New-York tribune., 1921-11-09
Three p. Officials
Here Suspended
Hays Finds Superintend.
ents Guilty of Derelic-
ton; Others May Follow
From. The Trsbune's yvashsneton Bureat

Fron. The Tribune's WashiHGton Bureau
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8. = Marine
Corps guards, heavily armed, were
ordered tonight on board all trains
carrying registered mail. The imme-
date detail of 1000 marines to this
duty, signalling a declaration of
"open warfare" by the government
against the railway bandits, came
after day devoted by virtually every
lem of ending the rapidly mounting
number of losses from train and mail
hold-ups.
Forced to drastic action by the re-
newed series Of robberies OF the last
few weeks. and particularly the S2,Oo0,-
600 mail truck hold-up in New York on
October "a, Postmaster General Hays,
after discussion with President Har-
ding and his Cabinet at the meeting
to-day, telegraphed instructions to-
night to the postmasters of the thir-
teen largest cities. Officers of the
Marine Corps left tonight for those
places and it is planned to place the
guards at all mail centers and on all
lines within forty-eight hours.
AS a disciplining step in the New
York situation, three of the highest
officials of the New York City post
Office were suspended to-day from the
service. They are Elijah NJ. Norris,
superintendent of mails; Henry Lipp-
man, superintendent of registry, and
Walter S. Mayer, superintendent of
money orders. They are charged with
being guilty of definite dereliction of
dat in connection with the mail truck
robbery. Mr.. Hays intimated that
other SUSPENSIONS may follow.
Major General John Lejeune has
taken over personal direction of the
marine detachments. He plans to draw
the guards from the posts on both the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The New
York force will come from the navy
Philadelphia, Quantico, Mare Island
and San Diego.
Called Open Warfare
1--WE are going to do everything in
our power to the limit of our numbers.
It is new job for the corps, but we
shall live up to our traditions" was his
brief statement.
Secretary of War Weeks has offered
to cooperate with the Navy Depart
ment by contributing sawed-off shot
guns and other arms and ammunition.
"This is war-open warfare with
crooks and bandits,' declared Postmas-
ter General Hays. "The United States
mails shall be protected to the last pos
tai card. We are going back to the
stage coach days and consolidate all
valuable mail and then shoot to kill"
Organization of a permanent force
OF at least 1000 postoffice guards who
will supplement the marine corps men
as raDidlv az noSSih1o was aleo heClJn
to-day. These men, now in the employ
of the department., many of them for
merly in the service, are being picked
Tor their dependability and ability to
shoot straight.
There is no length to which the de-
partment will not go to prevent these
mall robberies," said Mr. Hays. "For
the twelve months ended April Q, 1921,
there had been total OF $4,000, 900
stolen from the mails. 1t was on that
dste that we arranged for the arming
OF the essential employees and for the
reward for the capture of the robbers
tnere seemed to follow then period
Of very definite lessening of the
trouble. For the six months following,
.nat .n is from April 9, 1921, to October o,
III, there had been a total stolen of
sSio,o69. This was an Improvement at
Ine rate of over 1000 per cent per an
mum, and was in fact splendid re-
sponse by the service to the effort
made.
Postal Employees Killed
In this effort postal employees were
injured and killed and some robbers
we're we're Slain Then came the recent
"ew York robbery, which should have
Continued on page four)