White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-11
RAILWAY MAIL CLERK
IN TOLLS OF THE LAW

Fred s Ridley, who has been EN-.
ployed as mail clerk on the run be-
tween Ely and Cobre for the last
tnree years, was arrested in Ely early
last sunday morning by postofflce in
spectors and placed in the county Jail
on charge OF rifiing the mails.
lie was taken to Elko Tuesday
morning and was there arraigned be-
fore a United States commissioner
last Wednesday. He was held to
await the action OF the federal grand
Jury and II indicted he will be tried
before the federal court at Carson
CITY.
The charge is a serious one and II
convicted Ridley will probably be
compelled TO serve a long term in the
federal prson
He Is a married man and has re-
sided on Mill street in Ely. He was
well regarded here and has many
friends who regret to see him in
volved In such serious trouble.
William Helm OF Cobre, who Is
said to have formerly resided here,
was arrested last Friday charged as
rs accomplice OF Ridley.
Holm was also taken to Elko to be
arraigned before the United States
commissioner and II convicted he
will likewise be sent to the federal
prison.
Helm is charged with being a
fence" for Ridleys operations. and
II Is said that, armed with a search
warrant. the postal authorities Wis
tied the Helm home in Cobre and
discovered three automobile tires. q
maekinaw coat, 800 cigars and some
cigarettes, which it is claimed were
identified as some of the property
stolen from the mails.
According to the story told since
the arrest IL was the outcome OF
numerous complaints which have
reached the postal authorities during
the last four months These com
plants came from business houses In
different parts OF the country and
were TO the effect that valuable ar.
ticles had been taken from packages
addressed to Ely and vicinity.
Inspectors e. M. Christensen, Rob
ert w. Madden and William McHenry
were assigned TO the case and spen,
some time in this district.
Last Saturday night the inspect ors
had the mail clerk before them and
questioned him closely with particu-
lar reference to 45-caliber auto
matte pistol which had been reported
missing and the officers accused the
clerk of having II in his possession
He denied the charge and wher
pressed by the inspectors consented
TO allow them to make a search oi
his house The search ut the home
of the clerk did not bring to light
the automatic, but considerable other
property was found of which tbs
postofiice officials had Identification
numbers.
Rifles. pistols and other articles
we're found to an estimated value OF
about $1,000. Among the various
articles reported missing are auto
mobile tires, guns and a diamond
ring.
After several hours OF grilling las;
Saturday night and extending on into
Sunday morning II is said the in
spectors obtained from Ridley a writ
ten confession. 1t is said he admitted
having taken a number OF articles but
claimed to have no knowledge of sew
eral of the articles that were re
ported missing.
Postmaster Wallace has been work.
l1th Ou illt Ndot lOt StftinA
since reports first commenced "a
reach the Office regarding missing ar
tieles. He rendered valuable assist
ance to the inspectors. which, the Of
ficials believe. has unearfhed a syste-
matte method OF rifiing the mails.
II is said that one OF the methods
used by Ridley was 10 order goods
from business houses In different
parts OF the country and have then
shipped collect TO the Ely district
giving as consignee a fictitious name
He would later mail notice from
some other postoffice requesting that
the package be forwarded to new
address When this was done II Is
said ne would remove the contents
from the packages and appropriate
the different articles TO his own use
When the package finally reached its
supposed destination there would be
no one at the last given address 70
claim II. and some time would elapse
before the return Of the package to
the consignor., hence the loss of con-
siderable time before the article was