The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-02
AT CONvERLY PINES.
TALES OF TEN TRAVELLERS. SERIES.
BY EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.


were on our way TO the cashier for
liberal supply Of what is termed expense
money"
This supplied. he shook my hand heartily
and added as I was disappearing down the
stairway:
If you should happen to strike favor
able clews. might ask you to go on with
the operation. / will wire your authority
and introduction 10 Willis Act under his
instructions as the company's special
agent. Good-byi"
So far ! was in the dark. ! was simply
following the habit OF implicit obedience;
the greatest lesson possible TO be learned
by young man in business life. But as
soon as I could gather my thoughts to-
gether, / realized that / had been given
unusual latitude; and my affection and
pride piqued me into keenest anxiety and
sternest resolve.
/ caught my train just as Il was moving.
out of the railway station. ] was the single
passenger in the day parlor-coach. This
gave me opportunity to examine the doc
uments in my possession wholly free
from observation.
There was a large number of Search
ers" official inquiries regarding lost
valuables are called with their Respect
fully Referreds." These, read in order of
date. told that a money package. alleged
to have contained $ 600, had been trans
mitted by one Ezra Smith, from Carroll
ton. Miss, to Col Erastus Converly, a
planter residing near South Converly Sta
ton, n. c.. and had been received over
81. 900 short by the latter.
As nearly as ! could Judge. the money
package had passed through an even
dozen different hands, viz The agents at
Carrollton; the messengers at Corinth,
Miss. and the agents at that place; the
messengers from Corinth TO Chattanooga
and the agents there; the messengers
from this point to Atlanta and the Office
cashiers at that city; the messengers
to Raleigh and the agents in Raleigh;
the messengers thence to South Converly
Station and the agents at that point;
and. finally. the hands of the planters
son, who had receipted for the package,
on authority of his father, and had con-
veyed 1t to Col. Convery, at his planta-
ton home some twelve miles distant. where
the package had been opened at the sup
per table in the presence of several wit
ness and its contents repeatedly counted
by members of his family and guests.
Among the papers in my possession was
the empty money-package envelope
The express companys reports made IL
quite clear that it had been improperly
opened. Without these, the three seals
themselves showed this. 1t was known
that the agent at Carrollton had dis
patched the package under the company's
seals. The seals now showing upon the
empty envelopes, which were the same as
Converly Pines, were little hillocks of
wax, apparently daubed over the original
seals, and stamped with a something, the
impress of which defied explanation.
1t might have been the metal butt Of
whipstock, the tip of poker handle. a
bit Of carved wooden ornament an over
coat button, the end of sword hilt.
large sleeve button. or any one of count.
less articles of use or ornament which,
through accident or design, might have
been at hand when the robbery of the
package was committed.
Curiously enough, the envelope itself
seemed in -perect condition.
The paper fiber was uniform, showing
that, after the seals were broken, the
package could not have been opened by
steamng or other process of moistening.
| peered inside the envelope countless
times, but without hint or suggestion upon
the mystery. Even when my journey
was almost done, l had not yet been able
to light upon theory for presentation to
the express company's superintendent.
In this mental frame of anxiety and dis
quietude and with the distracting envelope
lying upon my knee, 1t occurred TO me to
| lay 1t open to the light With my pen
knife / slit the top and remaining end
| edge. The two inner sides were thus fully
| opened to view. and the manner of the
robbery was clearly and instantly ex-
posed.
1t was a most adroit instance of what is
known in criminal parliance as wedding
a money package.
The wax had been removed from the
two approaching edges of the center seal
| and one of the end seals for the distance
/ of a trifie more than the fourth of an
/ inch. Then the package had been swiftly
| crinkled back and forth in the hands until
the dry mucilage beneath the edge Of the
/ envelope flap had been cracked and pull
! oil a,,A &c a.Ih do
stroyed
The thief had made two delicate incs-
ions in the edge of the envelope flap; one
close to the crisp edge of each broken
seal. This done, it was but an instant's
work to turn back over upon the envelope
| the entire distance between the incisions,
| half inch of the flap, press it gently into
a fold, and with sharp knife-point make
a straight incision, nearly four inches in
| length from seal to seal, in that portion
of the envelope coming underneath the
| edge of the flap when any portion of the
| contents could be distracted leisurely
after which the flap had been gummed,
| turned back into its place, and resealed as
| already described.
Here then was a complete revelation of
the method of robbery.
What would you suggest" asked SUI
perintendent Willis, after l had shown
him my discovery.
THAT every office where the package
laid over in transit for even ten minutes
be thoroughly overhauled and every mes
senger, cashier and agent who are known
to have handled the package be imme-
diately run out
The latter expression is a detective
term implying a careful investigation into
the habits, mode of living, and character
of associates, of every person liable. from
the nature of things, to come under sus-
picion in an affair of this nature.
1T is already three weeks since the rob-
berry occurred More time will be lost
in getting other men here. VIII you &c
on and make a thorough Investigations"
Eyes; but not as a Dingleton detective
If you will give me full and complete
authority as a special agent of your com
pany, 1 will do what can at once"
This was Immediately furnished; an6
after wiring Mr.. Dingleton information
as to the turn affairs had taken and Sc
curing his hearty approval. I was soor
speeding out of Memphis toward the dingy
little hamlet of Carrollton.
Here it required but a few hours to as
! hot he eli of he