The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-05-08
INTERFERING
WITH THE MAIL
CoIored Carriers Stopped by
Masked Men in tennessee.
WARNED NOT TO CONTINUE
SECOND INDIANoLA CASE MAY
BE THE RESULT.

Ii ACalNGION, May t.-Ihe POSI-
w Office department was notified Of
hciany today that John c. All
good, a colored rural free delivery let
ter carrier. while making his regular
trip near GalIatln. Tenn. was stopped
by men armed and masked and he and
his coIcred suo-carriers were warned
not to continue in the service under
penalty of death Postmaster General
Payne has suspended service on the
route pending an investigation and if
the report of the affair be confirmed.
summary action VIII follow. The in
cident may become a second Indl2nOia
case. The reports reached the post
office department today in the follow
ing telegram from the postmaster at
Ga4latin:
Department Notified.
Carrier. rural route No. ], while
making trip today. held up by masked
men, Ordered not to make another
trip Advise"
The next dispatch came from Spe-
cial Agent Condor. i'm charge OF the
rural free delivery service, with head
quarters at Nashville, Tenn, as tol-
lows:
Rural carrier No. /. coIored. Cal
latin. Tenn. in an interview with me
tonight. advises that he was stopped
on route today by armed masked men
in service Threat also applied to col
Ored sub-Carrier. Warned not TO d.
Vulge cause of his removal. but &c as
sign other reasons. No time allowed
10 await upon appointment Of success
SOr. Believing it hazardous. he VIII
not serve route tomorrow unless as
surances are given him that no violence
vile be committed. Please advise me
what instructions Will be issued in tbs
premises. An immediate answer VIII
be greatly appreciated
Carriers All CoIored.
This rural route was put in on March
] last There were five applications
under the civil service rules for ap-
pOintment as carrier. The three men
passing the highest on the list were all
COlOred. Under the civil service rules
the postmaster general says there IS
no option with the department except
10 appoint the person who stands the
highest on the list Therefore, Allen F.
billiard. cOlOred. was appointed. He
resigned about three weeks ago, and
on the 26th of last month the civil serV-
ice board certified the second man on
the list. John G. AHgOOd. cOlOred.
Postmaster General Payne today tel
egraphs Mr.. Condor as follows:
Investigate fully case Of John g All
good, rural free delivery carrier, VINO
was stopped by armed masked men
and his life threatened if he continued
time service on route VIII be suspended
until your report upon the facts IN. the
case is received.
Two Courses of Action.
Postmaster General Payne later said
IF the facts were as represented only
two courses of action would be open.
namely, to abolish the route and leave
the people thereon without that service
or 10 send soldiers to the scene to pro-
in .e -.f
his duty. Mr.. Payne said the former
case was the more probable. He called
attention TO the civil service statutes
of the carriers, and said that the ap-
pOintees were secured through the civil
service commission. their selection
therefor not being optional with him
It is said at the department that the
penalties provided by law for such Of
fenses is covered in sections 1853 and
1895 of the revised statutes The for
tner reads as follows
Penalties Provided
Every. person who wilfuuy and ma
liCiously assaults any letter carrier
who is in uniform while engaged on his
route in the discharge of his duty as
letter carrier. and every person who
wilfully aids or assists therein, shall
for every offense be punishable by a
fine Of not less than 800 and not more
than $1,000. or by Imprisonment for not
less than one year and not more than
three years.
The other section provides that amy
person who shall knowingly or wilfully
ObstrUct or retaTd the passage of mail
carriers shall FOR every such odense be
punishable by a fine of not more than
800"
It is pointed out that the difference
between the penalties hinges on the
wearing Of the uniform and also that
the word assault. within the mean
ing Of the law. contemplates just such
aH Offense as that reported