The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-20
JEALOUS HUSBAND GAVE CLUE.
Which Enabled Post once Inspector to
Hun Down q Mail RObber.

1T In generally the duty Of a post ofloe
INSPECTOR to solve the mystery Of q robbery
Of mail without a single clue to begin WITH
said Inspector in Chief Letherman to Q
Boston Globe writer.
The recent finding OF o mail pouch
destined for Newto n. but reaching the
waters Of the harbor, with the letters gone,
Ia a case in point. / remember when l was
an inspector at Cincinnati I was called out
by telegram to unravel the mystery Of q
lost pouch containing valuable mail.
Il reached the town late In b evening
and hunted up the postmaster, who was Q
prominent politician and o man Of high
standing. He told me there was absolutely
no clue to the pouch, which should have
arrived at HIS p. NJ. the night before and
did not. He said, however, that q city
officer had said to him that II some one
talked with q certain woman some informa-
ton might be secured.
sThis woman, it was said, would witness
q parade next morning from q window IN
the Office Of a business company, n q de-
sorlption Of her was furnished. Just be-
fore the parade I went TO the street num-
| Der designated, but saw no one answering
the description at any Of the windows.
There was o lady. very refined and well
dressed, wearing the same sort OF a coat
and furs, standing on the curb, but IL did
not seem possible that she could know
anything about the robbery. Still, as q
matter Of duty, I moved beside her and
handed her my card.
She did not glance at Il, but turned her
face away. l then asked when the parade
started. She made no reply, but turned
and walked away. / followed at a dis
lance, and saw her enter one Of the richest
homes.
Il went back, thinking I had been de-
ceived. and saw at the window the woman
who had beer described to me. ] walked
! into the crowd around the windows and
handed her my card. L oannot talk TO
you here, but come to my house Tonight
she said, this is the address,
Il called that evening, and found the
place was not the most aristooratio In the
world. Far from 1t.
]She chatted for q time, and then, be-
coming friendly. asked me IL / could get
a money order for $50 cashed for her, l
told her I thought l could and would zee
the postma ster about 1t.
Il took the order, and the next morn
ing satisfied myself that it did not be-
lOllR W lti dliu u ~ ttlloIet tllAN ~ q
In a letter sent in the missing pouch. This
was my first clue, and l did not press 1t
too rapidly.
Il went bach to the house to zee her
about it, and asked where she got 1t. She
said q man who owed her some money
had sent it to her. | told her il 1t was all
right it would be paid the next day, and
changed the subject. At length she asked
me II l would drink a glass Of ale and started
down to the cellar to get some. AS an ex-
ouse when she was half down stairs l offered
not come down here-my husband will not
like it, she said, but | kept on down.
1.-THE cellar was filed with p~lunder-hams
by the score, boxes and packages OF all
kinds, and one box opened at one end ex-
posed two or three silk parasols. ] asked
her what the collection meant, and she said
her husband WAS going to open a store
and had been collecting merchandise.
"She pledged me not to tell, as he had
not resigned his position yet, and did not
want II known hat he was going into BUSH
ness for himself until he got all prepared.
Il had heard Of the pillaging Of freight
cars when l first came to town, but as l
was not on that errand l made no further
remarks. The next day punches Of looted
mail began to come into the post office,
picked up by citizens. 1t was found under
board sidewalks, in store boxes and out
Of the way corners.
THE mail had all been opened n
rihed, but the letters were in the envelopes.
On my next visit to the lady's house she
showed me four silk handkerchiefs she
said she had received as a present. and
asked ne what / thought they were worth,
] offered to buy them at d good figure,
certainly high enough, for. strange to say,
they were in tho same envelope they wers