The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-10

Edward r. Bogert, postmaster OF
Wilkes Barre, was arrested at midnight
Wednesday, charged with tampering
with the United States mails.
About two months ago several COM
plants We're lodged with the postal au-
thorities at Washington that mail was
disappearing or that which they re-
ceived bore evidence of having been
opened by a steaming process. The
postal authorities subsequently detail
ed two secret service men on the case
under order of Inspector German.
Wednesday night, after the mail from
Baltimore and Washington had been
distributed, Bogert entered the office
and was seen to take several letters
from the boxes and then go into his
private office and carefully draw down
a curtain. A few minutes later a de-
tective, who was acting as clerk, turn
ed on an electric light in the rear end
of the office. this being a signal to two
other secret service men who were sta
toned outside.
The man on the inside carefully ad-
mitted his associates, one of whom was
Inspector German. The two men went
at once to Bogert's private office and
without the ceremony of knocking. en-
tered and there found the postmaster
seated at his desk, on which lay three
letters addressed to prominent business
men of Wilkes Barre and all Of them
opened.
HE WAS SURPRISED.
The postmaster was surprised and
not little excited for few moments,
but soon recovered his composure. He
was later escorted to his home by Sc
cret service men, where a warrant for
his arrest was subsequently served. He
was taken before United States Com
missioner Gustav Hahn, where he gave
bail in $4,000 for his appearance later.
Mr.. Bogert. besides being the editor
of the Evening Leader of Wilkes Barre,
is a member of a large number of
lodges and for the past ten or twelve
years has been ar active member of
the base ball association. He is a
brother of tho late Joseph K. Bogert,
who was prominent in Democratic
county and state politics and at the
time of his death was postmaster.
The news Of the arrest created a
big sensation, especially in political
circles.
H. B. Gregory one Of the postoffice
| inspectors from Washington who helped
make the arrest, stated to a reporter
that he came here from Washington
on Monday morning and had been at
work on the case ever since. Frequent
| complaints had been made to the pos
| tai authorities at Washington as to
| Irregularities in the Wilkes Barre office
and Mr.. Gregory said a thorough in
vestigation had shown that the allega-
tions made We're true.
Mr.. Gregory would not divulge the
| names of those who made the COM
| plants. but did not hesitate to say that
| the evidence was ample to cause the
arrest and establish the proof of the
| charges made. Deputy German is in
charge of the postofiice for the present
WHAT HIS PAPER SAYS.
Postmaster Bogert would not be in
/ terviewed, but in his paper, the Even
| ing Leader, tonight appeared the fol-
| lowing:
There are always two sides to a
| question and when there are three OF
| four fellows, and one or two in par
| ticular, clamOring for n political office
and hungry for the emoluments at
| tached thereto, there are sure to be
| schemes worked and plans formed tc
| entrap the incumbent, cause his re-
mOval and punish him otherwise, even
/ if nothing further than the annoyance
| and chagrn that accomplishment OF
| their devilish underhand work imposes
| When the diabolical schemers are fully
shown up and their nefarious trickery
| exposed, there is a question as to which
side will furnish the raciest reading"
The inference to be drawn from the
| above is that Bogert imagined himself
the victim of a conspiracy to oust hin
from the postmastership and in order
to discover the conspirators he opened
| letters addressed to Republican poll
| tot