The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-22
MIR, WATTS MAKES CORRECTION.
He Gives Statement OF the Occur
renee o. Being Relieved of His
Purse and Money.

To the Editor: The statement in
your paper of the Nth, in which you
account for return of purse stolen on
the 18th instant is inaccurate. without
foundation and does me an injustice.
whic =. trust you will be fair-minded
enough to correct and give the correc-
ton the same publicity in your own
paper and those of your correspond
ents as you have given to the article
in which YOU arrive at conclusions
as to return of purse. an extract from
which reads as follows: "A mail clerk
Thursday night in taking out letters
from the drop box to send off or dis
tribute. found a pocket book in the
box with a batch of letters. having
the ReidSville bank business address
on them, the balance was dead easy"
SO much for your public presentation
of the matter. Now, as to the actual
facts. On the 18th instant | arrived
lin Greensboro at something after one
O'Clock, the main object of my visit
being to attend the fair. l. however,
carried with me two checks amount
ing TO two thousand dollars, expecting
to Obtain currency on same and have ii
deposited in hotel safe until | was
ready to return home. | had never
endorsed the two checks: they. were
therefore. uncollectable by any one
other than myself. The two checks
purse which / carried in left hip
pocket. When getting off train at
Greensboro / felt for purse; it was
there. | went hurriedly to Greensboro
National Bank, where / expected to
have checks cashed, found it closed
las the banks of the city We're taking
"a holiday. Felt for purse while at
bank, it was still in my pocket. Went
from Bank to Shiffmann's jew
elry store to inquire after pack
age; did not stay there more than
two minutes: did not make purchase
and did not take purse from my
pocket. From Shiftmann's | went to
Galloway Companys drug store. there
waited on the corner for street car
to the Fair grounds. There was a
great rush for the cat, when it came.
1 succeeded in obtaining standing
room on the rear platform amidst q
great jam, this being the first time
that | had in the least been crowded
Had not been on car more than three
or four minutes before I missed my
purse This fully accounts for every
movement from my arrival in Green's
boro until the loss of the purse
Now, as to the intimation of nv
having mailed purse myself such a
proposition is entirely without FONDA
ton. | did not while in Greensboro
go TO the postoffice, nor did 7 send any
mail of any character to the postoffice
by any one to be mailed for me. The
GLOWING letter from Postmaster Glenn
shows how entirely unfounded was the
statement made in your article as
quoted above:
Greensboro Post Office.
"Oflice of the Postmaster.
"Greenboro, Guilford Co., n. c.. Oct.
II. 1905.
"Mr. r. L. Watt. Reidsville, N. c..
MY Dear Sir: l have your letter
of the 18th in which you ask me if
any letters, upon the envelopes of
which appeared the business carl of
mailing box at this office with 4he
purse belonging to you found in that |
place.
"In reply / have to say that 7 have
made a careful examination and find
that the purse was dropped in the boy
just as if taken from the pocket of
the individual deposting it. There
was nothing to indicate that any let.
tiers of any description were dropped
in the box at the same time the purse
was dropped. nor We're any letters
found in the mail that seemed to
nave any connection whatever with |
the purse. This transaction has the
appearance of indicating that the
purse was dropped into the mailing
box accompanied by nothing what
ever; there was not even a string or
rubber band about the purse.
The statement in the Dapers that
the purse was found with letters bear
ing the business card of the Citizens
Bank is incorrect. No information |
of that character has ever been given |
from this office nor has anvthiner
transpired with this transaction 10
warrant any one in making such a |
statement. | am sorry that the cor
RESPONDENTS Of the different paners
from this town haV" soen fiji tn mako )