Evening star., 1918-06-20
Postal Authorities Arrest
Travelling Agents Loaded
Down With Messages.
PRACTICE GOING ON
FOR SEVERAL WEEKS
Violation of Law Which Would
Entail Fine of Not More Than
$500 or Six Months in Prison.

Postal inspectors arrested a number
of travelling agents of the Western
Union Telegraph Company on trains
between Boston, New York, Philadel-
phia, Baltimore and Washington to-
day, ard seized suit cases they were
carrying filled with messages filed for
transmission by telegraph.
This practice, which is said to have
been in operation by the telegraph
company. for some time, is considered
violation of postal laws forbidding
persons not connected with the postal
service from conducting traffic in
communications over regular post
roads.
The Post Office Department announc-
ed that FIVE men had been caught, but
that a number of others were engaged
in the traffic.
Grand Jury to Get Facts
The facts discovered will be pre-
sented to grand juries. ohicials of
the telegraph company will be sum-
moned to explain the practice The
penalty for violation of the postal
law is fine of not more than $500
or six months Imprisonment.
Information concerning the practice
will be turned over to the Department
cutions also might be made under
other statutes. such as that Furnishing
obtaining money under false pre-
lenses. This action, however, would
have to be undertaken by state. rather
than federal, authorities.
Messages from Washington for New
York. for instance, were carried by
messenger leaving Washington on
midnight train. He was met at Balti-'
more by another agent. who turned
messages, and this also was done At
Philadelphia, SO that a batch Of tele-
grams from each city was delivered In
New York the next morning.
Government Messages Carried.
Messengers also started from New
York in the same way. Quantities OF
have been carried in this relay
fashion.
More than 1,500 messages were sei.-
ed in the raids today. The postal in
spectors Immediately notified the
western Union offices at the cities
The company was permitted to copy
the kilograms and to deliver these
copies to the addresses.
The messages are said to have been
typed on receiving blank forms at the
originating offices and bore fictitious
kilograms were supposed to have been
received by an operator at the destina-
ton and the operators marks. Thus
they resemb1ed in every detail mes
sages which might have been trans
mitted by wire.
Investigation Over Weeks.
Postal authorities for several weeks
have been investigating reports that
night letters and other messages by
train rather than by wire, and de-
liverrng them the following day with
all the marks of telegraph transmits
sion. The practice was reported to
have extended even to some day mes
saees intended for immediate trans
mission.
owing to the extreme rush Of tsls-
graph message business in recent
months the company found it impos-
by wire. 1t is said. and resorted to the
messenger system, using fast trains
between eastern cities. So far as is
disclosed by postal authorities, the
system was not used extensively in
other parts Of the country. although
investigation will be made to de-
termine its extent.
1t was intimated that the men had
been followed in their trips from city
to city for some time. and their
fully worked out.
The routes and schedules had been
systematized, it is said, so that often
the messages were delivered about as
wire, particularly considering the de-
lay caused by rapid increase in tele-
graph traffic due to the war.
The raids on the train agents were
planned for this morning and all were
made simultaneously. Definite charges
the men, 1t was explained. pending ,
of the extent of their
Of the practice.
Arrests Made in Boston.
BOSTON. June 2o,-Post ONCE in
Thomas of Brooklyn. N. Y, who they
Union Telegraph Company, pending
an investigation by federal authori-
ties as to the methods of dispatching
night telegraph letters between New
York and Boston.
Thomas was met as he stepped from
a New York train, carrying a bag
which the inspectors said contained
a large number of night letters in
tended for delivery by wire to per-
sons in this city. He was told that
he was wanted on a charge Of vio-
lating the postal laws in carrying
messages over regular post roads.
He was taken to the federal build
Ing for examination. George A. Leon
ard, chief post office inspector. stated
that the facts in the case would be
presented to United States District
Attorney Thomas ]. Boynton.
Leonard said the matter had been
under Investigation for some time In
this city and in New York, Philadel-
phia and Washington. where. 1t was
alleged, the company had adopted
similar methods In the distribution
Of night dispatches.