New-York tribune., 1905-11-05
POSTAL CARDS SEIZED.
Tammany Cartoon Declared by Post
master To Be ScuariIous.


About 100000 postal cards sent out by Tam
many Hall as part of its campaign literature,
were seized yesterday at the PoStofice by order
of Postmaster WILCOX as geurroug matter and
confscated.
According to the law the distributors of these
postal cards upon conviction, are liable to
file of $1,000 and imprisonment for i've years
The postal card with which Tammany hoped
to bolster up lost cause, and which it was
decided in violation of the ia1T, mah a
reproduction of the anti-Hearst banner which
appears In nearly every part of the city, 1t con-
tans a spiral, Spirit-like picture of the late
President Mckinley. before whom lies bomb
marked "Czolgosz," from which extends sput-
tering fuse while in the background is figure
dressed in yellow and labelled Hearst AT the
top of the card are the words Lest we
Forget
Postmaster Wilcox explained Yesterday tnat
there was nothing political in to- seizure OF
The defamatory cards but the action was only
in accord with the law in the case. 1t is the
largest single seizure of mail matter in this
s. ~ sialce Mr.. Wilcox BECAME postmaster
To facilitate the distribution of the unusually
large political matter that has been sent out IN
this campaign the Postmaster assigned seVerl
aS,or+ers tn the mailing depots of the political
organizations 10 assert the mail there, fhus re-
lieVing the General PostoIIee Vi ble slO1l u iit
The offending postal cards, however. were not,
il is said put through at the TammahV llldiIlls
pIace. but were dumped into the main postofce
some time between midnight and O'Clock yes
terday morning. Some of them were sent to the
branch offices, but the greater part were held ior
the decision of the Postmaster
On his arrival at his Office it took Mr. Wilcox
not more than minute TO decide his course, ana
he Immediately issued orders for the suppression
of the Tammany cards. He then consulted WITH
the United States District Attorney ana lhe
Postofice inspectors, and all agreed with the con-
struction placed by the Postmaster on the Id"
relating TO the distribution of offensive matter
through the malls.
Although ii was said at Tammany Hall that
666. 900 of the postsls had been sent out. the
nromnt action Of Mr.. Wilcox prevented the dis
+ribution of more than a very small part OF
them,
The conhscated cards will be forwarded 10 the
first Assistant Postmaster General at Washmg-
ton.
Section 49S, under which the scurrilous postal
cards were seized. reads as follows
All matter otherwise maiable by law upon upon the ne
envelope or outside cover or Trapper @ 5lneations
epithets terms language OF an lndecen ie%p' ~
M +heafaOne character or calculated by tne
eerms or manner or style of display and obylou*y
nte9eT mi anc 70 Of another may be written printed
or eco 1therwse led matter and be
conveyed in the mails, nor deilEere@ It'll I'LL hs With
office nor by any letter carrier ana Ioqions se,i q s
drawn from the mails under such regulations SS
the Postmaster General sna et or Cause TO
be deposited mailing or delivery any thns ue
saTed nd sF oy pereo 1es who Shall knowingly take the same
or cause the to be taken @ dEoLn Inc l, f Or Of
aiding IN circulation Or dis39son OF Lne Salg;
se shereof fof be effa nea mot not more than g71afa
At hard labor for ne not tnn m0Fs conIt nrt'''
postYr aster Roberts of Brooklyn took the same
course as Postmaster Wilcox. and ordered the
corfiscatiou Of the postal cards mailed there IoF
transmission.
The order TO stop the delivery Of the CARDS was
first sent to the sub-stations in the Borough oI
THE Rronx About ten thousand cards were helu
IN in that borough At Station K. 100th-st ana
3d-aVp 5000 cards were stopped "heh Sou
perintend.nt Mott received the order from POST
master Wilcox, just before the carriers were
ready TO go out with the l0 O'CLOCK deliveries
there was hustle by the office clerks 10 reHio'e
the cards from the bags into which they hau
been sorted, and the delivery was cois'Neiso''
delayed in consequence.
At the fremont station 2,o00 cards were held
up by Superintendent Boak. when he received
teiepbone message from Postmaster WILCOX
stop the defvery and confiscate the Lest ne
Forget postals sent out by Tammany Hal'
At Station It, at No 1919 3d-ave. 1000 more
cards were held up. At Station several thou-
sand more we're stopped III delivery. There Was
greater confusion at Station Y than at any
other OF The Bronx sub-stattons. when the oFueF
was received for the station was flled with
tons of campaign mail. Extra carriers ana
clerks on hand in expectation of the rush, we're
worked 10 top speed to cope with the SITUATION
Many of the cards received AT Station were
without stamps and due stamps had been
affixed by the clerks. They were caught in time
and not sent out. however. An but few cards.
that went out on the early deliveries in The
Bronx were stopped and cnnfiscated-
Fast trains ~ Chicago and ST Louis hy West
shore Railroad: Ask a West Shore ticket agent iof