Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-18
HOW &C. SLADE
WAS TRAPPED
II Took Stranger to Detect Post
office Superintendent Rob-
bling the Mails.
INSPECTOR MCKEE'S WORK
From pecpholc lie Detected Trusted
EmploNe at Nork--Casc for
Federal Grand Jury.

The excitement caused by the arrest
of Charles c. slade, superintendent OF
delivery at the salt Lake postodico. for
opening letters passing through his
hands. continues undated. I'm business,
social and fraternal circles the occur
renee is the talk Of the town. The
man has friends by the hundreds. and
he was one of the very last persons
that would have been suspicIoned OF
wrongdoiug especially OF am act of pile
fering.
For rs years Slade had been iu the
postofice. serving during the regime of
several different postmasters. NO tu-
ploye was trusted more implicitly lhan
he. and his detection was brought ABOUT
hy a man who was almost stranger
20 him. or perhaps the same tmns
might have gone on indefinitely
Said Postohice Inspector G.. ID. Lowe
today. when Inspectors purand, Mo
Koc and myself started I'M Friday night
10 NV and fathom the mystery of miss
ing letters and others that had been
tempered with. neither Mr., Durand nor
myself paid the least attention to Mr.
Slade, for with both of us he was above
euspicion. Not So however, with Mr.
Mckee. Slade was the first man that
he took notice Of from his position ia
the department above the postothce'
specially arranged when the building
was erected. for watching the move
ments Of employees.
FOUND HIM AT ONCE.
In less than i've minutes from the
time that Mckee first placed his eye
on Slade. he knew that he had FOUND
the man wanted. Slade was distribute
ing mail. and occasionally he would
closely scrutinize a letter crumple IL
In his fingers and some OF these fall-
ed 10 go into the place properly M
tended for them, but would go into
"A bundle retained for lack of sur
ficient postage. The distribution end
ed. Slade took the entire packet 90
his desk. and there We beheld him in
the act Of ripping letter OPEN he
did not exercise the least care or pre-
caution Ia lOoseuing the flap, ana often
would tear IL from point Co margin.
IL IL did not contain anything that ne
wanted. hc would reseal it with ms
own mucilcge. and the letter would
plainly show that IL had been tampcr-
ed with our position was not the best
for watching him at his desk, and the
first night SO Ear as We could discern,
he got nothing from the letters OPEN
ed.
TAKES FIVE BILLS.
saturday night we were again on
the watch. and the same thing hap
pencd again. Slade carried 20 his
desk "a letters and began the task
OF opening them, We had shifted
slat above his desk. and had a better
view than before. We saw him take
out 1--WE bills from different letters.
one letter contained so cents IN post
age stamps. and these be appropriated
and placed In a drawer OF his desk.
one letter was from a father 10 his
daughter. and money enclosed was 10
defray expenses at school bon this city
Slade carefully read the letter twice,
after putting the bills in his wallet.
We had seen enough. and / went be-
low and detained Sladc while the other
two inspectors came down starls'
MRS sLADE ARRIVES
Scarcely was slado under arrest. whau
his wife happened In 90 accompany him
home. Tho distressing news was told
to her hy himself. and n terrible scene
followed. Mrs. Slade was almost over
Coma at tho startling revelation. aud
freely wcpt her arms clingiug about
her highlands neck The man admitted
1850 hhAiNH NNNA NAtAAANA"N NiaHh hAtN WAHNNNIIH
est work had been followed By him only
about six weeks. officials. however. are
of the opinion that Slade has been OPEN
ing letters for years He had free ace
cess Go every department uf the post
office, ana being thoroughly trusted and
above suspicion. he had every adnn-
taga in carrying on his unlawful prac-
tlse. "A novice az stealing would never
So about the work with lhc Jack of
concern manifested by SHADE. declared
lu pcctor Lowe ole glanced neither
t0 thc right nor 90 tho Isft u..iher
above him. and such "a mastery ol hIm-
arif could como only with much pu.-
tlae in tho lime hC Nas following
THREW him OFF scENT.
From other sources o. was learned
chat slade would often carry letters
that had boon tamperi with i0 Poai-
master Thomas ana draw theIr c1uaI
uou to hia attention It Dos believed
chat many of these bad been opened
Bog himself
While there are always losses bon a
paatonlce of "a city as large aH Sad.
Take. m iH only oft iatn months tuHl
tho number 0f missing and muulat.l
letters have caused alarm no must
NOT b. thought however chat all losses
oocurnnF hUrc have been caused NF
I0Oal uIfar.rs. OIlrr I.I,.. an. 1u.u.I
u thf rIfN whore mIN.l Or unI'H I.s-
az through tAe nugols VI clerks whale