The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-31
DIFFICULTIES OF
SECRET SERVICE
Interesting Case of TamperIng
with Mails in Alabama
SHERIFF AIDED GUILTY MAN
But Man Was Finally Apprehendcd.
Entered Plea of Guilty and
He Was Given TWO
Years.
SHERIFF AIDED 6UllTYMA

Washington July 90 speeial) I'm one
of the southern states there is a little
inland town in which is located small
postoffiee from which emapate two rural
routes Recently a number of complaints
were made to the department by the pat
rons of one OF the routes that ordinary
and registered letters were being .riHed
for their contents. and two postoffee in
speetors were sent there to investigate
the matter. The postmaster of the office
in question was related TO the carriers,
and consequently the inspectors in their
investigation could not rely upon his as
sistanee in detecting the guilty party, be-
cause If one became aware that an in
vestigation was in progress all would
likely know It.
test letter containing marked bills
was registered at B. Alabama, adj
located on one of the routes from p,
the office from which the complaints were
received. The risk of lnclosing money In
test letters is frequently taken by post
office inspectors, but the chance of dis
posing of it in this particular case was
small The following day the postmaster
at b advised the postmaster at p
that the registered letter addressed to
NJ had been enormously sent, and re-
order to give the postal authorities an
opportunity to find out If the letter had
been rified After requesting the recall
of the letter. the inspectors visited a lit
tie village called N which Is supplied
with mail by one of the rural carriers
from P. The postmaster at N was
an honest old countryman, and agreed to
assist in the detection of the guilty party.
An ordinary letter was mailed with him
addressed TO a firm In Chicago, in which
were inclosed two one-dollar bills, two
silver dollars, and a fifty cent piece, all
bearing private marks, In payment for. a
pistol. An examination of this letter after
1t had passed through the P office re-
vealed the fact that 1t had been tempered
with. The paper money and the fifty cent
piece were still in the letter but one
dollar bill had been substituted for the
two silver dollars, and the original letter
had been replaced by one advising the
inelosure of $3.50 instead of $780,
Had to Take Long Drink.
The substituted letter was In the hand
writing of the carrier on the route be-
tween P and N, but in order to
apprehend the carrier II was necessary
for the inspectors to drive fourteen miles
1t was late in the. Afternoon and It was
doubtful II they could reach p in time
to search the carriers premises before
dark after which time 1t would be neoes-
sary to have search warrant unless he
1ffFaf nrsf1t .g..1 81.
made without it. To guard against
possible refusal on his part, a warrant
was sworn out describing the money
which had been placed In the letter and
the services of the sheriff of the county
were secured. A team was engaged, and
accompanied by the sheriff. the race to
P was begun, as 1t was necessary to
reach that place before the carriers re-
turn from the service of his route. The
departure was so hasty that the sheriff
did not have time TO read the warrant.
but 1t was read to him en- route. He In
formed the inspectors that they would
have shooting scrape" beyond any
doubt If they attempted to arrest the
carrier. as he was a desperate character
and had shot several men. and the whole
community was afraid of him. The in
spectors. however, Informed the sheriff
that they intended to take the carrier
auences, and he agreed to ''see them
through The sheriff was OF course.
familiar with the plans, and when within
about five miles of P---they came across
n party of men preparing barbecue. The
sheriff requested the inspectors to stop
for a few moments as he desired to speak
to one of the party. The request was
granted and shortly afterwards boy,
who later proved to be the carriers
cousin qqnd nm ri N a
sweeping gallop. The inspectors recog-
nlzed him as one OF the party at the
barbecue. and suspected that the sheriff
was endeavoring to advise the carrier of
the purpose of their visit to P. The
inspectors met the carrier about 300 yards
beyond p. when an examination was
made of the money In his possession,
and the two marked silver dollars, which
had been placed in the letter at N.
were found The inspectors were satisfied
that the carrier was not arn1er. as he
was in his shirt sleeves and NO ''gun"
was In sight but he was very calm and
collected in his movements and examined
the two dollarse carefully, looking at the
marks on them. and, realizing that he
was trapped. stated that he had gotten
the money from letter handed to him
by the postmaster at N. thsS the let
ter was very heavy with silver and came
Open and when 1t did he saw that 8.
b. the name of the party signed to the
1etter-a young boy al NJ was ordering
a pistol for $3.50 when he could get just
as good a one for $3.50: that he had taken
out the silver money for fear 1t would be
lost. and substituted paper money In It's
stead: that he did this to accommodate
b. and expected to return the dollar to
him as soon as he saw him.
Carrier Explains Trouble.
In explaining why he had not sent BIS
letter as Il was written instead OF re-
writing II. he said the writing was bad
and he had substituted new letter so
that there could be no mistake The in
spectors accompanied the carrier to the
postoffice. where they found concealed IN
his desk the registered letter sent from
B.. which he had failed to return.
The inspectors Informed the carrier that
he must accompany them. lie made all
kinds Of excuses TO get away and 10 TO
bis house. but he was taken away from
the home of his childhood with his wife
and four children weeping over his de-
parture. and the disgrace which his dis
honesty would bring upon them.
When placed on trial, he entered plea
Of guilty and was sentenced to imprison-
ment for two years at hard labor In the
pententiary
The inspectors had very little trouble
with the carrier after leaving B.. They
later discovered. however, that although
he was desperate character, and had
shot two men. as they previously had
been Informed the sheriff was his friend
~. 70.