Uncle Sam and Camden Clash After Arrest of Mail Driver

Uncle Sam - Stock Photo

Camden Courier-Post – February 18, 1938

P. O. Official and Chief Colsey Will Confer On Incident

Police Warned of Federal Law Infraction Carries Fine and Jail Term

Uncle Sam had a new diplomatic worry yesterday but like other difficulties of state hoped to settle it today around the conference table. On the one side will be George L. Smith, superintendent of mails, and across the board will be Police Chief Arthur Colsey. The issue:

What to do when a Camden cup violates Paragraph 2357 of the Postal laws, which states, in part, that no one, not even a Camden cop, shall stop a mail truck or driver in pursuit of his duty on pain of a $100 fine, six months in jail, or both.

It all started when Patrolman Karl Friederichs, in plain clothes and his own automobile, arrested Postal Driver J. Edward Jacques, 805 Elm Street, on disorderly conduct and reckless driving—charges after Jacques, in his mail truck tried to pass Fredericks’ car, on’ the right.

According to Friederichs, Jacques became abusive when he remonstrated and so he locked him up for a hearing today, Jacques, meanwhile, being released in his own recognizance.

When Superintendent Smith heard about the arrest he got in touch with Chief Colsey in nothing flat. Jacques’ story, he said, differed considerably from Fredericks, but even so, made, no difference.

Smith pointed out that Jacques was attempting the “swift completion of his appointed rounds,” in that he was delivering suburban mail to the central office to meet a delivery schedule and as a result of Fredericks’ interference the mails were delayed more than one-half hour.

Smith and Colsey decided that the best way out would be to have a conference in the chief’s office with Jacques and Friederichs present, to determine whether Smith should proceed under Paragraph 2357.

Jacques insisted that the only reason he tried to pass Fredericks on the right was because Friedericks stopped his car to talk to another man and wouldn't move despite all of Jacques' horn blowing.


Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.