Stolen & Recovered Mail

Stolen & Recovered Mail: Carthage MO. Dec. 17, 1955.

"This mail was stolen and afterward recovered, which accounts for its condition and delay."

Can't find any additional information.

What exactly do you want to know?

Not much really. I just did a quick scan to see if there was any local news at the time.

Was it part of a "Great Train Robbery", or just some local loser popping open mail boxes?
Not much to go by on the letter.


https://postalmuseum.si.edu/researc...rail/robbery

pat

Pat,

Am I correct in assuming that there are no markings of any sort on the reverse side?

Assuming such, there are indeed few clues as to whether this happened in Missouri or in California or somewhere in between, nor the amount of time delay in its recovery. If I were investing time into this piece, I would be looking in the Carthage, MO newspapers first. The lack of a second postmark makes me wonder (my best guess on a scenario...) if this was lifted from the sender's mailbox by someone looking for Christmas money enclosures, recovered by postal authorities and then the machine postmark was added at the same time as the official seal the rubber stamp message. As opposed to being stolen in transit or at the point of delivery, which typically would have postmark from a city down the route.

Hi John. From your past advise, if there was anything at all on the back, I would have shown.

Dec. 17 - Christmas card envelope size - rough opening, no doubt going after the money.

I remember usually getting a card from a grandmother or great aunt at about this time frame with a few dollars in it.

Nice that it was found, officially sealed, and sent on it's way (empty of any cash).

Not investing much time; thought it an interesting hand-stamp to share.

Thanks,
pat