Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-06

Der Of positions IN post oflices which wom-
en- are unified physically to f7ll.
The returns from third and fourth class
post Offices in three states Maine. Minne-
sofa and MississippD show that nearly SO
per cent OF the clerks IN the employ OF
such Offices June so. 1905. who were paid
we're women-360 out OF total OF 40.
Many of these were doubtless wives and
daughters of the postmasters.
There are no women city letter ter carer. .hsrs
were approximately 163 women employed
as regular rural letter carriers NO ac-
count has been kept Of the number OF sub
stitute rural letter carriers who are WON
en-. The regulations governing the appoints
ment of rural letter carriers nave oeen
amended SO that women VIII pc depafreo
from such appointments. Rural letter car
riers are required to be on duty IN al con-
ditions of weather and the selection OF
women for such positions is not deemed 10
be to the best interests or the serViee.
Substitute rural letter carriers are nom.
mated by the carrier, with the result ihae
the substitute is frequently a woman MEM
Der of the carriers family. Married wom-
en- are barred from holding positions In the
postal service which are ciassfneo unusI
cIyn service law.
Chief Wilkes Tribute.
John e. Wilkie, chief of the secret serv-
ice of the Treasury Department, has very
high opinion of the honesty of women In the
government service, and could not remem-
Der the case of any woman who had peen
arrested for embezzlement of government
money since he had been in Office. He be-
ieves that women have higher ideals and
better principles than men: That they are
more conscientious in the performance OF
their duties and in the observance OF trusts.
Mr.. Wtlkie called attention to the Iact tn,it
women are rapidly displacsng men as CASH
iers In hotels, restaurants, stores ana otner
large establis hments, and belleves that At
is an occupation for which they are peca
liarly fitted, both because of their intelligence
and their honesty. AS a rule, Mr. WliRie
says every woman criminal is the accom-
plice of some man, and has become IN
volyed because of her love and devotion
for him rather than from criminal instincts:
Occasionally however, as in the case OIL
Mrs Chadwick. we hear OF woman tak,
ing high flights in fraudulent nnaheiai
transactions
Mr.. Ridgely, controller CT the currency,
says that during the past fofty-two years
since his Office was established, the WoMei 81
employees have been handling an average o.
a million dollars a day, and not one OF them
has ever been indicted or arrested TOT, ds-
honesty There are many women employees
in national banks throughout the country
In offices OF various grades from presidenH
to bookkeeper, and not enc OF them mas
ever been accused of fraud or emnez.ie
ment. Mr.. Harper, former president OF tne
Fidelity Bank in Chicago, had woman fot
private secretary, who was yer! much
mixed up in his affairs and vino was prope
ably aware of his criminal transactions; IL
she was not actually involVed IN .he'n. ~ ~
She was never punished. Her loyalty 10
Harper through his troubles evoked Hucn
admiration. She afterward married, ana
when last hear from was living III Ihi-
cage.
Among the Money Counters.
Mr.. d. w. Harrington, chief OF the di-
vision of general accounts in the treasury
had charge of the handling of money Tor
a third of a century and almost all of MS
assistants have been women. There nave
been several persons suspected of dlshon-
esty during this time Mr.. Harringt ION says,
and he believes them to nave beeh euEts'
but he was unable to obtain PROOF: 10 DC
on the safe side, he recommended theiF ois-
-missaI but clerk in his d!Nistoh was
ever indicted for embeZzlement
Mr. James f. Melfne, assistant treasures
of the United States, who Is another VET
eran of thirty years or more In once. te.lis
me that the only case OF dishonesty 'alhons
the women clerks of his office occurred IN
1896 when one of the 'countess05 IN tne
redemption division. where worh-out notes
are cut into slices before being deslToSeu'
stole and secreted a number OF shps from
$500 bills. and by pasting them toge .
succeeded in making an entire note. When
she got an opportunity she substituted TINS
made-up note for a whole one III packase
which was given to her TO count ana Gai
ried the whole one away with heT. ne
substitution was accidentally discovered
she was followed up and the bill was re-
covered, but she was never indicted SeN-
eral other "countesses' have been suspected
of abstracting notes from packages OF
money given them to count, ana nave peeil
dropped from the rolls. but such cases OF
dishonesty have been extremely rare. ME-
Meljne cannot remember that any woman
employe of the treasurer's office was ever
indicted for dishonesty.