The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-17

1
nature of actions for debt, provisions for
criminal prosecutions have been substltut-
| ed as more eficacious. Other changes
are reported having in view a more pro
! portionate adjustment of penalties TO the
gravity Of the ofenses respectively defined
in which the present laws having been
adopted from time to time, are faulty. Oc-
casionaI cancellations have been made in
the verbiage of the present laws, designed
to secure precision and succintness in the
| definitions of offenses.
A provision has been inserted inhibiting
the maintenance of private postofices and
letter boxes. This is in conformity" the
commission says with the general policy
o fthis government and it is further rec
commended by considerations of great
weight, it being found that in the larger
cities these institutions are made the in
| strumentalities of practices partaking of
fraud and immortality In a recent in
stance at New York they were employed as
the means by which two human lives were
sacrificed under circumstances OF grave
criminaity."
Another section forbids the unlawful ex-
ercise of the office of postmaster or other
employment in the postal service, to pre-
vent practice more or less common.
Section 347S, revised statutes, has been
amended 10 meet the question whether
United States protection can be extended
over depreciation offenses against other
property by reason of a postoffice location
in the same building the provision added
being with intent to commit therein any
offense defined in this title or to steal or
purloin any money or other property of
the United States''
Sections 3S90-91-92 5467-6S-69 and $40 deal
with large but substantially the same
class of mail depredations and have been
embraced in one section. an added provi-
sion giving a liberal elasticity to the pen
alties. Punishment for depredators on the
mails in transit, who frequently hereto
fore have found immunity through diff
fculty of procuring evidence as to the
particular district in which the offense
was committed. is provided for in two new
sections, making it an offense for an en-
ploye to fail to deliver the mail or any
part Of it to the requride person and TO
carry into any district any letter or con-
tents thereof unlawfully distracted from
TO have been so distracted. Sections 1924
p, inclusive. and mandatory acts prohib-
ting removal and reuse of stisnps have
been consolidated into a single section
with a maximum and minimum penalty.
Postma sters selling stamps to persons out
side Of their respective jurisdiction to in
crease their compensation, are to be sub
ject to penal punishment.
To meet supreme court rulings. in con-
STRUNG the act of September g. 1888.
amendatory of section 1898 as to obscenity.
etc, these have been revised with an ad-
dition of the words Indecent filthy or vul-
gar" The postal transmission of poison
Gus, infectious and explosive matter also
is prohibited in a new section with GER
tain discretion as to the admissibility vest
ed postmaster general The language
of section 1858, revised statutes, respecting
misrepresentation of postal funds or prog
erty, is so amplifed that its protection
may be extended to money or oronerty
which shall lhave come into the possession
or under the control of any officer or en-
p-oye of the postoffice department in exc
cuton of such Office or employment or I'M
der color or claim Of authority as such.