Postmaster Warner is conducting a campaign to have local patrons properly address their mail to street and number, instead of just mailing letters addressed simply to the city, as so many Medfordites carelessly do, especially business houses. This causes much trouble to the post office staff and often letters are either delayed while street address and number must be looked up, or because of the fact that the residence of the person addressed is not known in the post office.
    In his letter to business houses, asking for cooperation in this regard, Postmaster Warner says in part:
    "As one of our heavy mailers, especially around the first of the month, when monthly statements are mailed, it has been observed that all or a large part of the letters mailed by you for local delivery are mailed without street number or other specific address.
    "When it is brought to your attention that this office has something over 20,000 names in its directory, including city, rural, box and general delivery patrons as well as all forwarding orders, I feel sure that you will realize that no distributing clerk, however proficient, can do the memorizing necessary for the proper distribution of all patrons' mail. This is exactly what you are expecting him to do when you mail your letters without street number or other specific address.
    "I am endeavoring to speed up delivery of mail at this office to the highest degree of efficiency, and am making a personal appeal to you to assist this office in perfecting your mail service to the extent that you address all mail for local delivery to street, R.F.D. or box number.
    "May I not have your hearty cooperation?"

POSTAL RECEIPTS 122 INCREASE OVER 12 PERCENT

Medford Mail Tribune, July 20, 1922, page 3

    T. Cliff Beckett, assistant postmaster of the Medford post office, for many years a trusted federal employee, is held in the county jail under close guard to prevent suicide, following his arrest this morning by postal inspectors, charged with a shortage of between $8000 and $9000 in his stamp and cash accounts.
    Beckett, Wednesday night, following the discovery of the alleged peculations, failed in a suicide attempt and is in a serious condition from nervous collapse and the effects of an overdose of strychnine, with which he attempted to end his life. He is on the verge of collapse from the effects of the poison and worry, and is under the care of a physician.
    According to the sheriff's office, in whose custody he is now, Beckett wrote a letter telling of his intention to commit suicide, and admitting the alleged shortage. A $10,000 insurance policy had been left behind to cover the shortage.
    Following the clue in this letter, Sheriff Terrill, Postmaster Warner, both warm friends of the accused man and postal inspectors, rushed by auto to the Savage Rapids dam. On one of the piers Beckett had laid down, and swallowed the poison, in the belief that he would roll into the raging waters. The overdose nauseated him, however, so failed to do its deadly work. When the officers arrived, Beckett hid, and they were unable to find him. He returned to his home. In the depths of acute despondency, Beckett still insists he will take his own life.
    Arraigned before United States Commissioner F. Roy Davis this morning, Beckett waived preliminary hearing, and a United States marshal is now en route from Portland to take him to that city for appearance before a federal grand jury.
    The sheriff's office alleges that Beckett, before his unsuccessful attempt to take his own life, left a statement of the shortage, but gives no account of to what ends the deficit was used. It had been figured out in an orderly manner every day. It is estimated that alleged defalcation ranged over a period of about two years. The methods employed have not been made public.
    All the officials concerned with the arrest of Beckett, were old friends and the first intimation of any shortage came about a week ago. An investigation revealed the grounds upon which the above tragic incidents were based.
    Beckett has been an employee of the post office for about 13 years, and was widely known and liked. He is a member of several fraternal and civic organizations, and was about 35 years of age. He has a wife and two children.
    The news of the tragedy came as a shock to scores, and brought forth widespread expressions of sympathy and regret throughout the entire community.
Medford Mail Tribune, April 4, 1924, page 1


    "Cliff" Beckett, former assistant postmaster of the local post office held in the county jail pending the arrival of a United States marshal from Portland, where he will face a federal grand jury on a charge of alleged embezzlement of postal funds, is short in his account of cash and stamps, $8,9909.97, according to an authoritative report today.
    According to Sheriff Terrill, Beckett admits the defalcations, is reconciled to whatever penalty the law may inflict, and has abandoned his intentions of committing suicide. After a night in the county jail Beckett was in a more cheerful mood, and this morning had a long visit in the jail office with his family and friends. He will be taken north tonight or tomorrow.
    Beckett, according to the authorities, has made no statement relative to what he did with his alleged peculations, but friends say he lost them in speculating in a vain attempt to repay his alleged thefts.
    It is alleged that the stamp thefts were covered up by means of a cleverly constructed phony stamp book, kept in the stock room of the post office, and was not discovered until an inventory of the postal supplies was made this week, resulting in the immediate calling in of local officials and the taking of fingerprints. Beckett was the only person having access to the safe in which the money and stamps were kept except the postmaster.
    The post office inspectors, however, had started an investigation before this, and it is said that an order was issued from Washington, D.C., two weeks ago, ordering Beckett's removal as assistant postmaster. Beckett was removed, but he told friends that he was on his vacation.
    That Beckett foresaw his fate is indicated by the suicide letter mailed Wednesday. It was dated "December 3rd, 1923," and told of his intentions to kill himself. Since the letter was written, it is alleged a further shortage of about $600 was discovered.
    Last Wednesday afternoon the crisis came in the case and Beckett left his home, with his fishing outfit, saying he was going fishing. He rode to the Savage Rapids dam with game wardens William R. Coleman and Roy Parr, and was in his usual mood on the trip. He disembarked at the dam and the game wardens drove on to Grants Pass.
    Wednesday afternoon, according to Sheriff Terrill, Beckett wandered along the river bank, fishing, and in the evening the "suicide letter" addressed to one of the inspectors was received. Upon its receipt, Postmaster Warner, Sheriff Terrill, Deputy Forncrook and federal officials went to the Savage Rapids dam--Beckett's favorite fishing spot--and started a search for him and finally returned home, believing Beckett had fulfilled his threat.
    Beckett, according to his story, laid down on a plank on one of the piers of the dam, and drank strychnine. He took an overdose, resulting in deathly sickness. He started to walk to a farmhouse in the darkness, but the effects of the poison forced him to lay down. He laid all night in a field where he was found the next morning by a stranger, who carried him to a nearby shack. Beckett was revived and the local authorities called. He was brought to this city and arraigned on an embezzlement charge.
    There were no new developments in the case today, the federal officials as usual being disinclined to talk.
    Beckett is 37 years old, was born near Phoenix, and lived all his life in Jackson County.
Medford Mail Tribune, April 5, 1924, page 1


    Roland G. Beach is the new assistant postmaster of Medford, to succeed T. C. Beckett, who is now serving a term at the McNeil Island penitentiary for having embezzled about $9000 from the office.
    Postmaster Wm. J. Warner today announced the promotion of Mr. Beach and a general promotion of the inside force of the post office caused by Beach's promotion.
    Mr. Beach has been in the postal service since Dec. 1, 1905, when he was appointed at Lincoln, Nebraska. In Sept. 1909 he was transferred to the Medford post office, at which time the city delivery service was inaugurated here with two carriers only, and he became carrier No. 1. He served as city carrier until September, 1914, when he was transferred to the position of clerk in the mailing section, and since has served in the city distribution, general delivery, money order and finance division, working up in regular order until he now becomes assistant postmaster.
    Thus it is seen that he is deemed exceptionally well qualified for the latest promotion. He has been finance clerk since July 1, 1921 when Wm. J. Warner became assistant postmaster. Mr. Beach still has many of his Nebraska ways, such as carrying an ear of corn for lunch.
    The other promotions are as follows: C. M. Houston, stamp clerk, to finance section; Hugo Guenther, general delivery and directory clerk, to stamp clerk; and Earl H. York, from the mailing section to the general delivery and directory department.
Medford Mail Tribune, April 24, 1924, page 5


    Twenty-two years ago today, William P. ("Bill") Warner, Medford postmaster, entered the post office service as a rural carrier, on the first R.F.D. route in Southern Oregon, now the present Griffin Creek route.
    "I carried mail on that route for five years," says Mr. Warner, "most any way I could get it through, generally during the winter months on horseback, the mud being so deep at that time it was impossible to drive any kind of a vehicle. During those five years, I drove and completely wore out exactly 27 horses carrying mail." When motorcycles first came into being Mr. Warner bought one, but owing to the fact that the machines were not made so that they could be stopped without completely shutting off the engine and starting them over again, the venture was not too successful. Besides, the motorcycle wasn't in working order half the time, according to "Bill," who states that he took the machine over to Central Point and sold it to Jim Grieve, and for which he attributes the latter's success as "postmaster and king of Prospect."
    At that time Mr. Warner went into the service in August, 1903, the post office was located in the building now occupied by the Klocker Printery. George Merriman was postmaster, his daughter May Merriman, now Mrs. Bob Telford, was assistant postmaster and Lynn Purdin the only clerk.
    Five years later the post office was moved to the present site of the Medford Book Store, and Mr. Warner was transferred to a clerk's place in the office. In 1912 he was made assistant postmaster and in 1921 became postmaster.
    In looking back over those 22 years, from a post office force of four people to the 21 now employed, Mr. Warner has seen remarkable changes. In the postal business itself, the increase in business is remarkable.
    According to records in the books, the gross receipts during the month of August, 1903, made a total of $387.96, against an average this year of $4500 a month. The present volume of business in a year is $50,000, while in past years, the peak of business was reached in 1911, when the figures reach $33,500.
Medford Mail Tribune, August 1, 1924, page 3


    Unless a miracle intervenes between now and October 31st, the post office station No. 2, which has been located at the corner of East Main and South Central in the Medford Pharmacy will be no more and the station will be discontinued, as no other suitable location can be found.
    This is because E. A. Moore, proprietor of the Medford Pharmacy, in which location the postal station has been located ever since 1916 when the post office was moved to the federal building, has resigned from his contract, to take effect October 31, as he no longer desires to handle the station along with his regular business.
    Postmaster Warner ever since, with the cooperation of the Post Office Department, has without success sought another suitable location in the east side business district. He has done all he could in this line, so the station will have to be discontinued Friday.
    This station has been a great convenience to the general public, especially in business circles, as the use of it obviates the necessity of going from the east side up to the main post office. The station sells stamps, handles parcel post matter up to 4 pounds, insures and registers mail and issues money orders.
    Postmaster Warner expects a general protest will follow the discontinuance of the station, but in view of the fact that no other suitable location and business concern can be found to house and handle it he is powerless to do anything but close the station.
Medford Mail Tribune, October 29, 1924, page 3


    The post office substation No. 1 in the east side business district of the city will not have to be discontinued because of the Medford Pharmacy no longer wanting it in that location, as this morning Postmaster Wm. J. Warner received a telegram from the Post Office Department granting permission for the station to be located in Deuel's store.
    The station in the Medford Pharmacy will be closed this evening and will be removed during the night to the Deuel store, where it will be opened tomorrow morning for business. Ever since the time Mr. Moore, proprietor of the Medford Pharmacy, had resigned from his contract of operating the station, Postmaster Warner had been seeking another location and contractor without success, and when it was announced two days ago that the station would have to be discontinued, Mr. Russell of the Deuel store came forward, to the relief of the business men of the business district east of the railroad tracks, and volunteered to contract for the station under certain conditions, which the Post Office Department has accepted.
Medford Mail Tribune, October 31, 1924, page 1




Medford Mail Tribune, October 11, 1926, page 5