The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-05-20
SIX OF SEVEN MEN
ARRESTED SAID TO
BE FORMER CLERKS
Inspector DOran Says Their Cap
ture Will Clear Up 1,477,0OO
Liberty Bond Theft.
r r'BEARDED GENT" PROVES
DEADLY FOR SCHEMERS
Much of Data on Gangs" Ear
lier Operations Recorded by
Telephone Device.

NEW YORK, May ia gigantic
post office hold-up surprising in spec
tacularity and daring any OF the re-
cent registered man thefts OF the mill
lion dollar-and-up class would have
been perpetuated at the City Hall post
office tomorrow, but for the keen work
OF a postoffice inspector who grew a
bad mans beard. consorted with the
plotters and uncovered their scheme.
This was the statement today at
postoffice. Inspector Doran in making
public the details Of the arrest OF
seven men, six Of them present or past
postoffice employees. He asserted
that their capture would clear up the
registered mail theft OF July 49, when
$1,477o00 IN Liberty bonds bound for
Washington were stolen from the
malls would aid in solving hereto
fore undisclosed theft OF $4,000 in se-
curties and might go far toward clear
ing up the $2,00D.00o mail truck hold
up in lower Broadway last October.
Plans Laid for "ciean Sweep"
Plans had been laid--and were to
have been carried out in broad day
light--for the hold-up and robbery OF
the entire registered mall section OF the
city Hall station through which mil l.
lions In securities flow daily from the
Wall street financial zone, Inspector
Doran said. Orders had been issued
to shoot any employe who resisted
The plotters had visited the City
Hall station several times, made
careful survey of the 'lay out" and
planned their raid in great detail
Indeed, Inspector Doran said, they had
gone to the station several weeks ago
ready to pull the hold-up. but had been
deferred by the accidental presence OF
several inspectors, which had led them
to fear their plot had been discovered
1t was the imminence Of the new date
set for the hold-up. that sent police and
postofhce inspectors on a round up
campaign last night.
AuentF Posed As Bandits,
The name OF the inspector who un-
covered the plot with his bad man
beard and his plausible manner, was
withheld
He was one or the sixteen inspectors
IL was said, who have been working
their way for weeks into the confi-
dence Of the accused nen--posing as
boastfuI fellow mail bandits.
The bearded man, Il was said, sue
ceoded In getting himself counted in
on the proposed city Hall station hold
up. and talked It over in detail with
the others in his supposed den which
he had wired with telephone devices.
The seven oaptives taken last night
were confronted with transcripts OF
the telephone record early today IN
the presence OF the bearded inspector,
and some OF them are alleged 10 have
confessed.
Much data on their earlier opera
tlons already had been gatherod-and
recorded by the telephone device
at boastlng tests set In motion by the
thrilling stories Or mail banditry reel
cd of by the bearded gent as his
robber friends called him.
SO completely were the mail robbers
Itaken In their new found pal" that
Inspector Doren said today he could
recount almost every step taken in the
July is liberty bond theft.