open it by the primitive and
homely means Of steam. These proceed
ings are extremely simple, and the cor.
respondence of many masters and mis-.
tresses has often been slyly treated il
the same way by an inquisitive domes-
tic. This industry requires very little
skill, and the only capital necessary is
a small amount of patience. The more
suspicious individuals fasten their let
ters with sealing wax and imagine that
they are consequently perfectly safe
from any surreptitious attack. The
officials Of the cabinet noir, however,
are not SO easily defeated. By judi
ciously bending and twisting the part
Of the paper surrounding the seal they
gradually detach the latter, which final
ly remains unbroken in their hands with
a very thin layer of paper adhering to
it. After examining the contents of the
letter they replace the seal intact at the
exact place which it previously occu-
pied, and both tho sender and receiver
of the letter remain in blissful igno-
rance of their maneuvers.
Other correspondents, even more sus-
picious, are not satisfied with gum and
wax, but supplement them by small
metal fastener, which is guaranteed by
its inventor to render any tampering
with q letter impossible. This, although
its efficacy is far from that promised by
the stationers, certainly complexities the
work of the intrudiug official. He rises
to the circumstance, however, and after
carefully removing the stamp and max
ing cross cut OH the square from
which it has been removed he intro
duces o small steel instrument with a
special hook at the extremity. This
hook grips corner of the letter, and by
carefully twisting the sheet round the
stem of the instrument it can be finally
extracted without any apparent injury.
Ii by chance the note paper is refractory
and cannot be twisted owing to its stout
ness, the operator cuts the entire length
of one side of the envelope. The con-
tents are easily obtained in this man.
ner, but the reclosing of the envelope
requires much delicacy Of workmanship
and is, i'll fact, almost worthy of an
artist. About a millimeter Of each of
the cut edges is carefully folded inward,
gummed and pressed together until dry.
This phase of the work, although rather
difficult to novice, is soon acquired by
practice.
There are many other tricksemploy-
ed, some of which speak volumes for
human ingenuity. 1t sometimes hap.
pens, nevertheless, that letter battles
all the skill and experience of the entire
department. In that case their means
are rough and ready-they suppress it
altogether. The exterior appearance Of
the letter addressed to NJ. Delcasse be.
trayed the work of the Cabinet Noir.
This proves not lack Of skill of those in.
trusted with such an important but un.
derhand duty, but simply negligence,
London Globe.
Tho Critic Answered.