The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-14

ali honest men. It would be stranger stilI if all of them could withstand the temptations that constantly arise as they handle the miiIScns of pre- cious letters and parcels which are carried in pouches through all the qualifications of the railway systems The government does not guarantee the safe delivery of letters or parcels, but as matter of precautson 1t pro- vided the money order and registered letter system to prevent the sending of money and valuables through the general mail. But even letters and parcels sent by money order and reg istered letter are not sacree to the mail thief He robs them with as lit tie impunity as the humblest letter that falls into his hands and looks good to him. The only protection she user Of the mails has against thieves is the postofice inspector. His influence over the morals of men throughout the great department is simply amazing. He is feared because his ways are mysteri- ous and he seems to be omnfpresent. His clever ruses to overcome the cum ming of the thieves he is after, his nearly invariable success in rounding them up. in sending them to the gangs where they practice the lockstep daily, and the unlimited power he has at com mand to carry on his work secretly or publicly. as he may choose, makes him one of the most important factors in the service.
 The stan of inspectors has been largely augmented by an act of Con- gress which became operative on De- cember 1, 1905, placing the division su- perintendents. rural agents and clerks at division headquarters under the postoffice inspectors. By the law the two great travelling forces of the Post office Department were placed under one head. Thus large number of really first-class men became inspec- tors. and the Postmaster General says in his annual report that he believes that the year 1907 will show vast increase in the work done by the in spectors and more noticeable im- provement in the postal service. In a general way the inspectors are the di- rect representatives of the Postmaster General in personal supervision of the service. The inspection division is thoroughly organized, and is perhaps the best "detective service" in the world. They are all what is known in police parlance plain clothes men" They work quietly and without display their only badge of authority being certificate from the Postmaster Gen eral in an inside pocket With this document an inspector gains immediate access to postoffices, books. cash and stamps. The postmaster has no say about 1t, no matter whether the in- spector's dropping in is at a conven- tent season or not. The inspector is as likely to make demand for keys and combination to the safe at mid convenience, or when he believes the best time for making an examination of the office.
 An old inspector says that years ago, on one of the old star routes out in New Mexico, hundreds of letters con- kat afxae A aira rf~et 4kI. CT valuables were being stolen daily. At first letters and all disappeared with astonishing regularity. Finally the thieves altered their methods. and in- stead of taking the letter entire, open ed and took the contents resealing and forwarding Inspectors were sent over the routes. spending sleepless days and nights. and the only facts gathered were that the letters passed through many hands and that the thefts did not abate. Men were watched and shad- owed, but to no purpose. Finally one of the inspectors procured at a whole- sale drug house & quantity Of different kinds of drugs, which were carefully labeled and placed in his grip Ths inspector started out on 8 supposed trip of inspection of the offices along the routes where the letters were being stolen. He made an examination of books and accounts and while doing thls ne managed 70 SID little or one of the drugs in the mucilage bottle. using a different drug for the muci- lage at each office and making a mem orandum which would show just where the drug was used. He watched re- suits, and soon New York merchant produced a letter which had been opened and rified of large sum of money. The inspector took the envei- l ope. tested and smelled the mucilage, 1 took out his little book, and in a mo- ment told just the office where the let ter had been tempered with. He lost | no time in getting to the office in the l Mexican Rockies. Decoy letters were started over the route, and the post 1 master went for them like a hungry | duck. The result was that in two weeks the inspector had his man in handcuffs.
 There are two successful ways to catchf postal thief" continued the | inspector. one Is constant watch. | and the other decoy letters. With | these and a large supply of patience the game can nearly always be landed |