The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-20

not understand, however, was by what
means he had succeeded in intercepting
Mullen's letters. IL Green had been an
official from Scotland Yard, he would
no doubt be allowed to intercept letters
which might be written by or addressed
to suspected persons, but that the postal
authorities would permit private in
quiry agent to tamper with their mail
bags was not to be entertained. That
Green was staying in the same house as
Mullen and was able in that way to
lay hands OH the latter's correspondence
was very unlikely. Nor was it likely
that my late inquiry agent had succeed
ed in bribiDg a postman, for, though it
may not be impossible to find dishonest
postmen, the odds are very much against
finding the dishonest man in the one
particular Office with the mails of which
one wishes to tamper.
A far more probable theory was that
which had ut first occurred TO me
namely, that the letters had been di-
rected to the care Of tobacconist, or,
more likely still, Of hairdresser. 1t is
q matter of common knowledge that
many hairdressers add to their business
takings by allowing letters, on each of
which fee of 1 penny is charged. to
be addressed to their care. Though gen.
orally implying not very creditable
connection, these letters are, as rule
Of no more criminal character than as
signations with people to whom the re-
cipient has thought it inadvisable to
give his real name or address or whose
letters he is anxious should not come
under the notice of his family
If Green had intercepted the letters
at "a tobacconist's shop, the first thing to
find out was where that tobacconist's
shop was situated, and the only way to
do so would be to trace the inquiry
agents recent movements. Hence I de-
cided that could not do better than run
down to Yarby again and see what
could be learned about him. But before
! could do this with safety l should
have to ascertain whether the body had
been found, and whether suspicious Of
foul play were entertained, as in that
case it would not be advisable to visit
the neighborhood for the present.
The morning paper of the following
day settled that point satisfactorily. for
on opening my Daily News / read the
following announcements:
"Sad Death From Drowning. MIR.
Robert Blackwell Green, visitor from
London, was accidentally drowned at
Baxenham, near Yarby, yesterday. The
body was discovered late last night OH
the beach by the Baxenham rural post.
man. From the fact that the unfortu-
nate man was wearing no boots it is
supposed that he had taken them Off in
order to pursue the pastime-so popular
among cockney visitors to the seaside
of padding among the small pools left
by the last tide. DR.. Ellis, who exam
ined the body, is of opinion that while
so engaged the deceased was overcome
by faintness and was drowned in quite
shallow water, the body being suisse
quently washed up upon the beach by
the incoming tide, An inquest will be
held "
Five minutes after / had read this
paragraph / was on my way to catch
the next train to Yarby. The reader
will remember that Green had given his
address as Care of Mrs. Brand, Elm
Cottage, Baxenham, and my first step
was to interview this lady under the
pretense of being press representative
who had come down to collect further
particulars about her late lodger. From
Mrs. Brand learned, among other facts,
that Green had been in the habit of
paying frequent visits to Cotley, town
some &c miles inland.
To Cotley accordingly bctook my
self, and, curiously enough, the very first
thing that caught my eye after leaving
the station was the legend, Letters
Taken" displayed in the window of a
tobacconist's shop Immediately fronting
the booking office entrance. The door
was closed. but as pushed it open a
bell overhead announced the arrival of
customer.
l found myself in a small shop. with
another room beyond, on the swing
doors OF which were the words, ''To the
Hairdressing Saloon" There was no
one behind the counter. nor, SO far as /
could see, was there any one in the
hair cutting rooms. But ON the counter
before me lay half dozen letters, ap.
parently thrown there by an impatient
postman who could not wait for the
proprietor's return. One of them was
for "Mr. Robert Bakewell Green" the
inscription being in his own handwrit-
Ing. Another was addressed in wom-
ms hand to "Mr. Henry Jeanes," and
! saw that 1t bore Norwegian stamp
and the Stavanger postmark. Gould
Henry Jeanes'' be the name under
which James Mullen was having letters
sent to him?
CHAPTER XVI