Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-09-15
THE LOST BRACELET.
BY NJ. ROBERTS.

''We detectives see some queer
things" said John Jones, an old man
who he'd spent his life on the secret
police; ''but our life is not altogether
free from romance; and as / have
nothing to do at present, 1 will relate
a circumstance that occurred to me
professionally:
Immediately after the war it was
no small job to reopen the postoffices
in the different Southern states, and
in spite of the regulations of the post
office department, and the vigilance
of the detective force, the amount of
mail matter lost was truly astonishing
hot only letters, money and jewelry
were mis-sent or stolen, but whole
bags of mail were carried off at time,
and in many instances so slyly that
the thief was never detected.
''At that time 1 was in the secret
service of the postoffice department,
and was stationed in the South. Twas
kept more or less busy, but had moth
ing of Importance to see after. Most
of my work consisted in finding mail
bags that had been mis-sent on account
of the ignorance or carelessness of the
mail agent.
II had grown somewhat tired of the
monotony, when one day received
letter from the department at Wash
ington to report at one of the largest
Southern cities.
Next day l was at the postoffice
there, long before the regular time of
opening; and, while waiting, noticed
young man about twenty five, with
sandy moustache, walking up and
down the street, and looking anxiously
at the closed door of the postoffice L
watched him some time as he passed
me in his hasty walk to and fro. At
last he stopped in front of me, and
asked in an angry voice:
Are you connected with the post
Officer
81 answered in the affirmative, and
was about to explain I was not the
postmaster, when he interrupted me.
=" will you open this concern today
or not, is what want to know?'
81 knew by his voice he was from
the Eastern states, and having travelled
considerably through the Eastern and
Middle states, asked him:
"From New England, sir?'
he looked at me moment; his
eyes flashed, his cheeks turned red
with anger. In fact, L never saw
man so angry from so slight a cause.
"'It makes no difference where
am from, be at last said, 4 want to
know when this swindling concern
will open, at the same time nodding
his head in the direction of the office
81 forget my reply, but it was not
calculated to continue sc unpleasant
a conversation, and 1 could not help
smiling when he, scarcely able con-
tain bis rage, walked off.
t'When the Office was open, re-
ported to the postmaster. and, after
we had retired to his private Office,
he said, as he pointed to the man
whom had mat in the street:
"'Mr. Jones, Mr.. Levy here has
lost diamond bracelet. It was
mailed in Virginia and directed to
New Orleans, but it has never reached
3ts destination. have done all l can
10 in this matter and now turn the
case over to you with all the facts in
my possession
"The knowledge received was of no
practical use. Several mail agents had
been suspected between the point of
mailing and New Orleans.
"Will you please describe the Brace
kt?' asked Mr.. Levy.
eyes, SIR he answered, as he
jdowed me the mate of the one which
was lost. 1T was like this, he said,
with the word MARY" engraved OH
lhe inside.
''It was the most beautiful bracelet
J had ever seen. 1t was a perfect
gem; and, as 1 held it in my hand,
could not refrain from asking:
"'Why did you send such valuable
piece of jewelry by mail?'
'''It was the mistake of friend
he answered. I directed it to be sent
by express, but he, thinking it safer
by registered letter, sent it, and you
already know the result
''He then broke out in fit of rage.
and heaped abuse upon every one CON
nected with the department
81 did not blame him as much then
As did when l first met him in the
street.
"After learning all I could of the
rase, and promising to telegraph to
Mr.. Levy if I fonnd the bracelet,
started on the trail. 1t seemed almost
hopeless. I traced it as far South as
Charlotte, North Carolina, but there
Rll traces ceased. The distance be-
tween Charlotte and New Orleans was
very great, and any of the mail agents
and postmasters along the line could
have taken it. 1t was my first job of
importance in the South, and 1 was
determined to find it if it possibly
could be found.
Il examined the receipts of. the
South Carolina agent to the North
Carolina agent. The bracelet had
been signed for by young unmarried