The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-03-25
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Aftec some moments of thought, he
replied:
well, from my own experience, Il
has become a fixed conviction with me
hat no crime is ever committed
where the criminal fails to leave be
hind some clew that, il II is only found
and its worth appreciated. will in
Arably lead to the detection Of the
sHprit
Il have a case in mind. a post-offic6
robbery. II happened when l was con
nected with that department. before
vns transferred to the broader field Of
the secret service. l will never forget
the village where It occurred. II was
a town OF some 900 or 400 souls In the
Green mountains. 1t had only one
hotel. 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 a keener satisfac
son in the royal meal l secured al
Boston, on my return to Washington
than l 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 brand new
money-order book. This last item
gave importance to the case, because
A book Of money-order blanks in the
hands of a clever crook can cause the
government more trouble than a ses.
sion OF congress.
The safe was a 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 a corner of the cash.
drawer. A peculiar circumstance OF
the robbery was that the safe had
boon found locked and the key was in
It's place OF concealment. The cul-
pIits had possessed an intimate
knowledge Of the habits of the post
master and his assistant, Miss Lundy,
a 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 a suspicious circumstance,
as he said that persons of their type
always bought stamped envelopes-no
more than they needed at the time
ana 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 Offices for victims who have
no alternative than to use II. At the
back Of the building, a window-glass
had been broken out, and Mason espe-
ctaily directed my attention TO 1t, as
he said n must have been by this
means that the robbers gained en-
trance to the building. All Of the
doors had been securely locked.
l made a minute examination of the
premises. and the only thing | found
was a small steel pin with a green
glass head. II was In a crack of the
Moor Immediately In front OF the rihed
safe. Without attracting attention.
secured the pin and stuck II beneath
the lapel of my coat. l thought 1t
might prove of value. 1t did. 1t was
the key to the situation.
MY examination showed that the
robbers had entered the postoffice
through the front door. and that the
broken window was merely a blind or
else II had been broken by accident
1 didn't take much stock in this last
theory. but put the window down as q
deliberate effort to muddy the water.
There were two doors, a front and a
back one. The rear one was kept
locked and the key to It hung on a
nail in the Office. Only Mason and
Miss Lundy had keys to the front
door.
1T was act so easy to trace Mason
and the young lady on that evening.
After some considerable work /
jearned that neither of them had been
at home the early part of that par
ocular evening. No one knew where
thsy had been nor what they had done
during this period. Mason had left his
hcne and Miss Lundy her boarding
house early after supper on that
night on the preteKt of taking a walk.
Mason had returned sometime after
midnight. The hour of Miss Lundy's
return was uncertain.
ALREADY sorely puzzled over the evi.
dence which was accommodating, one
morning, upon arising, was more
than ever mystified by finding a slip
a paper under the door of my room.
I'm a sprawling. unnatural hand, four
words were written upon It
Mason robbed the safe.
When l visited the postofice. | no.
ticod that Nason was pale and bag.
gard and no was as nervous as a
Gagged leopard.
~When | went to the hotel at noon.
| found tiny note on the table In my
room. II was a dainty. perfumed bit
of paper. just the kind that refined
young ladies employ In their polite
correspondenoe. jumped to the con-
cMsiOn that It must be further mes