Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-12-15


before the Post Master General. He did SO,
and it was not long before the Agent had com.
menced the investigation Of the supposed rob
bsry.
In addition 10 the postscript appended, the
letter bore other indications of having been
tampered with, which at first sight would seem
almost conclusive on this point Upon the en-
velbpe were two waters, differing in color, one
partly overlapping the other. as If they had
been put on by different persons at different
times.
Notwithstanding these appearances, there
were circumstances strongly conflicting with
the supposition that the letter had been robbed
The postscript was an unnatural affair, for
no one guilty Of opening letter for the pur-
pose Of appropriatine its contents, would stop
to write an explanatory postscript, especially as
such course would increase the chances Of his
own detection. And in the present instance,
there bad been no delay of tho letter to allow
of such an addition.
BY visit 10 the Office where the letter was
mailed, the Agent asceriuined that il must have
left Immediately after having been deposited,
and the advanced age and excellent character of
the post master, who made up the mail on that
occasion, entirely cut of suspicion in that quar-
tor.
An interview was then held with the clergy
man who Witnessed the mailing Of the letter,
and from him were obiainnd the facts already
stated Concerning the writing Of the docu-
meni, and its deposit in the letter box in a
perfect state, after the money had been en-
closed, he was ready and willing TO make oath,
and had be been called upon he would have
done so in all sincerity and honesty.
In reply TO an inquiry whether he used more
than one sort Of letter paper, he informed me
that he bad had but one kind 10 bis study for
several months, and at my request, Immediate
" brought in several sheets OF il. A compar-
ison Of this with the sheet upon which the
riled cpistlc had been written, showed that the
latter was totally different article from the
frs, the shape and design Of the stamp, the
size Of the sheet, and the shade Of TIE paper,
were all unlike. Moreover, the waters used
at the bank, where the hundred-dollar note was
obtained and the letter containing il, sealed,
were very dissimlar to either of those which
appeared upon the ''post-boy" letter.
From the consideration Of these facts, I was
satisfied that gross and contemplate fraud
had been perpetraied by the writer Of the let.
ter, aud lost no time in proceeding 10 the viii
lago where that parsonage lived. | called up
on the post master and made some inquiries
relative 10 the character and pecuniary circum-
stances of The person in question. From the
replies made, it appeared, as | have already
stated, that his reputation in community was
good.
! | thought it might be possible that in so
small place, ! could ascertain whether he had
lately passed hundred-dollar note, as he would
have been likely to have done. If II was true
that he had not inclosed il in the New Haven
/ letter.
Calling al the store which received most Of
| his cusiom, ! introduced myself to the proprie-
tor, made confident Of him 10 some extent,
and learned that that the very next day alier
/ that on which the aforesaid letter was mailed
il author offered him in payment for a barrel of
! -four, hundred-dollar noie on the bank from
which bill Of the like denomination had been
obtained, as before mentioned, in exchange for
( the ''small trash" The merchant could not
{ then change il, bu, sent the -four, aud changed
a bill which he supposed 10 be the same, few
days afterwards.
I Armed with these irresistible facts, I pro
ceeded TO call on the adventurous deceiyer Of
the clergy, who had attempted 10 make one
member of that body second his intention TO
cheat another. ''Insaiiaie archer could not
one sufTicel'
"Mr T. said | afier some prelmi-
nary conversation, its of no use TO mince mat
le,s. The fac, is, you did not send the money
in that New Haven letter. You offered it the
day after you pretended to mail it, al Mr.. C.'s
store. You see I've found out all about it, so
hope you will not deny the truth in the mat
ter"
then gave him his choice, 10 send the hun
dred dollars promptly to his New Haven cor
respondent, or allow me 10 prove in public
manner, the facts in my possession.
Being thus hard pressed and finding himself
cornered, he confessed that he had prepared
the letter which was received in New Haven
postscript, double waters and all--before he
left home, aud that while crossing the street
from the bank to the post office, he substituted
this for the one he wrote in the clergymans s
study He promised TO send the money, and
pretended to have suffered severely in his feel
ings, on account Of this dishonest act.
There is no United States law providing for
the punishment of such an ofFense, but public
opinion and private conscience make nicer dis
tinctons than the law can do, and often mete
out well deserved penalty to those who elude
the less subtle ministers Of justice.
In the present instance, the foregoing story
was made public by direction of the Post Mas
ter General and the author of the trick, una
BILE to sustain the indignation and contempt o
the community in which he lived, was com
PEELED TO make hasIy retreat from that par
of the country.
DEFEATED by PARsos.
II sometimes happens that the ends OF instct