TEN YEARS
AMONG
THE MAIL BAGS:
OR,
POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
BY J. HOLBROOK.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.
PHILADELPHIA:
H. COWPERTHWAIT & CO.
1855.
BY J. HOLBROOK
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Columbia.
IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THOSE OFFICIALLY CONNECTED WITH
THE MAIL SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES.
PREFACE.
The idea of preparing the present work was suggestedto the author by the universal interest manifested in regardto the class of delinquencies to which it relates, andthe eagerness with which the details of the various modesadopted in successful cases to detect the guilty parties,have been sought after by all classes. He was alsoinduced to undertake this series of narratives by thehope and belief that while it afforded interesting matterfor the general reader, it might prove a public benefitby increasing the safety of the United States mails, andfortifying those officially connected with the post-officeand mail service, against the peculiar temptations incidentto their position, thus preserving to society some at leastwho, without such warnings as the following sketchescontain, might make shipwreck of their principles, andmeet with a felon's doom.
It has been said that whoever acts upon the principlethat "honesty is the best policy," is himself dishonest.That is, policy should not be the motive to honesty, whichis true; but taking into view how many there are whowould not be influenced by higher considerations, it isevident that whatever serves to impress on the mind the [Pg vi]inevitable connection between crime and misery, if notbetween honesty and happiness, will aid in strengtheningthe barriers against dishonesty, too often, alas! insufficientto withstand the pressure of temptation.
The author has endeavored to enforce these truths inthe following pages, and he relies for the desired impressionon the fact that they are not dry, abstract preceptswhich he presents, but portions of real life; experiencesthe like of which may be the lot of any young man;temptations before which stronger men than he havefallen, and which he must flee from if he would successfullyresist.
The most elaborate treatise on rascality would notcompare in its effects on the mass of mankind, with thesimplest truthful narrative of a crime and its consequences,especially if addressed to those exposed by circumstancesto the danger of committing offences similarto the one described.
Two objections to the publication of a work like thepresent, occurred to the author as well as to others whomhe consulted, and caused him to hesitate in commencingthe undertaking. First, the possibility that the detaileddescription of ingenious acts of dishonesty, might furnishinformation which could be obtained from no othersource, and supply the evil-disposed with expedients forthe prosecution