The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-09-22
5 MONTHS PASS
BUT No BANDIT
'TR|ESMA|L JOB
Nervy Clerks Pack Guns, Back
ed by Hays Order, and
Yeggs Take Vacation

S60~ S~'N~ Ns~~~-"
Five thousand dollars reward! Dead
or alivew
with this order plastered on the
walls of every postoffice In the. coun.
try and on the sides of mail cars, and
with employees of the Postoffice DE.
partment "toting" six-shooters and
sawed-off shotguns. there hasn't been
much inducement since last April for
mail robbers to ply their trade.
In other words. since Postmaster
General Hays has reorganized the
Postoffice Department mail robberies
in amount have been reduced nearly
100 per cent.
For the year Immediately preceding
April s, 1921, the amount stolen from
the mails was $8,346.407, with q re-
covery Of $3,2S6,017. In April, 1921,
action was taken by the department
by the PRONUNCIATION of an order by
the Postmaster General Offering q re-
ward of not more than So, 900 for any
one who would bring In a mail robber
and the employees were armed with
revolvers and shotguns.
From that date until September Z,
or five full months, the total amount
stolen was SSS,bS0, with a recovery Of
1856. This $sS,5S0 includes an item
of 5000 non.negotiable paper, which
a clerk attempted to burn.
1t will be noted that the approx.
mate total loss for the twelve months
preceding April s, 1921, was seas
407. averaging a loss of t3,173,2O3.50
for each six months, as compared
with the approximate loss Of SIS, $50
for the last five months, a reduction
Of over $500 per cent; and that there
was recovered during the twelve
months preceding April 8. 1921, ap-
proximately $3,2S6.017, making an
approximate recovery Of 81 per cent
of the total loss, while for the last
five months $7s.555 were recovered.
making an approximate recovery of
SO per cent Of the loss.
A robbery occurred at about mid
night on September II, 1921, on the
Texas and Pacific railroad just west
OF Fort Worth, Tex.
Previous information as to the
proposed robbery had been obtained
through the activities OF the agents
OF the railroad company, the Amer
lean Express Company and the city
detectives, the Department of Jus
tice and the post office inspectors.
The information, which was conclu-
sive. indicated that probably two and
one bandit would enter
the train Immediately upon its Ieav-
ing Fort Worth and would hold I'D
the messenger in charge Of the
mails: that when the train reached
the place where the mail was to be
thrown OF the messenger would be
killed.
With full knowledge of the ar.
including the fact that
It was planned to kill him, Alvin 8.
Page, assistant chief clerk of the
railway mail service at Fort Worth,
volunteered to act as the messen.
ger to be held up. McLendon also
volunteered, but Page was selected
owing to his more intimate knowl.
edge OF the bandits plans. Follow.
ing the program. and at the time
agreed upon, Page entered the car
and assumed the roll Of messenger
In charge Of the mails. Before the
train left Fort Worth Post Office
Inspectors T. d. Dawkins and r. C.
Ellis and Depty United States Mar
shall Douglas Campbell and Regular
messenger McLendon concealed them
selves In the car.
The train left Fort Worth at 11.o.
ten minutes late. In about one minute
Bandit j. L. Morris, alias Charlie Nor.
rfs. alas indian Charlie, entered the
mail car and covered Page with his
revolver, comma nded him to throw up
his hands, disarmed him, and held him
covered while he required Page to de-
liver the keys and pull the pouches to
the door. The train was then ap-
preaching the place where the bandits
had planned to throw off the mail, and
Bandit Norris required Page to open
the door for this purpose. Under the
plans Of the bandits the time had now
arrived for Morris to kill Page. Ac.
the inspectors, marshal and
messenger opened fire and killed
Bandit Morris. :.
the place where IL was known the
bandits had planned to get Il. Inspec-
tor c. w. r. Long and L. w. Morris,
with other agents OF the Department
of Justice and railroad and express
agents were concealed at this point
and endeavored to capture Bandit vii.
liam T. Edwards, who was receiving
the pouches. As they approached he
opened fire on them, and they shot and
killed him. The pouches were put
back on the same train and the train
proceeded. ..
Alvin s. Page is thirty-seven years
old, and has been in the Postoffice De-
partment since 1909, when he entered
as q stenographer.. He is now. as
above Indicated, the assistant chief
clerk OF the Railway Mail Service at
Forth Worth. He was for two years
over seas in the mail service al the
front. He Is from Ardmore, Okla.
The Postmaster General has wired
for him to come TO Washington i'm
mediately to be rewarded. II is also
understood that other participants In
the capture will be rewarded. This
evidences the determination to capture
bandits dead or alive.