The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-13
ONE MYSTERY THAT A DETEC-
TIVE DIDN'T CARE ToREvEAL
WAS A PURL0INER OF MAIL
She Was Too Near the Head of the
Firm, However - Kleptomania
Tendencies Ran in the Fam
ily-Sufficient Proof.

puts me in mind Of one that happened
some years ago." remarked Postoffice
Inspector Steele, looking up from the
desk in his office at the federal building.
so the story goes, in the Boston Herald.
II was in Philadelphia visiting relatives
fourth assistant postmaster general to
go to certain inland city of Massachu-
sets and investigate number of cases
of letters lost in transit.
with this order was all the corre-
spondence relating to the matter. There
were 16 complaints in all. Twelve were
from different postmasters to the de-
partment, three from the firm of Raw
son, Hayes & Co. to the postmaster Of
the city to which I was ordered, and
one from the postmaster to the post
master general, asking for assistance.
noted at once that in each case the COM
plant was in regard to lost letters con-
tanning money and were addressed to
Rawson, Hayes & Co.
1.-THE postmaster, in his letter to my
chief, explained that the firm mentioned
carried on a wholesale business in horn
goods, such as combs, hairpins, ETC.,
which We're retailed by itinerant ped
oilers in adjacent towns. Money usually
accompanied the order for the goods.
"On reaching my destination, I at
tempted to obtain more infOrma ton
from the postmaster, but the poor man
was at his wits end. He said that he
had held his position for a number Of
years, and never before had anything Of
this kind occurred. He could suspect no
one among his Office force OF stealing a
letter. nor could he believe it possible
that so many complaints had been made
until showed him the ~ from the post
masters of neighboring towns.
"A1r. Hayes, the junior member of the
firm of Rawson, Hayes & Co., having
been called in consultation. informed us
that the largest number Of letters con-
tanning orders with money inclosed was
received at the postoffice on the last
mail at o'clock in the evening. This
mail remained in their desk box until Z
o'clock the next morning, when the Office
boy came for it.
son intimating that the Office boy
might be the thief, Mr.. Hayes assured
me that he was positive Of his honesty,
and had even gone so far as to test the
boy.
II planned to look through the mail
in Rawson, Hayes & Co.'S box after
Hadley had distributed 1t. Not finding
my letter I would arrest the young man
as he left the Office. In the meantime
stood in the darkened lobby. shivering
with cold, and listening to the wind and
rain without. 1t was a wild night. Only
one person had hurried in to post a let
ter, but without noticing me as I stood
in the dark passway.
'Hadley had finished distributing his
at the rear of the office. I was on the
impulse of Fastening forward to unlock
the box when my attention was arrest
ed by the appearance Of q woman. A
she came nearer to the light I noticed
that she was handsome and stately, with
light hair and dressed In a stylish gray
raglan.
-
II was amazed when she went to the
Rawson, Hayes & Co.'S box and un-
locked 1t. Taking out a part Of the
mail, she carefully closed the box and
hastened to the street. It is needless to
say that I followed. Che turned down
a street at the left. A few abrupt turns
brought us to bridge. The wind blew
harder in this unsheltered place, and
the rain drenched the woman in spite
of her wraps. On We went for some dis
lance. she leading and I following into
the aristocratic portion Of the city.
Finally. pausing before large rest