Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-11-11
TALK WITH A LETTER DETECTIVE.

"GATH," the Washington correspondent
of the Chicago Iribatne, recently had 81
talk with Postoflice detective, in which
the following incidents were related;
THIEF BY BAPTISM.
was ordered up to Newcastle, Penn, a
year or two ago, to examine into the case
of man whose letters had been taken on !,
of the Postoiiice by some one else, checks
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 Postofilce for letters for Levi Miller,
and had received one in which was check
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. 1t was case which puzzled the
Postmaster and Miller also, to know how
the interloper had got the checks cashod. |
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 at
the banking house which had cashed one
of the checks,
How did you happen to give stranger
the money on thsY'
awe did not. He left it for collection,
and we forwarded ii to the drawer, who
duly cashed it. The man then came in
and obtained the money!
"Would You recognize him again."
~ don't think we would. We took no
notice of him particularly, and it has been
some time ago"
then went to the Postonice and asked
the Postmaster's clerk if he remembered
anybody stopping for letters for Levi Mil
Ter
"Why, yes! he was here a few days
ago"
tool, up printed notice and filed it in
with the announcement that there was o
registered letter in the Postmaster hands
for Levi Miller and this dropped in the
mail. Scarcely had | done SO when the
clerk said
Hist Mr.. Depro, here is the man out
side now, inquiring for a letter.
slipped out the side way and came to
the man from behind.
"Is your name Levi Miler?'
yes
"Come in here, There is Il registered
letter for you He stepped inside and
gave him the registered blanl book, tell
ing him that he must sign his name AS
he did SO | looked over his shoulder and
saw that the handwriting was the same as
that upon the intercepted checks.
lon are just my man, sir; want you
to come with me over to this bank
What do you mean =
THAT you've been robbing the Post
otlice! AS he went along with me, | telt
his arm tremble
:" See here" he said al have property
enough to pay for that check took. /
don't want to go to jail
" How did you happen to get Levi Mil.
ler's lettersyn
Because my name is Lei NAer | was
travelling through Western PENNSYLVANIA,
and expected Il letter | opened, unsus.
pecting, the letter addressed to me, and
found check in it, 1t came over me in Il
msment to appropriate that money, al.
though | knew it was meant for another
person bearing the same name r-.
He was recognized at the bank, paid up
the sums he had distracted, and was not
prosecuted,
RoBBED BY MS son.
A very large percentage Of depredatlonS
ON letters is made by the families of men
who suffer, continued Mr., Depro-as an
example of which recall, lust now, the
name of accelerated claim agent of Wash.
ington City. He was in the habit of re.
ceiying every day large fees from his eli.
~ al o,ta AZ No,
came to the Postotice TO complain that
quantities of his letters were daily robbed
of their remittances and returned to the
writers with tauntns remarks appended,
as Didn't you think this money was
going 3tnight? You're a fool to think
that your cash can reach the agent !
Robbed by the Postofice man, try
again y The agent came to the PoStotlice
with loud complaints OF dishonesty there,
and the Postmaster asked me to inyesti-
gate the case. saw speedily that the
cmptied and returned letters were super.
scrlbed with the left hand. 1t bothered
me to know what object there could be in
thus returning the covers OF robbery, and
/ was sure that no Postoiice clerk would
be SO absurd
dropped a couple Of letters to the
claim agent, and in day or two called on
him
Who gets your mail from the Post.of-
fee %
Ny SON brings il every morning"
We'll, it's your son That is robbng
you!'
The old man flushed up Indignantly:
My son, sir That Is sllndcr tits
impossible he is the son ofh)nor andmy
chief assistant"
Well, do you want me to examine
himYh
Yes, sir; but you will find II vain. He
is my only som
Directly the boy came in, and | al
dressed him;