Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-07

employees. There were ih5 postoillcn
burglars arrested and l.ii9 other per-
SONS i'll no way connected with the
service. or all those arrested $40
were convicted. i42 released because
the grand iuries failed 10 indict them.
1873 We're discharged because no case
was made against them az the pre-
lininary hearing. and seventy ssvcn
were acquitted after due trial. hi
ninety-iive cases proceedings were
dismissed because of inability to OBJ
tain evidence: seventeen OF those in &.
dicted ran away to avoid trial aud
forfeited their bail: eight defendants
died while awaiting trial. and ono cs :
capped from custody. There were ca
cases stlll pending at the close OF tho
year.
All matters concernlng losses steal
Ing. destruction. delay and mssend-
ing. non delivery and wrong delivery
Of mail reported to the postoiiloe de q.
partment are referred To the office of
The chief Inspector. who refers them
to his subordlnates. aud they are ex-
peeled 10 trace the trouble to ~
'onrce. 10 fix responsibility and If
possible. to apprehend the thief or
enibe2zler. During the last year IA
O7G complaints were made and sent
out 10 the inspectors which was n de-
cided increase from the l2742 in the
year 1906. because OF the burning of
several postal cans and the destruc-
ton of great many registered let
tiers.
large number OF the complaints
IRE due TO carelessncss or Ignorance
If writer's instead OF the employees of
the service. as any one may easily
ascertain by reading the reports OF
the dead letter Office. In that way
alleged losses are often explained.
and the articles returned to the own :
era. who have been guilty of careless
ness IN writing or failing 10 write the
addresses upon their envelopes. In
he great majority OF cases the in
closure, when opened nt the dead let :
Ter office. fails to give any trace OF
The person from whom IL came or the
person 10 whom II was sent
Charges Of Dishonesty.
What are known rs &c cases" In
me department. which cover all
charges OF dishonesty asains.. en-
'loyes CT the service, numbered 30
'ol last year. as compared with 25.-
il77 In the year 1906. These include
mistakes as well rs dishonesty. i'm
roper payment OF money orders,a i'm :
proper sales of stamps. padding of
cancellations in order to secure in
'rease OF salary, failure 10 make
proper remittances ana reports. oya-
lions OF the payment OF proper ratea
NJ postage, mailing OF indecent and
improper matter, obsstructlng deiiy>
Try or destroying letters. and all such
matters. The increase from the pre-
'ions year was duo 10 the new law
md regulations In the classification OF
matter. In 1898 eases people sent
ront matter OF Il higher class with
hostage OF Il lower rate than waa law
ful. The increase. was also due Ia
he violation of the postal regulations
by concerns Offering premiums fo,,
'ags or coupons. The department ool-
'ected $47.0l5 rs fines for such Of
lenses alone.
1t may l'a interesting to know the
details OF the other cases inyestigat-
I'd. which are as follows:
irregularities of nostmasters IT
postotiiccs located in barrooms !,
Carrying mail by private ex-
press ..........i...... 81
Unlawful use penalty envelopes 81
Horeing money orders .. III
Imbezzlement OF valuable let
tefS .................. $50
Opening or destroying letters. 431
icaling mall ...... IT,
washing postage stamps .... ar
Dbstrnctlng mails ......... n
Lottery matter In mails ... 252
Indecent matter in mails 2253s
improper use of mails .... 1881
Mr. Vickery reports during the last
earl 577 postofices have been enter
I'd by burglars rs against 1 .802 DURING
he year 1906, a decrease. OF 1919 PEI
'ent. TIE number OF offices burne |
vas SEQ as against 500 during the
revious year, i+7 postal cars were
grecked in comparison with l3l In
1906. and 5.2i4 pouches of mail wein
reported lost. damaged. rined or not
regularly accounted for. in which thu
loss was apparent rather than rea'
because most Of them We're misseut
md afterward recovered.
The reports Of postal cars burned
! and wrecked are quite significant.
there being an increase from seventy
one in 1909 TO al IN 1907, which
shows that railway accidents arc in.
creasing very rapidly.
Crimes of Yegernen.
The burglaries are mostly commit
ted by "yeggmen.' that is, malicious
tramps who are tempted 10 rob post
Offices because ordinary, stamps can
be so easily disposed OF for cash in
small amounts at almost any place
and cannot be traced Mr.. Vickery
aiggests that nothing will 30 farther
toward breaking up this business than
printing the name of the postofiicc
upon stamps when they are received