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 stage coach 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 stage coach 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 one thousand dollars, 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 bè 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 five hundred dollars, 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 stage coach, 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 five hundred dollars, 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 five hundred dollars, 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 stage coach, 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 stage coach, 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 five hundred dollars, 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 one hundred dollars.

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 fifty dollars, 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 impris onment for not more than six months or by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars, 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 DirectorGeneral 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 one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars.

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 five hundred dollars, 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 one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, 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 two hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, 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