The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-05
]. JACOBS, NOTED
DETECTIVE, is DEAD
Post Office Inspector In 81
Years Had Captured 100
Safe Burglars.
BORN HERE 90 YEARS AGO
Illness Frustrated Ambition to
Trail Men Who Sent
Bombs by Mail.

Joseph Edward Jacobs, one OF the
greatest detectives America ever pro-
duced and an inspector in the Post
once Department for thirty-one years.
died yesterday in his home, $50 Wilson
avenue. Flushing, Queens
He had suffered from intestinal trouble
for year and q half, though his cour-
age and enthusiasm for his work kept
him on duty until recently. The final
ambition Of his life was to live long
enough to help william e. Cochran,
Chief Inspector. run down the bomb
plotters who tried to murder many
prominent men with Internal machines
placed In the malta
II can hold out long enough to
get on the trail Of those fiends," said
Joe Jacobs n few days ago to a friend
who called on him at his home in
Flushing. II shall be willing to pass on
But fate was against the veteran
detective whose zeal and intelligence
placed behind bars 90 many dangerous
criminals A few days ago Inspector
Jacobs grew worse and the efforts of the
physicians were unavailing When the
news reached the Chief Inspectors office
In the General Post Office at Eighth
avenue and Thirty-second street yester-
day that Joe Jacobs's notable career was
at an end. there was manifest among
Mr.. Jacobe's associates the keenest sor-
row
1T 10 a loss that the Government will
ind hard to replace" said Chief Inspec-
tor Cochran But to US here In the
ONCE It Ia deep personal grief, like
losing brother"
MI. Jacobs was born in New York
city 6s years ago. His first work for
the Government which he served for
more than forty years In all, was in the
Pension ONCE at Washington. In that
capacity his industry, perseverance and
keenness Of mind attracted the attention
Of g high official in the Post ONCE
Depa in 1888. and Mr.. Jacobs was
appointed Post ONCE inspector. When
he died he ranked second in length Of
service,
From the start his work as a detector
Of criminals was successful Many OF
his ssgnments had to do with the in
vosttgation OF Post Office safe robberies,
the crimes OF yeggmen whose activity a
quarter OF a century ago in blowing open
| and looting the safes OF country and
| small town post Offices was notorious
Due very largely to Inspector Jacobs &
| knack for the special work, this yegg
industry was about destroyed. He cap
tured and sent to tho penitentiary more
| than 100 safe burglars.
His work covered wide range of
| duty. touching almost every inrractio,,
OF law concerning the postal laws For
years he worked In team with william
T. Meyer. former Inspector. starting with
! Meyer IN 1901 and pairing with him
! until 1908. Together they made an ex.
| traordinary record in apprehendins
criminals who sought to rob the Govern
ment by various devices with the United
| States mails as their medium. This in.
| cluded not only dishonest employees in
the service, but yeggmen. burglars. conn.
dence men and forgers. Their total OF
convictions was about 500 in this period
| One OF the most famous successes that
Jacobs and Meyers had was the round
| Ing up OF notorious gang which made
post offices the special object OF it's at
| tention and which was headed by Boston
Jimmy. Subsequently Mr.. JACOBS COW
cred the post office district OF the State
| OF New York. with Inspector p. e.
James, who died two years ago. They