St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-10-08
Mr.. 0ayIer as a Detective.

which caused his promotion first from
the position Of clerk in the New York
postoffice to the office of inspector, which
he filled for some years, and which led at
length to his elevation to the office which
he filled so ably for many years before his
death. officials who were familiar with
his work said that he was able to COM
bine remarkable ingenuity and fore
thought with unfagging zeal and pa
thence. He was quick to see the impor.
lance OF facts which seemed insignificant
and trivial to other men. Hecould figure
out in advance the probable action of a
criminal who was trying to escape de-
lection. When he set his mind to task
he never lost heart in the work until he
had succeeded in his purpose.
As an inspector in the postal service
Mr. Gayler ran to ground many danger
GUS criminals engaged in robbing the
mails, and single capture often involved
months of cautious and jealous work.
The greatest credit for detective skill,
however, was gained by him after he be-
came the assistant postmaster OF New
York, and it was in the detection and
arrest of the criminal known as Gentle
man Joe" that he won the most fame.
In February, 1880, the wife OF the Rev.
DR.. Morgan Dix was astonished and
mortified and her husband was vexed by
a great number of letters which they re.
ceived in reply to letters which had been
sent in the name of Mrs. Dix to prom-
nent persons in all parts Of the country.
Most of the communications which had
been sent to those persons were written
on postal cards and were so scandalous
in their character as to create suspicion
in the minds OF the readers that Mrs. Dix
was insane. On March IA 1880, The
Tribune published an account of the an
noyance to which DR.. Dix and his wife
had been subjected. DR.. Dix had received
a letter from the person who mailed the
scandalous postal cards, offering to cease
the annoyance for 81 900 and requesting
Dr. Dix to insert an advertisement sig-
nifying his willingness to pay the money.
The advertisement was to read: Gen
tleman Joe-All right. M. D."
A few days alter the publication The
Tribune received letter from Gentle
man Joe" declaring that on the follow
ing morning another batch Of annoying
letters would be sent out in the name OF
Mrs. Dix, and the rascal was true to his
word. On March 20. 1880, notwith-
standing that the Tribune published a
warning OF the rogues intentions to an
noy DR.. Dix further, many persons went
to the house of DR.. Dix, at No. 81 West
Twenty-hith street, carrying forged ap-
peals TO which the name of Mrs. Dix had
been signed. Lawyers who thought they
were to be retained in divorce proceed.
ings were among the callers. Apostoffice
inspector met the callers and collected
the letters, which were turned over to
Mr.. Gaver for examination. 1t was
learned later that Gentleman Joe" even
had the audacity to go to the house car
rying one OF the letters, in order to see
how his plan OF annoyance worked.
The letters had been mailed at street
boxes in various parts OF the city. Some
OF them were written on postal cards,
while others were inclosed in envelopes
and Mr. Gayler noticed that in the latter
the paper used had been cut from under
printed heading. Suspecting that the
paper had been taken from hotel, Mr.
Gayler made an investigation and ascer,
tanned that the paper was exactly Ike
that supplied to guests at the Windsor
Hotel On the hotel register MIR. Gaylei
found the name OF Eugene Fairfax Will
hanson written, and saw that the hand
writing closely resembled that IN th'
forged letters to which the name OF Mrs
Dix had been signed. Williamson hao
lett the hotel.
Suspecting that the man might want
to have letters remailed to him at an
other address, Mr.. Gayler made patient
search through the files of requests in tn
postoffice and found letter written b.
Williamson, asking that his letters b.
sent to an address in Baltimore. MIR
Gavler went to Baltimore and there ar
rested Williamson, who confessed tina
he was the writer OF the letters whicl
had annoyed DR.. and Mrs. Dix.
Perhaps the ingenuity OF Mr.. Gayler a
detective was never shown NOR
promptly than in case which attracted
no public attention at the time OF its oe
currence. He was asked one day to in
vestigate the disappearance OF sma
sums of money from letters winch ha
been sent to the postoffice from down
town business house. His inquire
caused him to suspect that messenge
in the employ OF the firm was the tine
who was opening the letters and taking
out the money, and he promptly devise
plan of detection. He told the head {
the firm to write to him letter, contain
ing statements of no particular 'mpo
tance, and have the letter delivered b
the suspected person. The letter was t
be folded in the ordinary way, but tn
merchant was warned to be particular
careful in placing the letter in the enve
ope. Instead of first inserting the fold
the letter and allowing the loose. edge
of the sheet to come next to the nap
the envelope, the way in which lettel
are inserted in envelopes as rule, u
merchant was told to be careful and Il
sert the loose edges of the letter hrs
The envelope was to be sealed in the o
binary way.
Mr.. Gayler reasoned that if the mess 6,