The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-13

Letter and Hide 1t iii His Stock
ing--His Arrest at Once Followed
and He Was Searched.
1t would seem as IL stamp Clerk
Frank III. Jones, who was arrested on
Sunday by Postoffice Inspector Hugh
German. on the charge of rining the
United States mails, has very little
chance Of making any kind of de-
fense.
He was caught in the very act Of
taking a letter by postofice Inspector
Hugh German.
Along last GUNNER. complaints be-
gan to come in about money being
taken from letters mailed at the local
office. The letters would reach their
destination all right, but the money
would be missing
Inspector German was notihed and
he began TO investigate, but other
matters required his attention and the
matter was allowed TO drop. Towards
the end of September, more complaints
were received by the postmaster and
n number by the inspectoS himself, the
latter having been forwarded to the
department at Washington and then
transmitted 10 him.
He began to investigate again and
became thoroughly convinced that the
money was being abstracted at the
local postoffice, but could not discover
by whom. The first suspicion he had
about Jones was brought abou. IN "A
rather peculiar manner.
LETTER TAMpERED WITH
\ gentleman residing IN this city
complained 20 Washington that 81 let
ter containing a sum of money which
lie had mailed at the local postotfice,
had been tampered with and the money
abstracted. The complaint was sent 10
Inspector German. who looked the man
up and got the particulars from him.
He stated that he went 70 mail the
letter on this certain day, which was
about two months ago, and told the
clerk at the window that it was vaiu-
able and that he wanted 1t registered.
The clerk told him that the registry
window was closed, and the man ac-
cordinsly bought a special delivery
stamp which he placed on the letter,
dropping it in the box.
The inspector took him around 10
the postoffice and he identified Jones
as the clerk who had waited upon him.
This led him TO suspect Jones, but as
he had no tangible evidence Of his guilt
il was necessary to obtain some. SO he
proceeded to watch.
Now, it is not generally known that
running UP through the centre OF the
workroom OF the local postoftice is "a
hn y al,
ing from the four sides of this, about
twelve feet from the floor, are regi :
ters overlooking the whole room and
apparently used for heating purposes.
but they are not, and every postofiice
employe knows they are not and knows
exactly what they are there for,
POINT OF OBSERVATION.
Inside this shaft is an iron ladder
| running from the basement, and up
this it is the habit Of the postofice
inspector to climb, now and then, to
peer out from the registers over the
room and see that the employees are
doing what is proper. The inside OF
the shaft is dark, and 4 person look
ing through the grating of the regis
| ter cannot be seen from the floor be-
| spector doesn't spend all his time in
| side this shaft, looking at them as they
work, but they do not know Just when
he is there and when he is not, so that
1t has the effect of making them eX-
ceedingly careful.
The inspector continued his watch OF
Jones through the register, which is
directly over and just few feet be-
hind his place at the stamp window,
| for two months, but his vigilance was
| not rewarded until Sunday morning.
| or course, it must not be understood
| that he spent every day of the two
months in the shaft. but he spent a
| great deal Of his time there
He learned that Jones would be at
work Sunday morning. with only one
or two other men with him, and de-
| cided that ii was a splendid opportun-
| ity to catch him. So he climbed to his
| place, and had only been watching for
| a very few minutes when he saw Jones
| look furtively around. and then go
| over to the box underneath the drops.
CONCEALED THE LETTER
| He sorted these letters through hur-
riedly, and finally picked one up. He
reached down and. pulling his pants
| leg up. stuck it into his sock. This
| Was enough for the Inspector. He
| quickly clambered down and, coming
up into the building, took Jones into
Postmaster Ripples private office and
searched him. The letter was found in
his sock, and the inspector called in
Postmaster Ripple and Superintendent
of Mails Schautz as witnesses. Botl
endorsed the letter on its back.
Jones offered no excuse, except tC
say that he had only taken three ol
four dollars, when asked by the in
spector to tell the amount Of his dep
relations.
No accurate estimate of the amount