Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-08
MIXED LOVE AND BUSINESS
Why Postmaster Rasss is Now in Trouble
Over His Affairs.
DECEIVED BRIDE, BUT NOT GOVERNMENT
Uncle sam Got After Him and Then
the story OF His queer Plan to
Boom stamp sales and
MatrimOny Came Out.

in trouble with the federal authorities.
| Until recently he was postmaster at Cur
| tbs, Frontier county, and. under his man
agement, the ofice made a phenomenal
squirt In stamp sales, was advanced from
the fourth to the third class, and the post
masters salary was increased accordingly.
But now he Is in disgrace. The story thus
far is almost fundamental in simplicity,
but there are other ramiHcations that some
what complicate II. The story entire makes
use Of the following properties and ex-
hibits:
A gooseberry bush TO mark a cache.
A thespian slave-driver who repented.
roll of proprietary stamps between the
springs and mattress.
A deserted village.
An aprocryphal hemorrhage.
A government that wanted to know why.
A lovelorn old man and a merry maid.
A rubber bag full Of beet juice.
A federal Indictment.
A deathbed marriage that was a failure.
a predatory Uncle Toms Cabin troupe.
A grass widow who made good.
A general merchandise business capital
lied with 5000 worth OF 2cent stamps.
A stepfather who was a rival.
A resuscitated corpse.
II there are other exhibits the district
attorney declines to give them out for pub
LEGATION,
When RaEee started.
The canceling stamp was turned over TO
Race in 1895, at which time the postofice
at Curtis was of the fourth class. Indeed,
the sales Of stamps scarcely warranted the
maintenance Of an Office there at all. There
had been a partial drouth for two or three
years; times were hard, and about half the
population Of the town had left for more
favored parts. Then, one day, Race re-
ceived a letter from the postal authorities
at Washington calling his attention rather
brusquely to the fact that there had been
a falling of in the receipts of his ONCE. II
was then he decided to boom the sale of
stamps. II would serve a double purpose
increase his salary and please the postal
authorities.
He ordered 5000 worth Of postage stamps
and sent the money with which to pay for
them.
When they arrived he made a "trip TO
Omaha to purchase goods with which to
replenish his stock of general merchandise,
which shared the same room as his post
ONCE. He paid for the goods with the post
age stamps.
A few weeks later he repeated the opera
tion, and after the lapse Of another fortnight
again repeated it. The result was that in
six months his office was advanced to the
hAAN Sldo6g ahu Alb pay Wdo luCEC dSGu ITOm
$50 a month to $65 a month.
Even then he was not discouraged IN
well doing, but made a payment on a farm,
all in 2-cent postage stamps.
About this time the postal authorities at
Washington began to prick up their ears.
Somehow the stamp sales were out Of pro-
portion with the stamp cancellations. There
was a disparity somewhere. Things didn't
look right. Postoflce Inspector ]. D. SIN
clair of Omaha was sent to Curtis to In
vestigate.
What tho Inspector Discovered.
The remainder Of the story was told in
the nature Of a confession by Race to
District Attorney Summers Friday. A more
detailed account, however, Is given by In
spector Sinclair, whose version Is as fol-
lows:
After Race had been postmaster about
a year he fell in love with a young woman
Of about IS. named Title HartweIl. She
did not reciprocate his affection, however,
and try as he could he failed to elicit an
affirmative answer to his proposals Of mar
rtage. He then hit upon a scheme that was
as ingenious as his plan for raising the
grade OF his postofice. He represented Il
Title that he was very rich, that he waa
In the last stages Of consumption, that be
was a bachelor, without kith or kin to whom
to leave his estate, that he loved her and
wanted to make her his heir.
I'm response to a message from him, she
went to his house one day, and found him
In bed, apparently i'll and in a very bac
way.
"T have only a few more days to live b,
assured her. What do you think of MI
proposal?'
"Tillie contemplated his broad acres visl.
Bile from the window, his hectic flush, hi
suRken eyes (for Race knows how to US,
creased paints. having been an actor II
his younger days, and the shadows wer,
deep and his graveyard cough, and he.
heart softened toward him. When he toll
her he owned a half interest In the farm
across the road she felt that she almos
loved him. She said All right but whei
he insisted on the wedding being that nigh
she demurred. His pulse still scenes
strong. Hasty marriages were Ia ba,
taste; she would wait a week.
fastened the Marriage.
THAT night the old man thought out
! plan to have the nuptials celebrated within