The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-04-28
OFFICIAL PAUL PRYS.
POSTAL SNEAK THIEVES or THE
FRENCH GOVERNMENT.

Opening Letters-with . Little Patience
Metal Fastener.
The incident which occurred in the
French chamber concerning the viola
tion Of the secrecy of letter addressed
TO M. 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 1880, the cabinet
noir was a permanent Office under
Louis Philippe and Napoleon III, who
used and abused IL in order to learn the
political secrets Of their opponents It
was generally believed by the public
that the office had long been suppressed
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 dc steele. Those who
are so imprudent as to write their in
most thoughts concerning any politician
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 a third party. AS is
well 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 30 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
little practice they are soon able to
separate the paper without any tear;
when the envelope is thin and brit
tie they open it by the primitive and
homely means Of steam. These proceed
lpgs are extremely simple, and the COR
dependence Of many masters and mis-
tresses has often been slyly treated iH !
the kaniS way by an inquisitive domes. |
tic. This industry requires very little |
skill. and the only capital necessary il
a small amount of patience. The more |
suspicious individuals fasten their let |
tiers with sealing wax and imagine that
~rhey are consequently perfectly safe
from any surfeptitious 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. |
1y remains unbroken in their hands with |
a very thin layer Of paper Hdhering 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 the 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 IL guaranteed by
its inventor to render any tampering
with letter impossible. This, although
its efficacy is far from that promised by
the stationers, certainly complicates the
work Of the intruding official. He rises
TO the circumstance, however and after
carefully removing the stamp and max
ing q cross cut Oh the square from
which it has been removed he intro
duces small steel instrument with a
II 81 =
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, in fact, almost worthy Of an
artist. About q 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 tricks employ
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 M. 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.
The Critic Answered.