New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-04
DARING THEFT OF NAIL.
REGISTERED LETTERS BOLDLY STOLEN
FROM STATION G.
CLERKS AND SPECIAL OFFICERS WERE ON
THEFTs-AN ARREST MADE.

THEFTS-AN ARREST MADE.
one Of the most daring postohlce robberes
that has been reported in many years occurred
at Station g. Ffty-hrst-st. and Broadway on
Saturday morning last Between and 7:30
o'clock on Saturday morning eighteen registered
letters ready for delivery in this city taken
from the desk Of the registry clerk. and the
thief. thinking that the receipt Of the letters
had been recorded in the receipt book. tore out
a page Of the book. He tore out the wrong
page The value Of the letters is not known as
yet to the postal authorities or at least II they
know the exact sum Of money the letters con-
tained they are not ready TO make the figures
public At the rooms Of the postofice inspectors
IN the Federal Building last night one Of the
inspectors detailed on the case said that one OF
the letters contained bonds and addressed
to the Fifth Avenue Bank at 10. so Fifth
ave, another letter contained two so bills and
one a small sum Of money.
For more than year reports about missing
registered letters have come from Station G..
The missing letters were never found. and there
is a strong belief that they were all stolen.
Postoftce Inspectors Jacobs and James ar
rested last night Erasmus French forty-slx
years old Of No. 100 Ninth-ave who Is a letter
carrier attached to Station c. on the charge OF
stealing the letters that were taken from the
station on Saturday last Frenchs arrest
brought about with the assistance Of Captain
Thomas. Of the West Forty-seyenth- station.
and Detectives Sheehan and Lockwood, Of the
same station
Chief Postofiice Inspector King also worked
on the case. Owing to the many registered let
ters stolen from Station G in the course Of the
last year or two. strenuous efforts made TO
catch the guilty person or persons, the in
no
postofice employees had been practically under
surveillance for some time.
EXTRA PRECAUTIONS TAKEN
Extra precautions were taken by the postofice
employees themselves to prevent other thefts.
Everybody attached to the station knew about
the previous thefts there and that is what
makes the theft on Saturday last such a daring
one
Chief Inspector King said last night that
French became an employe OF the postofice in
1854. and that not until recently was French
suspected Of any wrongdoing When the
inspectors are investigating postoflce thefts.
they try TO learn what the postal clerks
and other attaches Of the office from
which the letters are taken do when of duty"
The inspectors say that in trying to unravel
the mystery surrounding the theft in Station q
they learned that French played poker. and that
after losing $50 at poker he tried to get the
police 10 close the house In which he lost the
money. When he told he would have to
appear as complainant against the person he
wanted arrested he let the matter drop. The
inspectors say that hearing Of this they
leean 10 suspect him
we are positive that French stole the regis
tered letters from station on Saturday morn
ing" said chief Inspector King last night. we
are sure that he took the letters from the lesk
Of the registry clerk about 80 a m. on that
day he did not report for duty on Saturday.
Between 40 and a. M on Saturday he went
10 a saloon on the southwest corner ~ Forty
nlnth-st. ard Sevonth-ave. Some time after he
left the saloon pieces Of registered letters We're
found I'm one corner Of q room i'm the place. The
pieces were PUT together and were found To be
parts of the stolen letters one Of the letters
was addressed t. the Fifth Avenue Bank and
contained bonds ! DO not know the value Of
the bonds Another letter was sent by II. +.
HUI. OF Middlctown y Y. and was addressed
to Theodore HUI Of 30 324 West Forty-sey-
enth-st II contained two SO bills Another letter
was registered by William W Tuthl o'
Goshen. and was addressed 10 II. Strohecker.
of 40 42j West Forty-eghth- 81. II contained
q small sum.