The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-11-19

ANO Hla1OGxG IOs ~
TALK WITH A LETTER DETECTIVE
! "GATH," the Washington correspondent
of the Chicago IFi5uas, recently had q
talk with Q Postofslce detective, In which
the following incidents were related
THIEF By BAPTIsN.
was ordered up to Newcastle, Penn, .
of man whose letters had been taken out
and money substracted from them, and
who was still subject to depredations by
this invisible unknown. The mans name
was Levi Miller. A person had called at
the P0stof1ce for letters for Levi Miller,
and had received one in which was acheck
for payment on some lands which the wri-
ter had sold for this Miller. Not only had
the strange man accepted the money, but
he had replied to the letter, continued the
correspondence, and intercepted more pay
ments. Il was case which puzzled the
Postmaster and Miller also, to know how
the interloper had got the checks cashed. l
found that the latest letter received from
the rascal had been dated Williamsport,
Penn, and he had ordered remittances
sent there. So hurried to Williamsport,
two hundred miles eastward, and called ct
the banking house which had cashed one
of the checks.
How did You happen to give stranger
the money on this?"
"We did not. He left it for collection,
and we forwarded it to the drawer, who
duly cashed it. The man then came in
and obtained the money"
would you recognize him again?"
"I don't think we would. We took no
notice of him particularly, and it has been
some time ago"
I then went to the Postofice and asked
the Postmaster's clerk if he remembered
anybody stopping for letters for Levi Mil
Ter.
why, yesl he was here few days
I took up printed notice and filed it in
with the announcement that there was q
registered letter in the Postmaster's hands
for Levi Miller, and this I dropped in the
mail Scarcely had done so when the
clerk said:
"Histl Mr.. Depro, here is the man out.
side now, inquiring for letter."
slipped out the side way and came to
the man from behind.
as your name Levi Miller?"
"Yes."
"Come in here. There is a registered
letter for you" He stepped inside and ]
gave him the registered blank book, tell
ing him that he must sign his name. Ar
he did 80 looked over his shoulder and
saw that the handwriting was the same az
that upon the intercepted checks
"You are just my man, sir; want you
to come with me over to this bank"
"What do you meaR?"
"That you've been robbiEg the Post
Office" As he went along with me, felt
his arm tremble.
"See here" he said; II have property
enough to pay for that check I took.
don't want to 60 to jail"
How did you happen to get Levi Mil
ler's letters?"
"Because ny name is Leci NiNer. was
travelling through Western Pennsylvania,
and expected letter / opened, unsus-
pecting, the letter addressed 10 me, and
found q check in it. It came over me in a
msment to appropriate that money, al
though / knew it was meant for another
person bearing the same name"
He was recognized at the bank, paid up
the sums ne had abstracted, and was not
prosecuted.
ROBBED BY HIS SON.
A very large percentage of depredations
on letters is made by the families of men
who suffer, continued Mr.. Depro-as an
example of which I recall, just now, the
name of celebrated claim agent of Wash
ington City. He was in the habit of re-
ceiving every day large fees from his eli
ents in all parts of the country, and he
came to the Postofflce to complain that
quantities of his letters were daily robbed
of their remittances and returned to the
writer's with taunting remarks appended,
as: Didn't you think this money was
going straightf You're fool to think
that your cash can reach the agent
Robbed by the Postoffice man; try
again. The agent came to the Postofice
with loud complaints of dishonesty there,
and the Postmaster asked me to investi-
gate the case. I saw speedily that the
emptied and returned letters were super
scribed with the left hand 1t bothered
me to know what object there could be In
thus returning the covers of robbery, and
l was sure that no Postoffice clerk would
be so absurd.
dropped q couple of letters to the
claim agent, and iAa day or two called on
him.
"Who gets your mail from the Post-of.
ficef"
E my son brings it every morning"
"Well, it's your son that is robbing
you'll"
The old man flushed up Indignantly:
my son, siri That is slander! it is
impossible he is the son of honor and my
chief assistant"
"Well, do you want me to examine
him?"
"Yes sir; but you win find it vain. He
Directly the boy came in, and I ad-
dressed him:
"Did you receive, yesterday, two letters
from B. and J--%
"No, sirl"
As he said this, red line started from
his jaw and ran up to his temples.
"Look therer said l to the father, "1
don't always believe in marks of guilt,
but how is it that your boys face flushes
like that. when / merely mention two
namess Thomas, it is necessary that
search you,"
searched him and found nothingi
"There!" said the father, "you never
were more off the track in your life"
"Thomas," said I, "where do you sleep!
should like to 60 to your room"
Arrived at his room I opened his cham
Der secretary, and there saw one of the
envelopes had myself directed.
"Thomas, what are you doing with thai
nvelope"
He threw up his hands II own up" HI
cried; 81 am the depredator."
"What did you return those letters with
remaiks for, in your left handwritings"
Because did not want my father tc
lose that money. I wanted the people tc
know that it had not come to hand, 30 that
they might re-enclose it"
Itook the boy again to his father, who
said, in q tone of triumph:
"Well, sirl ! suppose you are salts
fedi"
"Yesr said /, "I am 81 tis6ed-thai
your SON is thief"
Father" said the boy, "he's right.
am guilty!"
The old man burst into tears.
"Ileave your boy with you" ! con
cluded, there is no charge against hin
unless you make it"
The son was soon after sent to visit thu
West
| LETTER CARRIER CUTTING THE NAIL.
| Another caaa that fiOured In fsontinue(