New-York tribune., 1918-01-20
Eight Registered Sacks
Vanish Between Ferry
and Main Office Here
Arrest of Woman
Confederate Near
Bags of Valuables Stolen
Without Check ON Them
by Postal Authorities

Retween s5oO,0oO and $l,o00O0O in
bills. jcwelry, checks and other valu
able registered mail has been stolen
here, ii was revealed yesterday, with
the arrest Of Charles J. Richardson, of
666 Ninth i-venue, chauffeur, recently
employed by the Postoffice Departme mt.
n large squad of postal inspectors mere
arc running down the perpetrators of
the biggest mail robbery ever engi-
neered here, and six other arrests. in
arc expected shortly.
he robbery reveals the startling
fact, according to Assistant United
States Attorney +. Paul Yaselli, that
eight sacks of mall containing the big
loot. were abstracted without any check
on it being placed by the postoffice
authorities. 1t is declared that Rich
ardson might have escaped detection
had he not aroused suspicion by quit
ting his job as mail driver four days
after the robbery, on January Z.
Complaints Revealed Loss
First intimation of the robbery came
TO the postal authorities in complaints
from the Federal Reserve Bank of this
district, and half a dozen banks and
brokerage houses here, that registered
mail forwarded from Chicago, Wash
ington and Western cities had not ar
rived.
The Federal Reserve Bank reported
that IL had lost $4,000 in 81 bills.
The other banks claimed aggregate
S125,000. This, according to Mr.. va
selli accounts for comparatively little
cf the contents of the eight sacks
stolen. Within week. as reports come
III from the Western Spondents of
the banks and firms here, a more &C
curate estimate will be made, but Mr..
Naseli last night declared the loss
would be upward of half million.
Two weeks ago Richardson was sent
to the Jersey Central Railroad terminal
at Communipaw, and there received the
mail sacks for delivery at the main
postofiice, Thirty third Street and
L, ghth Avenue.
Mail Driver unsupported
With his load, Richardson crossed the
river on ferry. Then, according to
Mr.. Yasell, the strangest part of the
robbery occurred. Instead of going to
the postotfice with the sacks. Richard
son is. said to have disposed of them
np his truck for the night. The nexc
without the slightest suspicion being
directed at him.
II asked the postofficc officials how
a man could walk off with eight sacks
of mail between two points without
check being kept on him and the loss
detected at once" said Mr.. Yascli.
The only explanation they made was
that they were trying to economize and
save money, and the system they were
using in deliveries and checking had
been installed for this purpose. ! have
rot completed my investigation into this
SYSTEM"
Details of the system employed were
not made known by Mr. Yaselli, who de-
cared that the laxity of officials and
organization at the postotfice would be
thoroughly looked into by him.
When, several days after the robbery,
banks began to ask for registered ship
nents. the first investigation was start
Cd. Then Richardson quit his job, ana
was closely shadowed by postottice in
:pectors, and every step he has taken
since has been reported to the authori-
ties.
Yesterday he was picked up at his
home by Postofiice Inspector Samuel J.
lillian, and arraigned before Samue:
NJ. Hitchcock, United States Commits
sioner, in the Federal Building. Bail
was fixed at $4,000. but Mr. Yasclli
tatcd that should the prisoner show
any signs of furnishing this, he would
lave his bail raised to three times that
sum. to insure holding him.
To Mr.. Yaselli, Richardson denied
knowledge of any missing sacks, and
stously affirmed that he mad made the
deliveries to the postotfice on schedule
time. He said he had quit his Job be-
cause he was not getting enough money.
Richardson is thirty years old and
unmarried. The prosecutor said he had
been arrested for the theft of packages
from one of the largest express com
panles here, for which he had been a
driver
None Of the stolen pouches had been
located last night. Mr.. Yaselli said,
richardson pleaded not guilty yester.
day. asked for lawyer and was sen
TO the Iombs to await hearing before
Commissioner Hitchcock next FRIDAY.