Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-01
THE PENALTIES ARE SEVERE
PUNISHMENT OF ROBBERY OF
THE MAILS.
High Rewards offered for Apprehen-
sion of the Crinlinals-Precau-
lions Against Collision.

There have been so many robberies OF
rost Offices and other mail depredatons
lately" remarked post Office inspector
recently. that the rewards offered by the
government for the apprehension of postal
thieves and the penalties attaching to
their oHenses should be widely dissent
mated. if for no other purpose than serving
as a warning to wouldbe criminals
The penalties for interfering with the
transit Of the mails and for the theft
thereof are very severe, the maximum
sentence being for life. The highest re-
ward offered by the Post Office Depart
ment is 81 600, and is especially directed
toward train robbers For the robbery
Of any carrier. agent or other person in
trusted with the mail the penalty Is I'M
Trisonment at hard labor for from FIVE to
ten years. and If convicted for second
time for like offense. or If in effcCting
such robbery the first time the robber
snail wound the person having custody
of the mail or put his life in jeopardy by
the use Of a dangerous weapon, 1t means
d life term for the convicted criminal.
The next highest reward is $500 and
APPLIES to any conviction of a mail rob-
berry effected while the mails are being
conveyed over any post route other than
a railway \ reward of $3.50 is offered
where the criminal attempts to rob the
mail by aSsaulting the person having 1t
in custody shooting at him or at his horse
or threatening him with a dangerous
weapon, though the robbery may not
have been effected. and the penalty for
this offense IS a term of from two to
ten years in the penitentlary.
Post Office Robbers.
Post Offices have always invited the at
teutiou of thieves for many reasons.
among which are that some of these
places are So situated that an entrance
into the building is comparatively easy,
there may be no Waterman around and
the safe is pretty sure to contain more or
less money or stamped paper which can be
converted readily into money.
ON the conviction of breaking into
post Office or of larceny therefrom. or
rohbing a postmaster or any empoye of
such of money or property belonging to
the government, or of breaking into a
post office with the intent to commit
therein larceny or other Depreciation the
department offers rewards ranging from
500 to $50. the highest reward going in
all cases where the safe is broken into,
whether or not access to the funds was
secured
The department also offers rewards
ranging from 500 to SO for the Convic-
ton Of its own mail carriers on star
routes who may be tempted to embezZe
or steal mail matter intrusted to them.
Men are often tempted to Stea! from the
mail while the latter is in a railroad depot
awaiting transfer. or is being conveyed
to and from railroad depot, or is in the
custody Of a mail messenger, or is being
conveyed over a post route. For these
many and comparatively minor offenses
the departments reward upon conviction
ranges from 800 to 500.
receivers of any money or property
stolen from post offices or from the mails
or accessories to these thefts come under
severe penalties, and peace officers are
spurred to action in these instances by
similar rewards as those offered for the
apprehension and conviction of the prin-
cipal offenders