The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11
Letters Sent Under Cover
Missives Vanish in Spite Of
Precautions. - - - -

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messenger was repeatedly cross-examsned.
Had he lost a box key or left u sticking
in tho keyhole long enough to enable an
expert to take an impression In wax
Could anybody have tamperei with his
pouche He enphatically denied these pos
sihilities, and al his own request was
'-laid on" for a few days TO let q care
fully instructed substitute try hts luck
BY way Of extra precautiof: trusts
clerk accompanied the new messenger.
but the deficits continued for Of flfty let
tiers that ought to have been received.
only dozen or two had come
In stress OF circumstances, special
detective was engaged 20 watch the boa
doced box day and night. and the depre-
tatfons then suddenly ceased. and IN the
coarse OF time the firm secured duplicates
az all the missing checks hut what had
become OF the originals Had the thief
tried 10 pass them and got alarmed at
the results Of the first attempt Or had
some novice In crime opened the letters
in the hope OF finding Enclosures in cash.
Subscribers TO cheap periodicals often
forward remittances IN that manner and
the general knowledge of the fact costs
some publishers a considerable percentage
OF their income
Thousands OF letters vanish every year.
together with United States mall pouches,
In spite Of comprehensive precautions.
Mail bags are supposed to be always eith-
er under lock and key or In the hands OF
responsible employees vet not month
passes without the discovery OF a ripped
and rified pouch In out-of- the-way hiding
places a tramp's "hang-out" In a DESERT
ed building or a weed-grown ditch OF
railway track The only explanation IL
that some OF the carriers or distributors
have been caught mapping, But OF
all lx,.~ eru ~ frfyfy
train TO train in Tennessee railway
Junction three disappeared In broad day-
light and the manipulation OF the push-
cart remembered that weii.dressed
stranger. apparently IN hurry 10 reach
the ticket ONCE had stopped him for
moment TO ask a question or two lie
had not touched the cart but his dnpe adj
mitted to have turned his head long
enough to give a possible accomplish OF
the stranger chance TO make grab
and dive into recess OF the crowded
platform.
Money 10 the amount of so has been
found In envelopes with absolutely iilegt~
bic addresses, hierogiyphies. too hIurress
and tangled 10 furnish even clue to
the nationality Of the sender. In some
cases marginal notes In American or Kali
muth Partarese. for all the best experts
can tell, attest the senders' anxiety to
obviate Misunderstanding. and one might
suppose that persons taking such risks and
trouble would have thought II worth while
20 adopt the collateral precaulina ~ let
ting a competent native revise thoir CHR
ograpny, but the idea Of that expedient
may often have been nipped In the bud
by the dread OF or 10 cents fee.
In the state Of Tamaulipas. Mexico. they
have red ants as large as a gadfiy. and 80
horribly venomous that q mere rip OF their
pincers will make a Fanctiiicationist elder
swear, and on trip 10 summer camp
In the Ozark mountains am assortment Of
those pets worked their way out OF their
pasfeboard prison and very soon after
ward out of the seams of the United
States mail bag. The mail rider was hsif
asleep and beginning TO nod In his saddle
when to his astonishment his equally
drowsy old mare suddenly rose on her hind
legs and then started on al gait beat
ing the record Of the best Arkansas state
fair races.
In an attempt to clear gully she spilled
her cargo rider and all. and then coms
menced rolling In the gravel. denying ap-
proach with a storm OF kicks The stun
ned carrier eventually gathered himself
together. but In attempting to continue hts
trip afoot was seized With commissions that
induced blowing farmer to rush 10 tho
rescue under the impression that steed and
rider had been attacked by 81. vitus.
Explosions In poStoffices ard street let
ter boxes. too. occur every once IN
while. and In Tuscon. Ariz., a eonnagra-
ton was caused In that manner. tho
flames having spread with a rapidly that
precinded the chance 81 obtaining n clue
TO the identity OF the mischief maker.
The Washington postoffice museum has
a collection of soma fifty different venom
Gus bugs and reptiles captured by the vlei-
lance 90 United States mail clerks. ana
the rs per cent. duty on West Indian prod
..f.s4 -
the assortment ny the arrival Of fer
defiance snake, warranted TO beat tho
sharpest Texas RATHER at his own game