The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-11

violently broke the silence that stood for naoment Ia
into the q and shss hus ns
Pay too dearly for my triumph But the sleeper "msis
NO sign, ;, and was sgain left TO my solitary musogs
small pistol which had observed my sleeping friend
place under hs b. Cd going 70 bed, dd not tend
crease the comforts Of my position for since he hsd DO
that he might have heard some suspicious noise In oy
direction and WAS eigniDg sleep while tho watch for
supe,naDersry the premises might lead to hssty
saut on the supposed midnight prowler and also more
would be either agree able or wholesome before could
cfer any reasonable explanation r my presence behind
the door = such an unreasonable hour
After while however val Of the snoring, which
was occasionally echoed BY the II the lining
room assured OF the absence of bsgeren intentons
snd the buszne Of The flies before mentioned with the
sounds that broke upon the silence.
About two o'c,ock slight accident occurred to me,
which, however did no harm In reaching for pitcher
of wafer that stood on the table BY knocked off
book which must have been poised tue Of the
table Immediately initiated by scratching the guaw-
irg Of rat In the WALL so that II the falling Of the book
had sioued The sleeper be would have attributed both
But few sounds outside the building were heard save
Keeling home to disgace his family with his presence
and the strokes OF the city clocks they sold
| off the long lorg hours.
But the most ludisrous circumstance happened lush
absu DAY lightthat Is daylight outside for within the
Office It was sim dark as all the blinds were closed
masters room, which opened into the main hall soon
followed by smother even energetic The eek in
open the door. Fearing that should be discovered
darted into the bedroom, without his knowl,dgs and
| than half awake and had forgotten me entirely lie
had admitted coored man to get the boots which
quied his polishing touch, and then returned bed
| again.
1hs gentleman of color who BY the way proved TO be
rus'y porter employed in several Of the Offices in the
bpidng proceeded first to the cot to get the
boos there and then made for the BEDROOM which
had retreaed In feeling about the floor TO ind the
remaining lesthern convenience ;, he seized one OF
mine. I've got my foot in il now thought + but BY a
gentle and dexterous movement succeeded In vi hdrsw
ing the exposed covering from hi, partial grasp 70
Whether was flight at the touch Of the boot
or something ehe that made him leave the premises
suddenly have never been fully satisfied weat out
myself soon after leaving both clerks fast asleep.
What occurred that night beyond that which have
am confident tho reader will not insist upon kno xing
when assure him that there special reasons affect
ing public as well private interests why should
mai no further disclosures.
Though this not the last night which have spent
pts,ed the experiment under circumst4nces requiring
quite 20 severe restraints and such abridgmen OF
CHEATING THE CLERGY.
Our collection Of outside" delinquencies would be
incomplete, to omit tho following case, which
WAS investigated BY the author not long ago. and in
which little ingenuity Of the baser sort was dis
played II will serve az specimen Of numerous class
Of By to some cor
some connected vi the Post Office We could give
many instances Of similar tind, did Limits permit
claim not only to moral but religious character,
vi.itirg in lage town on the Hudson river shout mid
the o. one hundred dollars; aud ono day he eau
ance in the town first mentioned, aud requested to
be allowed the privilege Of writing letter there his
was TO be enclosed. Writing materials furnished,
ara he prepared the letter IN the study of his obgng
friend snd In his presence.
After he ha nis he'd venting It SAID TO the clergy
man, NOW, as the mails are not always SAFE sish to
be able 10 prove that have actually the money.
shAl therefore consider It great favor IL you will
company TO the bank where wish to obtain hun
cred dollar note for small trash that have and
bear witpess TINT enclose the and deposited the
letter In the Post Office"
The reverend gentleman readily acceded his request
CURED denomip alton obtained and placed the
Ter, which wa' then sealed with wafer the clergy
They then went t. Post Office (which was directly
IT, he h
OF dropped Il into the letter box and the two persons
went their several ways.
The letter arrived at New Haven, by due course Of
addressed the Poet Office waiting for the
sorting of the mails. He letter thrown into hs
opened.
Upon breaking the seal and reading the letter he found
himself requested to 'fiease find one hundred dolars'
&C., with which request he would cheerfully have
Piled, but TOR one slight circumstance namely, the alb
tence of the bank note
This 'art apparently accounted for by postsc ipt
written in heavy rude hand entirely different from that
q The body Of the istte, and reading as f'liows:-
P ST. have taken the liberty to borrow this money,
but send the letter that needn't blame the
hat It, .1 ,,ssd a,,nm.,, isnss 'ro.1 Boy,
Postmaster, and 10 his opinion, we'll IN Of the
clergyman, daring robbery had been committed. The
latter gentleman was advised by the Postmaster to pro-
coed at once to New York and confer with Ina speeds.
agent, and at the same time to lay all the facts before
the Potp Asfer General He did So end 4 was not long
before the agent had commenced the nvest CATION Of the
Supposed robbery.
In addition to tho postscript appended the letter
hpra s..{t~ ,f
which at first sisht would almost conclusive
This point Upon the envelope were two waters,
differing in color partly tapping the other II
they had been put oa by different persons at diereat
times.
cusances strongly conflicting with the supposton that
the letter bad been robbed The lot an un-
~ CO you'd
S,s an e1Plnnssosy postscript, especially a. such
And in the present instance there had been delay Of
the letter 20 slow Of such an addition
by visit To the Office where the letter mailed III.
agent aseerained that II must have left immediately
Ter having been deposited and the advanced age and
cellept character OF the Postmaster who made up
mail that occasion entirely OF suspicion in that
quarter.
An interview was then held with the clergyman who
w esssd the mailing Of the letter. and from him were
obained the facts already stated Concerning the
wiring Of the document and its deposit in the letter box
in perfect state after the money had been enclosed he
rci"y ard willing 10 make oath, and bad nc been
called upon, he would have done in al sincerity and
honesty.
In reply "a an inquiry whether he used more than one
sort Of letter paper informed he ba4 had but
Bind Ia his STUDY Tor several rs and my request
immediately brought In several sheets Of IT. compari
# mis- with the sheet upon viii the rhed epstie
had been written showed that the latter a totally
different article the nrst the shape and design Of
the stamp the size of the sheet and the shaie u the
paper all unlike Moreover the waters used At the
bank where the bnndred dollar note obtained and
e e''er containing 1t scaled very dsi niisr 10
ehhsr Of those Which appeared upon the "post-boy"
lttfer
From The consideration Of all these facts wa. salts
ted that gos ami contempt fraud had been perpe-
raed by the writer of the letter, lost time In
proceeding to the yiilsge where that parsonage lived.
called upon the Postmaster and made inquiries
Dr. a. the character and pecnna'y circumstances 81
~ tEon In question. From the replies made IL APP
a4sd, 81 have seady stated tsat his reputation In
Tie community good.
thought 1t nigh, BE- possible that In small place
could ascertain whether he had lately passed
D. a. note he WOULD have been kelJ have done II
II true that he had not enciored In the New Haven
l.,t