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

was the only one of them who had access to
the Office After the store was closed at 0
O'Clock at night, he remained in the Office
alone 10 wait for late stage which did not
arrive until 10, and then made up the mail for
the night train He slept in The small room
behind the office.
As the door which connected this room
with the back store was Of glass and COM
manded good view Of both rooms, l decided
that here was the best place for me to begin
my search.
Acting upon my suggestion. Mr.. Smith.
late in the evening, sent Harry away upon
an errand and then helped me to arrange
myself comfortably upon some sacks of wool,
where was out Of sight, but still could get a
good view through the glass door.
1t was a rather odd place to be in, but not
nearly as strange as many my work has led
me into, and much more comfortable than
many Of them OF course hardly expected
to detect Boyd in another actual theft.
There was very little chance of that, but /
always like to watch suspected persons when
they think themselves quite alone, and have
often been able to unravel some tangled web
by what have learned while doing 50.
On this night, as on every other, the lights
in the store and part Of those in the office
were put out at . O'Clock. Every one went
home except Harry, who, quite unaware that
he was being watched, performed some small
duties about the office, and then sat down to
read until the stage came Promptly at 10
o'clock the stage arrived. The mails We're
soon arranged, locked up, and dispatched to
the train. Then the boy put out the lights
in the outer office, closed doors and shutters,
and CANA hack ia the inner room
Now, if ever, was the time for me to eX-
pect developments, and, not at all to my sur
prise they came, though of rather perplex.
ing Eature.
Stepping up to the case of boxes, several
hundred in number, Boyd commenced taking
out the letters from all Of them. could see
that occasionally he separated a letter from
the rest, and seemed to mark it in some way
with pencil
When he had taken the letters from all the
boxes, he put them on table and shufi1ed
them together so as thoroughly TO disarrange
them. Then taking handful he began put
ting them back in the boxes moving from
one end of the case to the other After some
little time this task was finished, and he I'M
dressed, blew out the lights and went to bed
! was willing 10 confess that | was puzzled
| could not understand what he had been
doing. He certainly had not distracted any
letters from the number, for | had watched
him closely Still the fact that he had placed
a mark upon some of them was very sus-
picious, and went far to confirm my impres-
sion that he was guilty.
An hour later Mr.. Smith came by agree
ment, and quietly let me out by back door
We went to my room in the hotel and thor
oughly discussed the matter. Convinced by
what had seen, he reluctantly acknowledged
that the suspicious Of Mr.. Appleton and my.
self were probably correct, and consented
that on the morrow Boyd should be charged
with the crime expected that when he
was confronted with the proof which we had
against him, he would break down and make
a full confession.
The next day, therefore, Mr.. Smith brought
him quite suddenly into the small room back
of the office, where Mr.. Appleton and l were
waiting, and the doors were closed.
He seemed surprised at the unusual pro
ceeding, but did not act just as thought he
would Very briefly I told him what our
business was, and laying the whole case be-
fore him, charged him with the theft and
urged him to make full confession i told
him it would be much better for him in the
future if he would do so.
He did not speak word all the time / was
talking, seeming to be striving with every
faculty to comprehend what was saying
When finished his face was very pale, but
except for this he did not show the signs of
guilt which Ihad expected. Speaking slowly,
as if he had to stop and think for each word,
he said to me; "Do you accuse me Of this
theftr
answered, as sternly as could, Il do
for, felt it was necessary to break him down.
Without another word to me he turned tc
Mr., Smith, and in a tone which even i, pre-
JUDGED as l was, could not but feed impress
WINGED the postmaster, said: "Mr. Smith,
you have Known me all my hfa Do you
think that my mothers son coBld do such a
thing as thisf"
His father died when he was a little boy.
had as yet said nothing Of my watch the
night before, and Of what had seen, reser&
ing this for a final stroke if necessary, and
now broke in before Mr. Smith could on
swer, for did not yant Rim to assure the
boy that he believed him innocent, as l saw
he was on the point OF doing, and thus spoil
all NY plans
>"Young man, why did you take those let
tiers from the boxes last night, and why did
you mark some of themF
Evidently he was surprised now, for he
started and nose from bis chair while his
face. whichthad been so white before, flushed
deep red. When he spoke, though, it was
not in guilty tone, nor TO make confession,
and he addressedrMr. Smith rather than me
Since am forced in this way will tell
you something which had not planned to
speak of quite yet did do what this man
has said last night, and it was not the first