The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-04-29
A MAIL ROBBER TRAPPED
Tho Danger Of using Plug Tobacco.
From the Chicago Post.

Ihe mysteries connected with
the Post Office Department of the
are numerous. and
somewhat on the marvellous. The
diaries OF the retired physicians
and venerable lawyers may contain
strange adventures and romantic
incidents, but they can scarcely
equal, in fruitful subjects and in
teresting details, the experience of
some of the detectives Of the postal
service. And if they did, the rev.
elations could never be made pub.
lie, for the eternal seal of secrecy
is placed upon the mouths Of hon.
orable professional gentlemen.
while the detective, when his ends
have been accomplished, is free to
relate not only the crimes but the
names of the criminals, and the
minutest particulars regarding
their development.
A special detective ccnuected
with the Chicago Post office, some
time ago worked up . case, and
brought it to successful termina-
ton, which has in it many elements
which are calculated to impres,
themselves in q marked manner
upon the minds of those who ne
ruse this article. A registered
letter was forwarded to the offics
in this city which ought to have
five one hundred dolla,
bills. But when the envelope was
opened the money was missing.
AS is usual in such cases, the mat.
ter was placed in Me hands of an
experienced and skillful gentleman
assigned to the duty of bringing
criminals to justice. with instrucs
tiops to make thorough and rigid
investigation. The task was one
we'll calculated to battle the skill Of
even these experts in the art of de-
tocting crime. The envelope ar
rived here intact, and to ali an
pearances had not been tampered
with in the least. What. then.
could be done7 There was NOT
The slightest clue, and the detective
finally abandoned the matter in
despair of success.
One day, from what motive he
did not himself realize at the tine.
The officer took the envelope, soak
ed it in water, and carefully reno.
we'd the portion where the sealing
process had been effected. By the
Of q microscope. he
found that small particles of plug
tobacco still adhered to the paper.
md from this fact became con.
vinced that whoever vet the mu-
cilage of the envelope, must have
used that description of the weed.
Here, then, VAS found a faint clue
upon which the investigation might
be continued.
He determined in the first place,
TO ascertain if any one connected
with any of the Offices through
which the letter passed used TO-
bacco of that description. Office
after office was visited, from Chi
cago to the locality where the let.
ter was first mailed, but in no ono
Of these was there a single person
who masticated anything but "fine
cut" He arrived at the last Of
fice with . faint heart, fully con- .
that the last clue by which
10 entrap the guilty party, had ut !,
terly failed in its accomplishment.
The Postmaster was an old &C..
quaintance and friend of the de
tective. He was an upright. re.
spectacle citizen, was loud in his
1enunciation of the crime, and re-
gretted with manifest sincerity
that the culprit could not be
brought to justice. The Chicago
official had not the slightest suspi.
zion in tie direction of this hon
est country Postmaster, but he had
asked SO many people for a chew,
that the habit had grown upon
him, and addressing the worthy
Postmaster by name, he said:
Will you give me a chew of to-
Daccc?'
Really was the reply. 4 don't
-hink l have any tobacco YOU
would use. l never chew ANYTHING
out plug
The detective was dumfounded.
That respectable man whom he
had known for years, and who
character among his
above reproach, was the
'nly man in all the offices through
Vhlch the letter had passed, who
'hewed plug tobacco; the person
Who sealed the envelope used that
Irticle; consequently the convic.
ion unwillingly forced itself upon
he officers mind that his friend
vas the thief. rae se3
Detectivesnever hesitate in cases
II emergency, and with them
is matter of no con.
when it is calculated to
interfere with business. The party
q quest of the thief who stole the
300 in question did not for a mo
nent pause. He believed the post
master to be guilty, and acting
lpon this belief, at oEce informed
hat functionery that he was a
prisoner. OBTAINING the suspected 3
'arty in custody, q search warrant
Tas produced and the residence
i the village postmaster was visit.
q. The house was subjected to
borough overhauling from cellar
0 garret Every crevice, every
rawer, every hole in the wall, ev-
nv trunk. all places where money
ould be concealed, were searched.
ut the examination was fruitless