The New York herald., 1921-11-09
3 N. Y. POSTOFF|CE
CHIEFS SUSPENDED
NR0BDERY inquiry
'Inexcusable Dereliction Of
Duty in Failure to Pro.
vide Convoy.
MARINES ON EACH TRAIN
u. S. Mail Must Be Protected
to Last Postal Card,'
Declares Hays.
Special Despatch to THE NEW YoaK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Wnsl,fnrfnu n e. Nov n

Special Despatch to THE New YoaK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, d. C., Nov. Q.
Declaring that there was an abso-
Lutte and inexcusable dereliction cs
duty on the part of postal officials o:
New York. which accounts to large
extent for the recent mail robbery,
Postmaster-G General Will H. Hays an
nounced tonight that orders have been
issued suspending from the service
Elijah NJ. Morris. superintendent OF
mails; Henry Lipman, superintendent
of registry. and Walter s. Mayer, su-
perintendent of money orders. of the
New York Post Office.
That action was taken after a meet
Ing of the Cabinet devoted entirely to
the question of stopping mail robberies
throughout the country.
The Postmaster-General also an
nounced that a hearing is in process
to fix the responsibility for the New
York robbery. He said the department
is not sure whether 1t was an inside
or an outside job. but pointed out that
in suspending the officials he did not
wish to have the impression go abroad
that any suspicion exists that they
were in collusion in any way with the
robbers.
can InexcusabIe Oversight"
{.
Their suspension. explained Mr. Hays
was based on the firm conviction OF
those who have Investigated the affai,
that they failed to exercise due pre-
cautions in the handling Of valuable
mail.
1T was an inexcusa BILE oversight on
their part" he added. Ito turn over the
mall to a chauffeur without an armed
convoy to be carted through the dark
streets of New York"
The Postmaster General intimated
that the inquiry. which will be drastic.
may involve other New York postal Of
ficials.
simultaneously with the announce
ment Of the suspension Of the New York
postal officials. Mr.. Hays stated that.
with the approval OF President Harding
and his Cabinet, 1000 marines have been
assigned to act as a convoy to trains
carrying valuable mail. From three to
four armed marines will accompany
each and every train leaving the Inn
portant cities which carry registered
mail
I'VE are at war;" declared Mr.. Hays.
with crooks and bandits of the coun-
try. We are reissuing the instructions
faI
to kill and are sending out another
quantity of arms and ammunition. The
fact Is our men now have In their pos
session $4,000 pistols and 1000. 900
rounds of ammunition. We are calling
upon the Marine Corps to help us out In
the present emergency. They will be
eventually supplanted by our own force
of dependable former service men who
saw actual fighting In Europe who are
now in the postal service.
"NfaiI Must Not He Lost"
"The mail may be late. but must not
be lost. There Is no length to which the
department will not go to prevent the
mail robberies. For the twelve months
ended April 9. 1921. there had been
total of $6,300.000 stolen from the malls
II was on that date that we arranged
ployees and for the reward for the cap
ture OF the robbers. There seemed to
follow then period of very definite
lessening of the trouble.
For the six months following--that
is. from April 9. 1921. to October ..
1921-there had been a total stolen OF
s3fS.s69. This was an improvement at
the rate OF over 1000 per cent. per an
mum. and was In fact splendid response
by the service to the effort made.
I'm this effort postal employees were
injured and killed and some robbers
were slain. Then came the recent New
York robbery, which should have beer
and could have been prevented if a full
performance of obviously proper pre-
cautions had been taken and the definite
rules and orders OF the department fol-
lowed. The Kansas City train robbery
last week was less serious, and IN the
Paxton. ILL.,. robbery last night there
was apparently but a small amount
stolen. There was a splendid resistance
by our mail clerks, two OF whom were
injured. The amount involved. however.
Is not the serious phase Of the matter.
shall be protected
whole Marine Corps. ~ Needed.
Major. Gen. Lejeune head Of the war,re
Corps. and Coils. Matthews and SNYDER
were present when the Postmaster-C;en-
erai told or his plans to have the ma.
rines help him protect the mails. and
they gave their full approval of the
scheme as outlined
we are going to do everything IN
our power to protect the mails" said
Gen. Lejeune. III more than 1000 men
are needed they will be supplied. The
Job OF curblng the train robbers has
been turned over TO us and we expect
TO do our full duty. The whole Marine
Continued on Page Fifteen.