The Washington times., 1911-01-15

no use of the mails in the alleged
fraudulent practice. Aid is refused in
those cases after investigation, the COM
plainant being asked to submit evidence
of use Of the mails; if, upon review,
reasonable grounds are afforded for an
\ assumption that the mails have been
used to defraud the cases are again
taken up. Chief Inspector Sharp puts
stress on the relation that fraud cases
bear to legitimate mail order business.
| He calculates that for every victim of
| a scheme to defraud by use of tine mails
! are lost
Two lines of procedure have been
followed for years by the Postoffice
| Department in dealing with fraud cases
the issuance of a fraud order, for
bidding the person designated from
prosecution, or both. The Postmaster
General issues citations to persons sus-
pected of using the mails to defraud to
show cause why a fraud order should
| not be made against them; but the
chief inspector believes that the fraud
order is not the best means OF dealing
with swindlers of that class. Or
ganizers of high finance schemes are
\ too shrewd, he thinks, to be deferred
by fraud orders, the change Of name
being too easy. Criminal prosecution is
recommended by Chief Inspector Sharp.
Requirements of Work.
Skillful, patient inspectors possessing
thorough, almost technical knowledge
Of evidence, are required to bring about
successful criminal prosecution of fraud
cases, and the expenditures of money
are necessarily large. Inspectors must
locate and interview witnesses. person
plantations, and the books and &C
counting systems of enterprises of all
, kinds, entailing long and expensive
trips. Frequently the properties are
located in foreign lands and are not
accessible for examination by the in
spectors. Expert accountants are
often employed to unravel distorted
accounts.
The number Of fraud cases presented
to the United States courts has led some
United States district attorneys and
judges to state that they should be left
to the State courts except where the
fraud was perpetrated wholly through
the postal service. But Chief Inspec-
tor Sharp declares that though State
courts might handle petty cases they
gigantic swindles that the inspectors
have rounded into court. From the
standpoint of results and economy one
department, he says, should handle all
Ille cases.
Robbery of Offices.
In a resume of statistics the chief
inspector states that there we're l.6s0
offices robbed in the fiscal year 1919 as
compared with 1859 the previous year.
There were 1883 arrests, All for bur-
glary of pOstoffices. OF those arrested
100 were postmasters, 50 assistant post
masters, 90 clerks In postoffices, % rar-
way postal clerks. 36 city letter car
riers, 81 rural letter carriers. 10 mail
carriers, and 20 other employees; AT
postoffce burglars and 1879 other per-
sons not connected with the postal serv-
ice.
Other offenses investigated were ir-
regularities of postmasters in stamp ac-
counts, evacion of the proper payment
of postage, the sending of obscene liter
ature and matter pertaining to lotteries
in the mails, unlawful use of penalty
envelopes, interceptiOn and theft of mail,
obstructing the mails and embezzlement
of valuable letters and counterfeiting
and forging of postal money orders.