The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-12-19
ROMANCE OF THE POST OFFICE.
Cheating the Ciergy...An Ingeniou
Trick.

OuR collectiou of "outside" delinquen-
cies would be incomplete were we to omit
he following case, which was Investigated
by the author, not long ago, and in which
not little ingenuity of the baser sort was
displayed. It will serve as specimen oi
| a numerous class of cases, characterized
by attempts to defraud some correspon
dent, and to fasten the blame of the fraud
upon some one connected with the post Of
ice- We could give many instances of a
similar kind did ourlimits permit.
A person in good standing in communi-
ty, who laid claim not only to moral,
Dut religious character, was visiting in a
large town On the Hudson river. about
midway between N, Y, and Albany. This
person owed a clergyman, living in New
Hayen, Connecticut, The sum qk one hum
drcu dollars and one day he called at the
house of another clergyman of his ac-
quaintance ID the town first mentioned,
and requested to be allowed the privilege
Of writing letter there to his, clerical
creditor, in which the sum due that gen
tleman was to be enclosed. Writing ma
terials were lrpished, and he prepared
friend, and in his presence.
After he had finished it, be said to the
clergyman, "Now as the mails are not al
ways safe, wish to be able to prove that
[ have actually sent the money, | s1all
therefore consider it great favor if you
will accompany me to the bank, where l
wish to obtain a hundred dollar note for
some small trash have, and bear witness
that l enclose the money, and deposit the
letter in the postofiice. I"
The reverend gentleman readily acce
ded TO his request, and went with hin: to
the bank, where bill of the required de-
nomination was obtained and placed in
the letter, was then sealed with wafer,
the Clergyman allthe while looking on
They then went to the postofice, (Which
was directly opposite the bank aud af-
ter calling the attention of his companion
to the letter aud its address, the writer
thereof, dropped it into the letter box,
and the two persons went their several
ways.
The letter arrived at New Haven by
due course of mail, and it so happened
that the clergyman to whom ID was adj
dressed was at the postof6ce, waiting for
the asserting of the mails. He, saw a
letter thrown into his box, and called for
it as soon as the delivery window was
opened. a ae .sisi -; .e
Upon breaking tae seal and reading
the letter he found himself requested to
"Please find one hundred dollars" &c.,
with which request he would cheerfully
have complied, but for one slight circum-
stance, namely, the absence of the bank
note ~ ste
This fact was apparently accounted for
by postscript, written in heavy rude
hand, entirely different from that of the
body of the letter, and reading as fol-
lows: 3 81 slz e
s'P. S.--I have the liberty to borrow
this money, but send the letter, so that
you needn't blame the man what wrote
it. (Signed,) !
PosT-BoY"
The rihed document was Immediately |
shown to the postmaster, and in his opin. |
ion, as we'll as that Of the clergyman. a |
daring robbery had been committed. The !
after gentleman was advised by the post |
master to proceed at once to New York,
md confer with the special agent, and at |
he same time to lay all the facts before
he Postmaster. General He did so, and I
t was not long before the agent had COM
nenced the investigation of the supposed
'obbery.
In addition to the postscript appended,
he letter bore other indications of having
,een tampered With, which at first sight
would seem almost conclusive on this
'oiut. Upon the envelope were tRo wa
ers, differing in color, one partly over
apping the other, as if they had been
ut on by different persons at different
lines. il G5iIst sf5 a +
Notwithstanding these appearances,
here were circumstances strongly conflict.
ng with the supposition that the letter
ad been robbed. The postscript was an
affair, for no one guilty of open
ng a letter for the purpose Of appropria. '
ing its contents, would step tn write an
xplanitory postscript, especially as; such
course would increase the chances of his
election Aud in the present instance
here had been no dely of the letter to
low Of such an addition ssisi5s II ziaI
BY a visit to the Office where the letter
as mailed the agent ascertained that il
lust have left Immediately after having
cen deposited, and the advanced age and )
xeellent characterof the postmaster, who I
iadeup the mail on that occasion, entire-
/ cutoff suspicion in that gusrter. - u
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