Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1855-12-08
Romance Of the Posi- om,e.


Zee Department. is the title ola forthcoming
work BY ]. Hoibrook. The New York Post, which
h5. some extracts from it, says that Mr. HoIbrook
(Sho has been an energetic special agent Of the
Post Office Department for the last ten years. has
potiuced book illustrative of his career as spe-
cisI agent, replete with amusing Incl entS, which
have f.l the most part come under hls personal OBJ
servallou, and Containing much valuable informa
ton fOrlie bene I'll Of Hose o write and receive
letters Many OF his naratives o! TIE detection Of
mail rob5enes, whether committed 10y post Office
clerks or oId-fashIons,i foot pads, are Of excsri-
ing interest, winch is by means iessuned By the
TACT that they substantially true, Gle authors
regard for The feelings Of relations OF Eiends Il
detected letter thieves having frequently induced
lin to suppt1 IS alter names, aud are told with
n native humor aud skill OF construction which,
mark the author asa man Ct no mean literary pre-
tentions. Wesubioiu few extracts. The fol-
lowing possess dramatic interest:
rlII INVALID WIFE.
Not the least painful Of the various duties con-
nected with the detection OF crime iSthe sometimes
necessary oneoI revealing husbands guilt 10
his vile.
I anticipated sevr1e trial of my feelings in
making such disclosure during the progress OF
recent important case where the mali Iobbr: was
IN POSSESSION of ,uaIL key, by nlenuS Of which he
had committed extensive depredstiOns. He Vas
at length detected, and has lately entered upon
ten years tenn in he Stale PRISON.
On his arrest he manifested much soicitgIe
for his wife, ieaIiag the Intelligence Of his Slua
ton would OverpJwer her. '>he is i'll feeble
health at best, SAID he, aud am afraid this will
Kill her.
1t was necessary, however, that should see her
in order oget possess OF some funds, part of
the proceeds OF the robherles, which her husband
had Committed to her keeping. Furnished with
written order from the prSOner, and ervIng HIM
in the NlaGShalPs custody, proceeded 10 Gail on
the Invalid, racking my brains while on the Way
to her residence for some mode of communicating
tue unpleasant truth which should disclose ii
gradually, aud SPare her feelings as much sS pos
Slble.
On my arrival at the boarding house the note
was sent to the lady'S ruoin. ItTead as follows:
''My dear Susan: Will you hand TO the bearer
rOl! Of tank notes Which left with yon.
The lady soon made her appearance. She was
young, father preposSeSSlng, AMI evidently DEL
lcatr health. Finding that was benTet Of Tie
mole, she ad'lreSsr NE, expressing great surprise
that he, husband had sent request So unusual;
an,l with ofindependence observed that she
did not ''know about paying over money under
such circumstances TO an entire stranger"
Desiring not 10 morllfy her Unnecessarily by max
ing explorations In the presence OF others Il re-
questel her to Step into ii vacant room near at
hand, ard, after closing the door, said in low
tone.
at is an extremely painful thing for me, Mrs.
Nj, but as You do not seem inclined 10 cnnl-
ply with your husbands order, must tell you
plainly that tile money was taken from the mails
/ 10y him. There is no mistake about it. lie las
had 4 mail key which have just recovered, aud
has mad.. lull acknnW led mrnt of his numerous
depredations. beg Of You 10 bear this dreadful
news with Iortitudr. No one will lhak less Of
yOu on account oil his dishonest ConIuct!2
Iexpected tn see the poor woman fhint inme
datefy, and had mentally prepared myself for eve
~ emergency but, moment alter, IShomd have
been lnure likely to have fallen into that condition.
II establishment coald ever produce such an ef-
feet; for SOou | hid finished what was
saying. She Ss"od II possible, more erect thar be-
toVe, aud with sonic tie in heE eye aud one arm
''dkIinbo,'' she replied. i'll spirited nanmer.
"Weli, Ii he has done thar, he's duIntd fool
10 uwn i'll wouldn't!"
She gave up the money, however, soon after,
and although the eCk!eSSneeS displayed in the
speech above quoted seem 10 make 1t probably that
SHE was implicated III her husbands guilt, IL af-
forwards appeared that his exhibition U ''Spunk''
was due IT, the I'M USeS ola high spirited aud ex-
ciieaHe nature which sometimes, IS In The pres
cut instance, broke way IlOm control, aud went
beyond the hounds of decOTuin
On the subject OF unjust complaints against the
carlessneSS or culnabiGty, Of post tiIice clerks,
The following Illustration will he lVund Vi inter
eSi: Fa4.-.-s-a5.
TUE RITTER BIT.
a lady OF very eeuteei and respe ctable appear
ance called one day on a prominent New England
post master, with IL letter IN her hand, which she
lmSStt lad Geen hrUken open aud re SealeI.-
Size ham cd The l. tier 10 the post matter, wLo ex-
ahmed 1t, and appearances cetioIny seemed 10
Justify her assertion. She further de ciared that
she wettkneW- " hicb CLERK in the office had UIaSeu
: had
al Of her letters IN :he same way. Upon hearing
this The post master requested her 10 walk INSIDE
the Office, an! point out the pc TSom whom she SuS
pecied.
Such an unusual phenomenon as the appear
nnce Of a'ty Insie ti.e oiiice produced, as may
he supposed, drcI cd SeI's"ton among tie clerks
theIe assembled. Nor was the sensation rilnlin-
isl ed i'll intensity wien the post master informed
Them that The lady was there for Tie purpose Of
inGentIIylhg the pet on who had been guilty Of
breaking open her IctttIS.
This announcement al once excited the .liveii-
est feelings OF curiosity aud SOlicIIuGe in The
mind Of almost every one present, ami each one,
conscious OF innocence, INDUCED in conjectureS
US 10 who that Someb ody else might be, whom the
accusing angel ~ was 10 fix upon as the CuIFrIt
All their coMjectures fell wife of th, m41k. AZ
teI looking about lor a moment, The lady pointed
ua the last man VII m any 0t'e IN tie office would
lInve s.ected Of such an off, nce-one Of the old
est and most reliable of their number.
'lhat is Tie person. said Sher indicating him by
sight nod OF the head; ''and If he persists in
making free with my letters. Will ce.ta.nly
have hm arrested, Why my letters shuui,lalwnys
be selected Tor THIS purpose, connot imagine; but
II any mote of them ale touched, he will wish lie
had left them aloDc.''
This direct charge, and h. St th:eatS, produced
greater comnOtion among his fellow clerks than
IN the mlnd OF the gentleman accused. Waiting
lot moment after she had spoken, he broke the
breathless silence That followed her worjs, by say
ing calmly, '.Alrs.--,I believe?''
'trhat is my name sir.''
''tIave you concluded your remarks, madam?''
81 have, sir, for tie PRESENT.
"Ihem, madam. will take the liberty TO inform
you tibet your husband is the p, rSon on wi IN you
oms!', 10 @Spend your Indignation. He has at DIFF
tsIent times taken several OF your letters from the
Office. opened and read lE;en, and after re- seating
returned them 10 the letter box having made GER
tain discoveries in those letters to which lie forced
meto listen, as furnishing sufficient ground for his
Course, and iustiiymg former suspicious! He earn
esIlyGtqueSterI me- nevert disclose who had open
Ell the letters, and should have continued 10 OBJ
serve secrecy, had not yomr accusation forced me