The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1909-03-26
y

After some moments of thought he
replied:
Well. from my own experience, it
mas become a fixed conviction with me
that no crime is ever committed
where the criminal fails to leave be.
scme clew that. if it is only found
ana lis worth appreciated, will in
rariabiy lead to the detection of the
culpri,.
Il rave 4 case in mind, post-office
roObSy. II happened when was con-
meet d with that department, before |
wa. transferred to the broader field of
the secret service. will never forget
II village where it occurred. 1t was
fown of some 300 Or 400 souls in the
feen mountains. 1t had only one
motel, and in the three weeks that |
was detained there, | almost de-
strOyed my digestion endeavoring to
support life on its abominable fare.
believe that ! felt keener satisfac.
ton In the royal meal | secured at
Boston, on my return to Washington,
than ! did in capturing the author OF
the robbery.
The pOst-office safe had been
tapped for large quantity of stamps,
about $500 in money and a brand new
money-order book. This last item
gave importance to the case. because
book of money order blanks in the
hands of a clever crook can cause the
government more trouble than a SEES
sion of congress.
The safe was crude iron affair
which was fastened by means of a
clumsy brass key. The key was too
large and too heavy to be lugged about,
and after the safe was locked it was
hid away in corner of the cash.
drawer. A peculiar circumstance of
the robbery was thai the safe had
been found locked and the key was in
its place of concealment. The Gull
prits had possessed an intimate
k9owledge of the habits of the post
Ter and his assistant, Miss Lundy,
Young lady of fine appearance and
charming personality.
Mason, the postmaster, had a
theory that two tramps had committed
the theft. He said that two suspicious
characters had come into the Office the
afternoon before the robbery and had
bought five two-cent stamps. He con-
sidered this suspicious circumstance.
as he said that persons of their type
always bought stamped envelopes-no
more than they needed at the time
and that they always mailed their let.
tiers before leaving the Office. address
Ing them with the dilapidated pen
maintained by the postmaster at all
country onices for victims who have
no alternative than to use it. At the
back Of the building. a window-g glass
had been broken out, and Mason espe'
cially directed my attention to 1t, as
he said, 1t must have been by this
means that the robbers gained en-
trance to the building. All of the
doors had been securely locked.
made 4 minute examination of the
premises, and the only thing found
was a small steel pin with a green
glass head. 1t was in a crack of the
floor Immediately In front of the rifled
safe. Without attracting attention.
secured the pin and stuck it beneath
the lapel Of my coat. l thought il
might prove Of value. 1t did. 1t was
the key to the situation.
My examination showed that the
rers had entered the postofice
through the front door, and that the
broken window was merely blind Oh
else ~ h~A h1, oncidaNt
didn't take much stock in this las
theory, but put the window down as {
deliberate effort to muddy the water
There were two doors, front and {
back one. The rear one was KEEP
locked and the key to it hung on
nail in the once. Only Mason ant
Miss Lundy had keys to the from
door.
1t was not so easy to trace Masor
and the young lady on that evening
After some considerable work
learned that neither of them had beer
at home the early part of that par
ocular evening. No one knew where
they had been nor what they had done
curing this period Mason had left hi:
nome and Miss Lundy her boarding
mousse early after supper on tina
night on the pretext Of taking walk
Mason had returned sometime afte
midnight. The hour Of Miss Lundy':
return was uncertain.
Already sorely puzzled over the evi
'ence which was accommodating, on'
morning, upon arising. was mor'
aan ever mystifled by finding a Sill
VI paper under the door of my room
40 sprawling, unnatural hand, fou
"ords were written upon 1t
Mason robbed the safe.
When visited the postoh1ce, no
ueed that Mason was pale and bag
gard and he was as nervous as
aged leopard.
When went to the hotel at noon
and tiny note on the table in m!
'eom. 1t was \ dainty. perfumed bi
y paper. just the kind that refined
wv y ladies' emnloy in their pOllt'