The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1888-06-23

L
firms in New York, had never reached
their destinations. The discovery was
also made that these identical postal
notes had been cashed at the Elmira
post office.
There are two ways of sending
money through the post-office. One
is absolutely safe; that is TO buy a
money order. Such an order is paya-
BILE only at the office to which it is
addressed, and the person to whom it
is paid must be identified. Any sum
up to 800 may be sent in this way,
the charge for the service varying, &C.
cording to the amount of the note,
from Ave to forty-five cents. The
other method is by postal note, which
may be for any amount under five dol
lars, and which is payable at any post
office, the person to whom the cash is
paid signing the note. Until it is
Cancelled in this way postal note is
practically piece of currency, and
may be passed from hand to hand for
its face value. The postoffice charges
three cents for issuing it.
The case was referred to an expe-
rienccd postal director, with full in
structions, among which was a
suggestion that the thief might be
Whitman, who had disappeared from
his former haunts since his discharge.
The notes had been issued at Union
City on July %, 1887, and had been
cashed at Elmira on July 25th, two
days later.
These dates preceded the charge OF
Whitman.
The inspector proceeded at once to
Union City and learned all about the
issue of the notes. The postmaster
gave him all the information in his
possession, but that was little. He
merely knew that the notes were for
1928, Sl.75 and S3.40, and that they
had left Union City on the evening of
July % by certain train.
The records showed that Whitman
was not one OF the crew of the mail
car on that train. This looked dis
couraging, and the Inspector set him
self to looking into the character of
the clerks who had handled the miss
ing letters. While doing this he ran
across fact that shed new light on
the mystery. The discovery was this
Although it was not his run, Oscar
Whitman had travelled in the mail car
on the night of July % as far as Ell
mira. Moreover, as the mail was
heavy and the clerks were hard driven,
he had volunteered his services to help
them, and the service had been ae-
cepted.
The Inspector went to Elmira at
once. The postmaster remembered, he
said, the person who had cashed the
notes on July %.
"Was it Whitman"
"No, indeed, ;" the postmaster replied.
at was the Hon. John Sterling, an
ex-assemblyman, and an upright and
respected hardware merchant of Ell
mira. You can't suspect him of any
thing" declared the postmaster, de-
cisively.
Here was a new puzzle. The in
spector, after long and puzzling days
work, went to his hotel for nights
rest. While still in the hotel he over
heard some conversation between the
clerk and three or four men, evidently
citizens of Elmira and of we'll to do
and respectable appearance, who had
dropped into the hotel for night
cap.
"Game Tonight" the clerk queried.
ooh, short one," replied one of the
men. "Lively while it lasted though.
Sterling's gone home disguised. He
dropped thirteen dollars in one pot"
The inspector went to bed to dream
of postal notes, railway clerks, hard
ware merchants, flushes, full hands
and aces up.
The mail train rolled into Elmirs
Station at nine O'Clock on the night OF
July 20, and Oscar Whitman Jumped
from the mail-car to the platform.
Good night, boys" he cried.
GOOD night" was the response from
within the car; "much obliged fol
your help"
Whitman walked rapidly up the
main street for several blocks, turned
a corner, pulled bunch of keys from
his pocket, unlocked hall door and
disappeared to outward view. But
the "eyes of the postoffice," as the
force of inspectors is called, were
upon him, piercing through door and
walls.
Whitman rapidly mounted the
stairs and gave three knocks at the
door. A little aperture in a panel
opened, face peered out for second,
and then the door opened. The postal
clerk passed through an ante room,
making short reply to the greeting
of the colored attendant who admitted
him. The inner room was brilliantly
lighted. At one end was sideboard
literally provided with a variety OF
bottles and sparkling array of glasses.
| In the middle of the room was a rOnnd