The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-12-19
Finally Found Between Dou-
bic Bottom of an Old
Leather Pouch.


n short length OF time has been adj
mitted and the stores of Melville u.
Post have cited numerous Instances
in legal cases that tend to prove It..
But the fact that right is tight
and must win" is not SO often en-
phasized, although it is proved Just
as conclusively in many Instances.
"A case which happened many years
ago and which was recently called
to the minds of number of local
people is good instance of it.
Something over thirty years ago.
Charles Burdette, cousin of At
torney A, w. Burdette of this city,
relative of Attorney Fred Martin,
and also of Bob Burdette, the IA
nous Baptist preacher OF California,
was postal clerk liz the postoffice
at Peroia, III. One of Burdette's
duties was to register letters and
valuable packages. Late one even
ing man came into the Office, just
before the hour of closing. He APP
preached Burdette's window and
threw down twelve packages and
asked to have them registered. Each
of the packages contained $500.
Burdette registered the packages,
wrote out the receipts, signed them,
and handed the receipts to the
sender of the money. The man took
the receipts and left the office.
Burdette then put the packages in
the big envelopes provided for such
letters sealed them with wax and
cord and tied them inso one big
bundle and they were all consigned
to various persons in the same city.
a mail pouch was standing open on
the rack near Burdette, which was
to so to this town. Burdette tossed
tho letters into this pouch, closet
it up and sent it out on train that
ran about 10 O'Clock that night.
Never Arrived.
About week after the letters had
been sent, inquiries began to be
made in regard to the packages, as
they had never arrived at their des-
tination. The sender produced his
receipts signed by Burdette, and de-
manded that tracers be started. This
was at once done but there could be
nothing found out about them.
Burdette swore that the letters
had been put in the mail pouch by
him and that the mail sack had been
locked with the letters in it. 1t was
evident that Burdette was the last
man to handle he money, so sas-
picion naturally fell upon him. He
refused to admit that he had taken
the money and still said that the
money had been placed in the sack
and had not been taken out while In
his hands,
A number of his friends offered to
pay the amount of money missing
but he refused to allow them to do
so, saying that as he was not guilty
he would not allow his friends to
pay out the sum OF money. The gov
ernment authorities then demeaded
that the postmaster discharge Bur
dette. The postmaster refused to do
SO and said that as far as he was
concerned. Burdette would remain
in the service as he, personally, was
convinced that Burdette was 'ano-
cent 1t was impossible to bring
suit against Burdette as evidence
was lacking to prove that he had
taken the money. The upshot of the
matter was that Burdette remained
in the service with tho postmaster
for several years. Those were the
days before civil service had made
itself felt in the political jobs, and
the postmaster remained until, an
administration of another political
party got in power, then the post
master and Burdette both went out
OF Office.
Became Preacher.
Burdettc then went to theo-
logical seminary for few years and
became minister of the gospel. He
married shortly after his ordination
and, accompanied by his wife, sailed
for Assam, India, where he became
a missionary. TIC ana his wife la
bored among tho heatbens there for
many years. About ten years ago,
he and his vic returned to the Uni
ted States and he accepted
place as pastor OF a
congregation in town short
distance outside or Boston, Mass.
Here he remained and became very
popular, In his own church and in
the Baptist church throughout the
country he was well known.
AhOut threo vears a1o prnaf