The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-12-07
TAKEN FROM LIFE.

Many years ago. when q boy, l was
| taken into the ONCE Of a big express
company. 1t was In a city OF some
ten thousand Inhabitants. with three
banks and as many hotels. 1t was a
thriving place in every way. with
prosperous merchants backed up by
a sturdy agricultu al community
In those days the express companies
did big busin So in the merchandise
carrying trade. Besides there was con-
Siderable currency to handle. 1t was
before the days OF express orders.
When a person wished to send money
he sealed up the same in a package,
took the express company's receipt for
II, and it was generally carried safely
to its destination. II it went astray
the express company paid the con-
signor. Not many packages went
astray, however
At the Office in which l worked l
fulfilled the duties of clerk and driver.
That is to say l drove to the station
every night and morning to deliver
goods to the messenger on the train
and to take on a new load consigned
to banks, merchants and inhabitants
OF the town. On these trips / gener-
ally carried the strong box" or hand
safe, in which the money was trans
ferred from Office to messenger. The
agent trusted me implicitly and l val
ued his confidence greatly. On my
trips to and from the station l was
opf h. zI-o
of large amounts. Whenever l deliv-
cred such packages to the messenger
took his receipt. He took mine for
those consigned to my office.
l had been working at the Office for
about year when a strange event
occurred. Just before going to meet
the eastbound train one morning two
packages said to contain $50, 0O0.''
They were placed in the strong box"
and, putting the keys in my pocket,
drove rapidly away. Just as l ar
rived at the station the train pulled
in. AS l had considerable merchan-
disc l handed the keys of the strong
box to the messenger and told him
to help himself while I put the mer-
aboard. Just as / finished,
the train pulled out and the messen-
ger returned the keys and receipt book
July signed.
Il have nothing for you" he said,
Ind In an instant the train was speed
ng away on its eastward journey.
/ returned to the Office, where 1
worked until 4 o'clock in the after
loon, when l was due to leave to meet
he west-bOund train. The agent
landed me one money package for
hat train. Opening the strong box"
which. between trains, was kept in a
ack room. was startled to find the
hree packages that should have gone
asst on the morning train. I looked
t the receipt book again and found
hat they had been receipted for by
he messenger.
When l arrived at the train that .
light the west-bound messenger asked ! ,
lie IL l had heard of Hooper. Hooper !
as the messenger who had gone east ,
hat morning. 1t seems that he had ,
1T the train at some way station. Z
he officials of the company were now {
taking vigorous search for him. r
/ Informed the messenger that | had | 7
elivered my consignment to Hooper c
nd that l noticed nothing strange c
bout his conduct. l might have men I
oned the strong box incident, but r
mem1ered that silence about such /
alters was one of the injunctions of t
lie company. a
When | returned to the Office the u
gent had already been informed Of I
ooper's strange disappearance. The a
ute agent was there making urgent n
Quiries, and was informed about the .