Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-04

II your enemies select the post card
method of informing you that your
form isn't perfect, that you can't cook,
that the stork is likely to stop at your
home, or that you are the reincarna-
tion of the blue ribbon fireman of the
world and the universe below, don't
despair, but seek Col. James II, Stu
art, postoffice inspector.
Col. Stuart has inaugurated new
crusade. the strangest ever undertaken
In Chicago. II is directed at those who
would persccute their enemies by send
ing them post cards that are sometimes
suggestive, often vicious, and always
offensive. He says he will not discon-
tinue the crusade until the practice has
been stopped and he exjects to collect
many thousands of dollars In fines be-
sides sending many men and women to
the federal penitentiary before that
comes to pass.
Scores of Chicago men and women
are the victims of those possessed of a
mania for inilicting that mode of tor
ture. At some homes every mail
brings n post card or two intended to
poison the mind of husband against
wife and of wife against husband. The
joking period has long been passed in
many homes and scores of prominent
citizens have called upon the inspector
to do his best in running to earth those
who send the cards.
ITS fright" the inspector said the
other day. Homes are upon the verge
of being broken up because of the vi
clous practice. When one or two cards
are sent all is well, but when every
mail brings a card suggesting the same
thing men and women are made miser-
able. 1t IL one of the most cruel forms
of torture of modern times and in more
venomous than the old practice of writ
ing letters bearing fictitious signature.
Here, for instance"
The inspector took a card from his
desk He was careful to conceal the
address. The post card bore the pic
ture of a woman scantily clad She
was standing upon the bank of Al
stream and it seemed she had been
playing in the sand. At her feet re-
clined a man. He was smiling and the
woman was laughing. At the top of
the card We're the word: THE Man /
Left Behind in Michigan"
Catch the point?" the inspector
quered.
"She had been in Michigan"
Right you are The woman to
whom this was directed is a married
woman. She spent several weeks in
Michigan at one of the resorts. A
woman addressed the card, for the
writing is in a feminine hand. What
do you suppose the husband thought
when he saw that card ?"
Did he see it?"
Sure he saw it. The woman wasn't
content with sending one card; she
was not certain the husband would see
it. So she sent one of the cards every
day for a month. If the husband had
been a jealous man there would have
been trouble. There's no evidence she
left any man behind when she left
Michigan"
The inspectors hand again sought
the drawer of his desk.
And here's another. This was di-
rected to a man and it certainly didn't
cause him any great joy"
1t certainly could not. There was the
picture of a mule upon the card. The
ears We're long and the mouth of the
Least was spread wide as If he had
just rid himself of a long bray.
There's Nobody Just Like You," was
the inscription upon the card.
What do you suppose that man
thought when he received that card?"
Don't know"
"Well, you can imagine, can't you :?
The first thing that stared him in the
face for thirty mornings was a copy of
this post card. Torture? Well,
should say That man told me he had
sworn more since he received that pic
ture than he ever did before in all his
life. Do you blame him"
The inspector did not await an am
swer, but his hand sought the drawer
of his desk once more. There was a
smile on his face as b. brought forth
another picture.
Say, here's one that came near caus-
ing a tragedy"
The picture was sufficient to draw
smile. a large woman was drawn and
at her side stood a small man. She
must have weighed more than 300
pounds and the man couldn't have
weighed more than 100. There was de-
termination imprinted upon every line