The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-25

county, Kentucky. In the last named
county it has long been understood by
shrewd workers that when out of JOB,
a moderate sum of money could be easily
made by establishing fourth-class post
Offices and doing" the government for
anywhere between $100 and $3.50.
The liberal policy of the government in
extending mail facilities is, in part, to
blame for these frauds. Upon the petition
Of a small number of citizens the govern
ment promptly establishes a postofiice
at the site designated, and puts local
merchant. blacksmith, or other small
business man in charge. No salary is
paid, but the postmaster's compensation
comes from the sale of stamps, and UP
TO Sl00 a year he is required to make no
report to the government OF his receipts.
The next year 60 per cent. of the Value
of the stamps cancelled is allowed, the
percentage decreasing as the aggregate Of
cancellations Increases. To swell the bust
ness of the office is to increase the COM
pensation, and this is the thing that leads
to fraud. The compensation OF the car
riers of the mail between these small sta
tons in the first instance is based hke-
wise upon the value of stamps cancelled
and when there is collision between both
the carriers and the postmaster the fraud
is easily worked until the inspectors get
upon the track.
Recently the department was flooded
with petitions for the establishment OF
numerous offices in HARRISON county, Ca,
and they were in due time established. Inc
business transacted was such as usually
falls 10 the lot OF small offices in thiny
settled portions of a state, but after
time railway postal clerks began to report
excessive amounts of mail matter coming
to them from these localities, and an IN
vestigation was begun. This discovered
an energetic band of workers. made up
e II i,eta bn
ing a thriving business. The offices had
been established after a thorough canvas
% the country, and the postmasters were
Instructed that if business was doomed
Their compensation would go sailing to-
ward the big figures. Letters were writ
ten in great numbers, and the stamps
which formed the basis of the postmaster's
compensation were used with which TO
mail them. Even newspapers We're regu-
larry mailed and registered, and this mail
was carried from one postoffice along the
route to another. On some parts OF TINS
route every farm house was postoff1ce
and the business done by these rural Of
fees would have wed with that or mod
erate-sized village.
When the inspectors finally located the
managers of the scheme they started in
to make their arrests. One of the carriers
was caught on his route carrying point
er dog from one Dostotfice to another as
registered mail matter, the stamps nav
ing been put on the animals collar and
cancelled al each Office through which II
passed. Every conceivable kind of stuff
was used as mail in order that the quota
Of stamps allowed the postmaster might
be utilized and the receipts of The office
sweNed to the highest notch. Several
arrests have been reported ito the depart
ment, and the men will soon be placed on
trial.
rf,l,o Ira1t,,olrxy % CO was similar in many
respects Upon the petition of the inhabi-
tants of the backwoods of Magotfin coun-
ty postohices with the euphonious names
Of Coon Emma, Envy, Gap, Mary, Pricey,
Ouod and Sarepta were established. The
business of these places was for month
or SO Just what might be expected from
such a community, but meanwhile the Of
fcials were laying their plans. The next
report made to the department showed an
enormous increase in the cancellation of
stamps. The territory served was utter
.ly wanting in business to justify such
an increase, and an inspector was sent
out at once 1t was a dangerous duty to
perform for in that part of the Blue Grass
State postoffice inspector is looked upon
with as much suspicion as are the agents
of internal revenue service. To penetrate
the rough country in search of violators
of the law meant that man must take
his life in his hands. But the section was
penetrated and the routes gone over. The
report of the inspector, which is among
the secret receipts of the offices along the
newly established route had been faisified
according to the usual methods by the
transmission from office to office of all
sorts and conditions of stuff as United
States mail. The department took the
ground that the easiest way to dispose
of the troublesome question was to discon-
tinue the Offices and the order has been
issued, to go into effect Oct. 81.