The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-06-19
BIC MAIL ROBBERY
REGISTERED POUCH SAID TO CON.
TAIN $4,000 DISAPPEARS
AT KANSAS CITY.
POSTAL OFFICIALS EvAS|VE
While Reluctantly Admitting the Dis
appearance of the Pouch They
Refuse to Make Public
Any of the Details.

Los Angeles, Cal, June 11.-Reluc'
tant admissions made by the postof
fee officials of three cities Wednesday
the disappearance of a registered
mail pouch somewhere within the jur'
isdiction of the Kansas City, Mo-, post
office last Saturday night will prove
one of the biggest hauls in the history
of the postoffice department. From
Wednesday that package of at least
$4,000 in currency was among the
contents of the pouch which carried,
in addition, an unusually large number
of letters and packages containing
money and other valuables to an
amount which can only be conjectured,
but which may reach $4,000 more.
The pouch was in transit from this
city to New York and the postal in
spectors who have had the case in
charge for at least 48 hours refuse
any explanation of manner in which
1t became lost to sight in transfer from
one responsible guardian to another,
as the department regulations provid'
ing for the protection of registered
matter are of the strictest. That
pouch of value has disappeared was
admitted Wednesday by the depart
ment at Washington, by Postmaster
NJ. H. Flint of Los Angeles, and by
Inspector W. ]. Wickery, attached to
the Kansas City postofiice, who APP
pears to have the case for investiga-
ton. In no case, however, was there
any positive information as to the
method employed in carrying out the
robbery.
The fact that tlfe mail in process OF
transfer at the Union depot in Kan
sas City is handled in a temporary
sub-station since the destruction of
the regular branch office by fire sew
eral months ago, supports the theory
that advantage was taken of conditions
presumed to be more lax than ordi-
narily
There is reason to believe that the
$4,000 package of currency which
will undoubtedly prove to be the
largest individual loss was a shipment
made by Los Angeles bank to its
New York correspondent Postmaster
Flint of Los Angeles stated that it
would be impossible for any official
of the department to even estimate the
total contents of the missing pouch
until the holders of receipts issued on
the day in question had made affidavits
as to the matter entrusted to the
mails. Mr.. Flint admitted, after be-
ing shown the dispatches from Kansas
City that he had been notified of the
loss, adding that the responsibility of
the postoffice for its delivery ended
when it was locked in the presence of
witnesses by the registry clerk, and
delivered to the railway postal en-
ployes.
No News of Missing Mail Sack.
Los Angeles, June 13.-OfIicials of
the Farmers & Merchants National
bank of this city stated Friday that no
word had yet been received from New
York acknowledging the receipt of the
$50, 900 bundle of currency believed to
have been portion of the contents
of the registered pouch stolen in tran
sit at Kansas City last Saturday night.
1t is now admitted by the bank Of
ficials that the money was stolen. The
shipment was insured for its value as !.
is the custom. The postal officials I
here affirm that no fresh advices re-
lating to the investigation at Kansas