Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1901-10-25
CH|CAGOPOS1OFF|CE ROBBED
SIS 900 IN STAMPS STOLEN.
The Plot Equals the Recent Sam
FP1nciscO Shelter R0b'oery-Ab s0-
Robbery Took Many Days Work.
B0Ded Through Half Inch steel.


ths Wholesale stamp department Of the
p0stofiice was opened for business. A rapid
investigation developed the fact that the
burglars had crawled under the flooring
for about 300 feet, bored hole in the bot
tom Of the vault, secured the stamps and
escaped. carrying their booty in wagon.
The work Of forming an entrance to the
vault had evidently been going forward
with the greatest patience for many days.
1t IL believed, however, that the intention
Of the thieves had been to enter the cash
ier's vault, in which there was $35, 600 in
money, and stamps valued ut hundreds
Of thousands OF dollars. The bottom Of
the vault is of steel half an inch thick.
In this 81 holes were bored until space
IL inches square-just enough to allow the
entrance Of a mans body-had been 40
weakened that it was possible to take out
the whole plate with little difficulty. A
dry goods box stood over the hole thus
made and concealed the work OF the rob-
bers while it was in progress. When dis
covered today the finger marks OF one Of
the burglars were still discernible on the
dust of the box, which he had pushed to
one side.
So carefully had the job been planned
that men working in other parts Of the
building had not the slightest inkling of
the daring robbery being worked almost
under their noses,
The robbers drove up to the southeAst
corner Of the postofiice in wagon, the
tracks OF which could be seen plainly to-
day. The building ia temporary affair.
and the men had only to open little door
10 admit themselves under the flooring.
To reach the vault it was necessary To
crawl about 800 feet over odds and ends Of
boards which Uttered the way. The route
had been carefully studied, for a detective
who went under without knowledge OF
locations became lost and was nearly over
come by the foul odors before assistance
reached him.
Having secured their plumber the rob-
hers loaded 1t into the wagon, drove
across vacant lot and turned into Wa
bash avenue in front of the Art building.
OF the stamps taken $47l2 were in "post
age due" stamps and 5000 in special de-
livery stamps So the convertible stamps
amounted to $67 1913, but Of these $4728
were Pan-American stamps OF 8 and 10
cent denominations.
Largest stamp Robbery.
r. c. Spalding, chief clerk Of the whole
sale stamp department. discovered the
robbery when he opened the vault Satur-
day. Mr.. Spalding at once notified Post
Office Inspector Stuart, who hurried from
his home and at once began an investiga-
ton, assisted by his deputies and squad
Of detectives from the city hall. After
completing the search the inspector said:
ut was the largest stamp robbery ever
done in the history Of the postal service in
this country. To get To the vault the men
entered through trap door. A few feet
in they encountered brick wall, which
they dug through rather than move
around looking for clearer route. The
wall, like others under the building, IL of
flimsy construction and II could not have
taken them long to pick way
through 1t. A hundred feet or no further
on they ran against another wall, and
this also they dug through. On the way
they also encountered number Of pipes,
and rs the walls are but two feet and in
some places three feet above the ground.
they tunnelcd under the pipes. Their
whole course is plainly marked in this
way.
''rhe Wholesale stamp vault, like the
cashiers vault and the money order vault,
il supported by brick wall II formed a
square and before the robbery was air
tight. In this the robbers broke two holes,
possibly 70 secure more air, for the place
undoubtedly WA very foul, or TO have an
extra place at egvess In case Of discovery.
For light they uscd dry batteries, one Of
which they left behind. This battery che
Of my men discovered. II and the wagon
tracks are the only clews we have 1t pres
ent.
The space under tfss vault b hrgs
enough 70 allow q man 70 stand upright,
and their work must have been cosn.
pasAtively easy. with the drills and steel
saws which they used. The stamps were
arranged In % pound bundles and the
weight of the load they carried Oft must
bavr hern 500 pouniA Evidently one man
handed thu packages down TO others wait
ing below. Al their progrus must have
been slow corrying even one bundle
through all those tunnels, crawling on all
foars, judge they worked for hours get.
ting their booty TO the wagon.
Evidently they felt perfectly eecurc
though somewhat disappointed at missing
the cashier's vault, where there was $35,.
oW in cash and q great quantity Of
stamps. can not tell now how many
men worked al the job. Every effort will