SECTION 7.

Unlawful exercise of office or employment.

Whoever shall willfully and knowingly intrude himself into any office or employment in the service of the department of posts to which he has not been appointed or employed or otherwise assigned or designated; or whoever, being a postmaster or other person employed in the service of the department of posts, shall willfully and knowingly and without authority exercise any of the functions of any such office or employment after his term of office or employment has expired by limitation of law or by removal, and shall refuse to surrender possession of any such office or employment upon demand to a special agent or other duly accredited agent of the department of posts acting under authority of the director-general of posts, or to a successor duly appointed and qualified upon presentation of his commission or credentials; or whoever, without authority from the director-general of posts, shall enter the working part of any post-office, being all that part which is not open to the public, or in anywise interfere with the transaction of business therein, or take possession of said office, or of any mail matter, records, or other property therein, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than five years, or by a fine of not more than $1,000, or by both such imprisonment and fine.

SECTION 8.

Falsely personating officer, etc., of department of posts.

Whoever, with intent to defraud either the department of posts of the island of Cuba or any person, falsely assumes or pretends to be an officer or employee acting under the authority of the department of posts of Cuba, or any officer thereof, and who shall take upon himself to act as such, or who shall in such pretended character demand or obtain from any person or from the department of posts of Cuba, or any officer or employee thereof, any money, paper, document, or other valuable thing, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000, or imprisonment for not more than three years, or both of said punishments.

SECTION 9.

Falsely pretending to be in civil, military, or naval service of United States, etc.

Whoever, not being in the civil, military, or naval service of the United States, shall willfully represent himself to be in such service for the purpose of enabling him to send to or receive from the United States any mail matter at a less rate than that provided by law and the rules and regulations of the Post-Office Department of the United States or of the department of posts of Cuba for those not in such service, shall for every such offense be punishable by a fine of not more than $200, or imprisonment not to exceed sixty days, or both such fine and imprisonment.

SECTION 10.

Vessels, etc., claiming to be mail carriers.

Whoever shall paint, print, or in any manner place upon or attach to any steamboat or other vessel, or any stagecoach or other vehicle not actually used in carrying the mail, the words "Cuban mail" or "United States mail, or any words, letters, or characters of like import; or whoever shall give notice by publishing in any newspaper or otherwise that any steamboat or other vessel, or any stagecoach or other vehicle, is used in carrying the mail when the same is not actually so used; or whoever shall willfully aid or abet therein, shall for every such offense be punished by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than $1,000, or by both such imprisonment and fine.

SECTION 11.

Conveyance of mail matter by private express forbidden.

Whoever shall establish any private express for the conveyance of letters, packets, packages, or other mail matter, or in any manner cause or provide for the conveyance of the same by regular trips or at stated periods over any post road which is or may be established by law, or from any city, town, or place, to any other city, town, or place, between which the mail is regularly carried, and whoever shall aid or assist therein, shall for every such offense be punished by imprisonment for not

more than six months, or by a fine of not more than $500 or by both such imprisonment and fine: Provided, That nothing contained in this section shall be construed as prohibiting any person from receiving and delivering to the nearest post-office, postal car, or other authorized depository for mail matter any mail matter properly stamped.

SECTION 12.

Transporting persons unlawfully conveying mails.

Whoever, being the owner, in whole or in part, of any stagecoach, railway car, steamboat, or other vehicle or vessel, or whoever, being the driver, conductor, master, or other person having charge of the same, shall knowingly convey or knowingly permit the conveyance of any person, acting or employed as private express for the conveyance of letters, packets, packages, or other mail matter, and actually in possession of same for the purpose of conveying them, contrary to the spirit, true intent, and meaning of the law, shall for every such offense be punished by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by a fine of not more than $500, or by both such imprisonment and fine.

SECTION 13.

Sending letters by private express.

Whoever shall knowingly transmit by private express or other unlawful means, or knowingly deliver to any agent of such unlawful express, or knowingly deposit or cause to be deposited at any appointed place, for the purpose of being transmitted, any letter, packet, package, or other mail matter, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by a fine of not more than $500, or by both such imprisonment and fine.

SECTION 14.

Conveying letters over post roads.

Whoever, being the owner, in whole or in part, or the driver, conductor, master, or other person having charge of any stagecoach, railway car, steamboat, or other vehicle or vessel which regularly performs trips at stated periods on any post road, or from any city, town, or place to any other city, town, or place between which the mail is regularly carried, and which shall carry, with the knowledge of such owner, driver, conductor, master, or other person in charge thereof, otherwise than in the mail, any letters, packets, packages, or other mail matter except such as relates to some part of the cargo of such steamboat or other vessel, or to some article carried at the same time by the same stagecoach, railway car, or other vehicle, except as otherwise provided, shall, for every such offense, be punished by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by a fine of not more than $500, or by both such imprisonment and fine.

SECTION 15.

Carrying letters out of the mail on board vessel.

Whoever shall carry any letter, packet, package, or other mail matter on board any vessel which carries the mail, otherwise than in such mail, except as otherwise provided, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than three months or by a fine of not more than $100.

SECTION 16.

When letters may be carried out of the mail.

All letters inclosed in stamped envelopes, if the postage stamp is of a denomination sufficient to cover the postage that would be chargeable thereon if the same were sent by mail, may be sent, conveyed, and delivered otherwise than by mail, provided such envelope shall be duly directed and properly sealed, so that the letter can not be taken therefrom without defacing the envelope, and the date of the letter or of the transmission or receipt thereof shall be written or stamped upon the envelope. But the director-general of posts may suspend the operation of this section upon any mail route where the public interest may require such suspension.

SECTION 17.

Illegal carrying of mail by carriers and otherwise.

Any person concerned in carrying the mail who shall collect, receive, or carry any letter, packet, package, or other mail matter, or cause or procure the same to be done, contrary to law, shall for every such offense be punished by imprisonment for not more than sixty days, or by a fine of not more than $50, or by both such imprisonment and fine.

SECTION 18.

Wearing carrier's uniform without authority.

Whoever, not being connected with the service of the department of posts, shall wear the uniform or insignia which may be prescribed by the director-general of posts, or any imitation or similitude thereof, shall for every such offense be punished by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by a fine of not more than $100, or by both such imprisonment and fine.

SECTION 19.

Injuring letter boxes or assaulting carrier.

Whoever shall willfully injure, tear down, or destroy any letter box, pillar box, lock box, lock drawer, or other receptacle established by the director-general of posts for the safe deposit of matter for the mail or for delivery, or who shall willfully or maliciously assault any letter carrier while engaged on his route in the discharge of his duty as a letter carrier, or shall, by force or violence, enter any railway post-office car, or an apartment in any railway car, steamboat, or other vessel or vehicle of any kind used in the mail service, or willfully and maliciously assault a railway postal clerk or other person in charge of the mails while engaged in the discharge of his duties, or shall willfully aid or abet therein, shall for every such offense be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year and not more than three years and by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000.

SECTION 20.

Injuring mail matter.

Whoever shall willfully injure, deface, or destroy any mail matter deposited in any letter box, pillar box, lock box, lock drawer, or other receptacle established by the director-general of posts for the safe deposit of matter for the mail or for delivery, or shall willfully aid or assist in injuring such mail matter, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than three years, or by a fine of not more than $500, or by both such imprisonment and fine.

SECTION 21.

Injuring mail bags, etc.

Whoever shall tear, cut, or otherwise injure any mail bag, pouch, or device or other thing used or designed for use in the conveyance of the mail, or shall draw or break any staple or loosen any part of any lock, chain, or strap attached thereto, with intent to rob or steal any such mail or any part thereof, or to render the same insecure, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than three years, or by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, or by both such imprisonment and fine.

SECTION 22.

Stealing post-office property.

Whoever shall steal, purloin, or embezzle any mail bag or other property in use by or belonging to the department of posts, or shall appropriate any such property to his own or any other than its proper use, or shall convey away any such property to the hindrance or detriment of the public service, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than three years, or by a fine of not less than $200 nor more than $1,000, or by both such imprisonment and fine.

SECTION 23.

Stealing or forging mail locks or keys.

Whoever shall steal, purloin, embezzle, or obtain by any false pretense, or shall aid or assist in stealing, purloining, or embezzling, or obtaining by any false pretense any key suited to any lock adopted by the department of posts and in use on any of the mails or bags thereof, or any key to any lock box, lock drawer, or other authorized receptacle for the deposit or delivery of mail matter; whoever shall knowingly or unlawfully make, forge, or counterfeit, or cause to be unlawfully made, forged, or counterfeited any such key, or who shall have in his possession any such mail lock or key with the intent unlawfully or improperly to use, sell, or otherwise dispose of the same, or to cause the same to be unlawfully or improperly used, sold, or otherwise disposed of; or whoever, being engaged as a contractor or otherwise in the manufacture of any such mail lock or key, shall deliver or cause to be delivered any finished or unfinished lock or key used or designed for use by the department of posts, or the interior part of any such lock, to any person not duly authorized under the hand of the director-general of posts and the seal of the department of posts to receive the same, unless the person receiving it is the contractor for furnishing the same or engaged in the manufacture thereof in the manner authorized by the contract, or the agent of such manufacturer, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five years, or by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, or by both such imprisonment and fine.

SECTION 24.

Breaking into and entering post-office.

Whoever shall forcibly break into or attempt to break into any post-office, or any building used in whole or in part as a post-office, with intent to commit therein any offense defined by law, or to steal or purloin any money or other property of, or in the custody of, or in use by, the island of Cuba, or the department of posts, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years.

SECTION 25.

Detaining, secreting, embezzling, or destroying mail matter or contents. Whoever shall unlawfully detain, delay, or open any letter, postal card, packet, package, bag, or mail which has been in any post-office or branch post-office established by authority of the director-general of posts, or in any other authorized depository for mail matter, or in charge of any postmaster, assistant, clerk, carrier, agent, or messenger, or other person employed in any branch of the department of posts; or shall secrete, embezzle, or destroy any such letter, postal card, packet, package, bag, or mail; or shall take any such letter, postal card, packet, package, bag, or mail out of the post-office or branch post-office or from a letter or mail carrier, or which has been in any post-office or branch post-office, or in the custody of any letter or mail carrier before it has come in the actual possession of the person to whom it is addresed or his duly authorized agent, with a design to obstruct the correspondence or to pry into the business or secrets of another, or shall secrete, embezzle, or destroy the same; or shall abstract or remove from any such letter, packet, package, bag, or mail any money or other article of value or writing representing the same; or shall buy, receive, or conceal, or aid in buying, receiving, or concealing, any of the articles or things aforesaid, knowing such article or thing to have been stolen or embezzled from the mail or out of any post-office or branch post-office or depository for mail matter, or from any person having lawful custody thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, or by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

SECTION 26.

Stealing, detaining, or destroying newspapers.

Whoever, being a postmaster or other person employed in any branch of the department of posts, shall improperly detain, delay, embezzle, or destroy any newspaper, or permit any other person to detain, delay, embezzle, or destroy the same, or open or permit any other person to open any mail or package of newspapers not directed to the office where he is employed, and whoever shall open, embezzle, or destroy any mail or package of newspapers not being directed to him and he not being authorized to open or receive the same, and whoever shall take or steal any

mail or package of newspapers from any post-office or from any person having custody thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

SECTION 27.

Robbery of the mail.

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LIBRARY

Whoever shall rob any carrier, agent, or other person intrusted with the mail, such mail, or any part thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than five years nor more than ten years; and if convicted a second time of a like offense, or if in effecting such robbery the first time the robber shall wound the person having custody of the mail, or put his life in jeopardy by the use of a dangerous weapon, such offender shall be punished by imprisonment at hard labor for not less than twenty years, or for the term of his natural life.

SECTION 28.

Assault with intent to rob.

Whoever shall assault any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter, with intent to rob, steal, or purloin such mail matter, or any part thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two years or more than ten years.

SECTION 29.
Deserting the mail.

Whoever, having taken charge of any mail, shall voluntarily quit or desert the same before he has delivered it into the post-office at the termination of the route or to some known mail carrier, messenger, agent, or other person employed in any branch of the department of posts authorized to receive the same, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500, or by imprisonment for not less than three months nor more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

SECTION 30.

Delivery of letters by master of vessel.

The master or other person having charge or control of any steamboat or other vessel passing between ports or places in the island of Cuba, and arriving at any such port or place where there is a post-office, shall deliver to the postmaster or at the post-office within three hours after his arrival, if in the daytime, and if at night within two hours after the next sunrise, all letters, packets, packages, or other mail matter brought by him or within his power or control and not relating to cargo, addressed to or destined for any such port or place, for which he shall receive from the postmaster 2 cents for each letter delivered, and for all other mail matter such amount as may be prescribed by the director-general of posts, unless the same is carried under a contract or other agreement for carrying the mail; and for every failure so to deliver such letters, packets, packages, or other mail matter the master or the person having charge or control of such steamboat or other vessel, and the owner thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $150.

SECTION 31.

Obstructing the mail.

Whoever shall knowingly and willfully obstruct or retard the passage of the mail, or any railway train, car, steamboat, carriage, or other vehicle of any kind, or horse, driver, or carrier carrying the same, or shall arrest or detain upon any civil or criminal process, except for felony, any driver or other person engaged in the transportation of the mails while in the discharge of his duties, shall for every such offense be punished by a fine of not more than $100, or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by both such tine and imprisonment.

SECTION 32.

Delaying the mail at ferry.

Whoever, being a ferryman or other person having charge or control of any ferry, shall delay the passage of the mail by willful neglect or refusal to transport the same across such ferry shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100 or by imprisonment for not more than three months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

WAR 99-VOL 1, PT 6--6