The Key West Citizen Newspaper, February 17, 1954, Page 12

—~, ——— The Men Who Guard The Ma ncle Sam has a corps of detectives who cre omong the best in the business. They cre the U.S. postal inspectors. They work for the country’s oldest detective bureau. The postal inspection service has existed continuously in some form or another since Benjamin Franklin's time. It has operated substan- tially in its present form since 1875. It also has one of the highest batting averages. In some years, postal inspectors convict 98 per cent of the culprits they take to trial. Last year alone, their work resulted in 49,000 convictions. One of the postal inspection service’s most effective weapons against criminals is its laboratory in Washington. Here are cameras which can literally see through envelopes, the world’s best files on inks and typewriters and various other devices. All its equipment is designed to stop criminals who use the mails to defraud or kill—forgers, swindlers who try to sell worthless stock, people who try to raise checks, murderers who send bombs and poisoned candy through the mail. Here, we put the camera spotlight on the work in this highly effective laboratory. 2 Sample of soil rity shee of atapecied post office yicwburglar is removed by Albert Somerford, director of Jab; Soil is tested along with that found at scene. Laboratory director Albert Somerford shows how blown-up samples of handwriting are used in court. oat Tools suspected of having been used in postoffice a — s Suspected writing is compared with specimens of burglaries are checked by making marks in soft wood Box recovered ofter parcels post theft is examined by Richard Coronneau, left, and Inspector M. W. Brown. handwriting of major known postal forgers. File has toy compare with marks on P.O. doors and windows, While Brown uses magnify ing glass, Caronneau treats surface with chemical vapor which brings out prints, pictures and writing of more than 1,000 forgers. © Book on table con- . : ates In ty pewriter, Laboratory experts Richard Caronneau, left, and Gordon Stangohr study a stereophotograph of counterfeit Postage stamp, mis Week's PICTURE SHOW by AP Stoff Photogrophers Williom Smith and s Week's RE SHOW by AP Ss lograph: eee dohe Rov _ Gordon Stangohr compores typewriting in cn anonymous letter case, tains type somples from every model of every make of America: ' é " ‘ re . 4