San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-22
THE LOST LETTER.

For several years have been employed as
postoffice inspector. During the autumn OF
1886 was dispatched by the head Of the di-
vision to which l belong to town which
we will call Berne, to investigate loss which
had occurred there. The case as reported
was substantially as follows:
Mr James Appleton, a merchant of Berne,
had son who was attending school at Spring
field To this young man his father was in
the habit of sending money, every week or
two, for school and other expenses. He
usually sent S25 at a time, and it was his
custom to send a money order, although it
would have been quite as convenient for the
boy to get check cashed.
On the evening of Oct. 20 Mr.. Appleton
came into the postoffice late, with letter in
which he intended to inclose remittance.
He was very particular that the letter should
90 by that nights mail, so as to be in Spring
field early the next morning. The hour at
which he arrived at the Office was so late,
however, that the money order department
was closed. The postmaster and assistant
had gone home, and no one was in the office
except a boy of fifteen, in whose charge it
was left each night after 9 o'clock to wait for
a late mail.
After a moments hesitation, Mr.. Appleton
decided to risk sending the money in bills in
the letter, since he wished it to go that night.
This he did, but he inclosed only fifteen dol
lars. Saying nothing more to the postoffice
clerk, he dropped the letter in the box and
went home.
This letter was never received by young
Appleton. Two or three weeks later, COM
plant having been made to the department,
the case was put into my hands for investi-
cation.
As is usually my way in such cases, went
to Berne unannounced, and spent one day
quietly looking the ground over before
made myself known. In such case as this
the amount of trouble put forth is often
quite out of proportion to the amount of the
loss, but the main point is to discover the
thief, and thus prevent further depredations.
| soon found that the postmaster, Smith
by name, was quite above suspicion. He
was a wealthy man, merchant and bank
director, who gave only part of his time
to the management of the office. The next
day, therefore, called upon him, made my
self known, and found him very willing to
converse with me about the matter, and anX
ious to afford me every aid in his power. 1t
had been through him, in fact, that Mr.
Appleton's complaint had been transmitted
TO the department.
learned from him that as yet no one in
Berne knew of the loss except Mr.. Appleton
and himself. Mr.. Appleton was firmly con
WINGED that the boy who had charge Of the
office at night was the guilty party.
Suspicion certainly did point strongly to-
ward him He had known that Mr.. Apple
ton was in the habit of sending money orders
TO his son; no knew that the gentleman par
ticularly wished to send one on the night in
question: and did not. What more natural,
then, that, when in making up the mail that
night, he should have found Mr.. Appleton's
letter, distinguishable by the business card in
the corner of the envelope, and that he should
have suspected, nay, should have felt certain,
that the letter contained money, and should
have appropriated it, The theory of his
guilt seemed to be the most obvious solution
of the case.
Only three persons had access to the office
Mr.. Smith himself, the assistant postmaster
and this boy, Harry Boyd. OF these the first
two were out of the question, since neither
of them had been near the Office that night
he dSSlSIduU, L ISdIHeu, IuOuBu ILLS uOSS ilOI
concern the story, bore an excellent reputa
ton, and would not have been suspected il
any event.
If the theft had been committed in that of
| fee, the boy must have been the guilty per
son, and it seemed much more likely that i
should have been committed there, since NJ
one elsewhere would have reason to suspec
that any letter in the mail contained money
Even Mr. Smith was obliged to confess tina
while he liked the boy greatly, and had grea
confidence in him, circumstances strongly in
| Dictated his guilt.
As for myself, had no doubt whatever Of
the subject, and expected to be able to prov
his dishonesty. l set at work at once upol
the theory that he had stolen the letter, an
laid my plans to force him TO confess it.
Waiting until the boy had gone to dinner
that be might have no suspicion Of what wa
being done, made a careful examination o
the place, under the guidance Of the post
| master.
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