The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-20
Western Union Took "Night
Letters" in Grips.
Delivered as If Sent Over the
Wire.
CHARGED REGULAR WIRE RATE
Is Violation of United States
Postal Laws.
Five Messengers Have Been
Arrested.

Washirgton, June 20.-Raids were
carried out today by the government
on the Western Union offices at Bal
timore, Philadelphia, New York,
Washington and Boston to secure evil
dence upholding charges that the
Western Union is operating in compe-
tition with the postoffice department
by delivering might letters" via train.
Night Letters By Train.
1t is alleged that the Western I'm
ion has been accepting so-called
might letters for filing by wire,
charging wire rates and then deliver
five large cities. Thousands of these
letters have been delivered via suit
case instead of wire" nightly for
weeks, 1t is stated.
Five Western Union messengers
were al crested by postoffice department.
inspectors for carrying kilograms and
night letters on trains between the
cities in which the raids were con-
Quoted. The men were released on
bond.
Charges of "defrauding the public
and infringing on the governments
monopoly of carrying first class mat
ter" will be brought against the West
ern Union Telegraph company thru
United States district attorneys. the
postoffice department announced. The
penalty for each offense involves a
fine of $500.
Got Ten Times Postal Rate.
The Western Union has been get
ting ten times as much as the postof-
flee for the same service. officials
point out. The night letter rate from
Washington to Baltimore is rs cents,
plus cent war tax. The postage on
a letter making the same trip on the
same train is cents.
The postoffice inspection depart
ment announced that it has abundant
evidence and has been keeping watch
on these movements for sons time
back"
This is taken to mean that the de-
partment has sufficient proof to run
the Western Union company's fines,
II guilt is established, into many thou
sands Of dollars.
All Over the Country.
The department also announced, It
Is assumed these movements have been
going on all over the country where
train trips do not take more than
five or eight hours. and that they are
checking up on scores of cities now.
The messengers arrested today all
carried brief cases filled with night
letters and kilograms dated yesterday
and prepared to look as If they had
been taken from the wires at the re-
ceiving cities, it Is stated
The method of operation, accord
ing to postoffice department officials
was for a messenger to leave Wash
| ington for instance, with a case full OF
dispatches, meet another messenger at
Philadelphia, leave his case there and
then take new patches on to the next
stop.
The postoffice inspector advised the
Western Union to copy the messages
separately and send them on to their
destination by wire so those to whom
they were addressed would not suffer
as result of the raids.
viii Not Discuss 1t.
New York, June 20.-The following
statement regarding the raids made by
the government on the Western Union
company in this and other cities was
given out, in printed form, at the Of
flee of Newcomb Carlton, president OF
the company, today:
Mr.. Carlton would not discuss the
subject as he deemed 1t improper to
do SO since he understood the matter
had been presented to the grand jury
but he did say that the public need
not be surprised at any attacks that
might be made against the Western
Union at this time"