Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-12-02
ROBB|KC POSTOFFICES
IS NO Lucrative JOB
INST .GCTOR GIVES \ FEW FIG
URES-WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
TO 88 IN OKLAHOMA.

| II anyone doubts the wisdom of the
old saying that the way of the trans
to call on Chief Postoffice Inspector
/ Joseph j. Johnston and hear from
the lips Of that official the story Of
what happened to the postoffice rob
| bers of his district during the twen-
ty months just closed
Inspector Johnson's territory in
cludes the otate of Kansas, Nebras-
ka and Oklahoma and also Kansas
/ City, Mo-, and is probably the favor
ite stamping ground of the "yegg-
man or safe blower.
While in the reminiscent mood the
other day the inspector began recall
ling the numerous cases of safe blow.
ing in his district and the amount
of loot that was secured by the rob
bers. Presently he began to realize
that the statistics of these interest
ing events would prove a valuable
lesson to anyone who looks with long
ing eyes on the l.fe of the festive
then he set about to find just how
profitable postoffice robbing had
been in his district for the preceding
year and q half. The tale these facts
tell is Of much value to those who
would teach the youth of the coun-
try that honesty after all, is the very
best policy to pursue
%
Nebraska there have been fifteen rob
berries of postoffices. Among these
three safes were blown, two had been
unlocked by the postmaster and were
opened without the aid of nitrogly-
ment was $1,725.07, Of which $1t11S.-
period in Kansas the robberies to-
tailed seventy and twenty seven
safes were destroyed by dynamite.
The total loss of the government was
$3.50, of which s7,371 was in
stamps
Oklahoma was the sufferer in the
same months through ninety-siX rob
berries in which twenty-five safes
were blown and S10,S30.42 was sto-
len. of which s6,431.11 was in stamps.
This makes the total number of rob-
berries 100, in which ffty-five safes
were ruined by the explosion of nitro
glycerine and $22.376.O9 was taken,
including $14,s2S.26 in stamps For
these robberies fifty-eight persons
were arrested and all are either
serving sentence in federal prisons or
waiting trial
At first glance II looks as though
the business of robbing postofficesI
would be pretty lucrative, but a
careful analysis of the facts discloses
fairs.
The 90 robberies, while netting the
"yeggmen" s22,376.09, only averaged
s117.75. of which $3.50 was in
stamps, leaving a balance Of $39.25
In money as the wage Of the men.
probably three In each case. who
rlsked death or Imprisonment to gain
the pittance-a trifle more than SO
apiece, from which the expense of
automobile or other means or trans
portation must be deducted.
This gain must be greatly reduced
however. as In the case Of stamps
the robbers rarely average a return
of more than 10 or 10 per cent on
the stolen property. In the first
place the total Of the fence" Is at
least 25 or 80 per cent. Then the
loss from the stamps sticking togeth-
er when buried or hidden away, |
sometimes for months at a time, is on
the average of 10 or so per cent
Consequently II 10 safe to say that
during the twenty months covered |
by the figures Of Inspector johnson.
the several rcbberies on the aver