The Washington herald., 1907-08-22
NO TRACE OF MONEY
Department Officials Know
Naught of Big Theft.
UNCLE SANS BIG MONEY LOSES
Fashion for Robbing Government
Finds seems to BE Growing-steaI-
ing of S25O.OOO in RegIstered Pack
ages Follows Closely on Heels of a
Number of Large RObberies.

If the Post-of1ce Department has re-
celved any information regarding the
reported robbery Of three registered mail
pouches on a fast train on the Chicago,
Burlington and quincy Railroad between
Denver Colo, and oxford, Nebr., said
to contain $4,000 its officials are not
communicative about it,
At the chief inspectors Office it was
stated yesterday afternoon that no in
formation had reached that branch and
that it might be possible that the In
spector's force in the immediate neigh
borhood where the robbery is alleged 10
have occurred at once went 10 work on
the case before reporting to headquar-
ters. But absolute ignorance OF the case
was professed beyond the knowledge re-
garding the occurrence CLEANED from
newspaper accounts II was pointed out,
however, that as no declarations OF value
are made on registered packages, as in
the case OF express packages, the only
way Of approxImating the actual loss
would be through consultation with the
senders.
May Not BE so Much.
II was said at the Office of Second As
sistant Postmaster General AIeCleary
that so far as known OILY two pouches
had been stolen. and that their contents.
in all likelihood, did not amount 20 the
sum reported nor half as much.
II was denied at the Office OF the chief
Of the Secret Service. in the Treasury
building, that Secret Service men are
working on the case.
Not being in our department or within
our jurisdiction, said Acting Chief Moran,
the matter is, of course, not handled by
the Secret Service of the Treasury. We
will lend them men, however. If they
ask for them and pay for their service.
That's all We know about the case. The
inspectors Of the Post-office Department,
TO doubt. viii apprehend the thieves and
recaptuTe the stolen pouches, # the story
is at all true"
Uncle Sam has had considerable tough
luck with his trusted officials lately. and
has lost enough cash through their dis
honesty 10 start number of banks, or 70
buy the wedding trousseaus for more than
a thousand brides and set their husbands
up in business.
The Latest Theft.
Only a few days ago one Of the officials
IN the Boston subtreasury relieved Uncle
Sam Of about S3,ooO The theft of $17S
600 in 1900 bills, which occurred about
FIVE months ago IN the Chicago subtreas-
ury. is stiH puzzling the governments de-
tective forces and the theft OF S62,Ce0 from
the St Louis Subtreasury. which hap
pened about ten months ago, is as much
Of a mystery now. so far as public knowl-
edge is concerned as it was when the
thievely was first discovered.
Nine times have United States sub
treasures been robbed Of $4,000 or more.
In six Of these the thieves have been ap-
pretended and punished. and part OF the
money recovered.
The greatest theft was the Whitaker
May steal. from the New Orleans sub
treasury. in 1861. They took nearly a.00o,
600, and when caught a small part Of the
money was recovered. The government
is still $3.50, ,9Sl.53 out on that enterprise,
one Of the most famous Of all Treasury
robberies occurred in this city In 1873.
when It was discovered that one OF the
packages 20 be sent away by the Adams
Express Company. billed 10 the National
Bank of New York. and containing
N7.O97.65. was missing
Another Theft Here.
Another big theft that took place in this
city was that OF Marden and Johnson.
Aiarden was chief OF the division OF ac-
counts. and Johnson was assistant pay
ing teller Marden got away with $1,000
and Johnson with $J0.000 The Treasury
stiu claims $4,000 loss on that transaction.
The Winslow theft. which was accom-
plished in 1876, was another big thing.
Winslow was an honest employe in the
Treasury. and everybody was surprised to
discover that he had helped himself 10 a
package containing SS,O00 intended for
shipment to a Western bank. Winslow
got scared out Of his wits when somebody
said to him in fun, They've caught you
at last. Winslow."
That night some one rang the door
bell at the home Of Secretary Of the
Treasury Wyman so hard that the old
gentleman tumbled out Of his bed In a
hurry
Money Is Returned.
When he opened the door. he found
a bundle containing the stolen money,
with few hundred dollars missing.
In san Francisco, a good many years
ago, a shortage Of about S150o0O was dis
covered and melter and refiner was
charged with the crime. II was claimed
by him that in the process Of smelling,
the gold had gone up the fiume.
The Carson City mint also came in for
little surprise. TWO employees, John
T. Jones and James Heney, carried on
their operations for more than three years
before they were discovered. Ry- that
time they had succeeded in carrying off
$4,000 worth OF the precious metal, and
Uncle Sam 10 this day is out of pocket
on account Of that transaction.
The Philadelphia mint also had its sad
experiences. one Of its officials got away
with about 10000, the larger part OF
which. however, was recovered. There are
nearly $1,000 coming to Uncle Sam from
that deal.