The Raymer enterprise., 1912-08-15
THE HANDWRITING
ON THE WALL
The Case Of tho Anonymous Letter
Writer Of Philadelphia


The Case Of tho Anonymous Letter
Writer Of Philadelphia
Tho reason for the prevalence Of
the anonymous letter writing evil is
because Of the apparent safety of the
person guilty Of this nuisance. A man
OF the anonymous letter writing type
has an enemy. He is afraid to face
him in the open. but he wants to hurt
him. What easier or what more safe
-apparently-than to write an un.
signed letter containing Information.
alleged or real, or slander. which is
certain to cause the assailed person
harm. or at least considerable annoy
ance?
There is certain type Of cowardly
person to whom the anonymous letter
appeals as does the vengeful stiletto to
the vicious blackhand criminal. It Is
means to harm. and-apparently-a
safe one. What easier than to write
few lines in a disguised hand7 Or
on a typewriter? How can anybody
trace letter prepared in such way
and dropped in the mail box by stealth
and In the dark Of night? True. ad-
mits the letter writer to himself-or
herself. for women are numerous
among this element, such letters have
been traced and their authors caught.
But, reasons the intending writer they
did not take the necessary precautions
to hide their tracks. 1t looks like a
cinch. 1t looks safe. But 1t Isn't.
Any crime or misdemeanor that will
place in the hands Of trained de-
tective piece Of writing, pen or type
writer. or a piece Of printing. or, in
fact, any physical trace Of persons
expression, is the least safe sort Of
wrong-doing in the world. No sort Of
wrong.dolng is safe, Of course. but the
kind that leaves trace Of persons
identity in the hands Of the men who
get on the track is the kind most GER
tain to be run down eventually.
This does not mean that 1t usually
is a cinct for the detective to run
down the average anonymous letter
writer.
On the contrary 1t is usually very
hard. for the wrong.doer invariably
has taken a multitude Of precautions
to throw his followers of the track.
But the point is that the detective has
in the letter a tangible clue to follow.
and in the end It is practically certain
that the writer will be caught.
My first experience with an anony-
nous letter writer came about in queer
fashion. One day young man. who
looked the part OF the bookkeeper
that We afterwards found him to be.
came into the New York office of the
Burns agency and planked down three
anonymous letters that he had receiv-
ed during the past few weeks. Here
Is one Of them that gives the gist of
the three missiyes:
Dear Sir:
You will never know who this let.
ter comes from, but you may be as
sured that 1t is from friend. You
have friend named Carlin. who Is
treasurer for the Blank Heating COM
pany. II you will spend more time in
Carlin's company we will reward you
In a manner that will surprise you. on
the condition that you let no one know
that you ever received this letter. Es-
pecially do not let Carlln know"
The name Of the man who brought
the letters in was Blake. He had come
to US for advice.
I'VE aren't giving away advice
said the ONCE manager III you want
US to find who wrote those letters to
you and why they were written, well
be glad to give you man for IS a
day and expenses. 1t may take some
time to find the writer. so your bill
probably would run up pretty high"
"Oh. couldn't afford to hire a de-
tective." said Blake.
II thought not" said the manager.
And there the case ended for the time
being.
Three months later, almost to day,
we got a call from business house
In q large nearby city 10 send o man
over there at once. happened to get
the case. l found my people to be the
Continental Heating company. The
name Of the general manager was
Haney. I didn't like him from the
start. .If
"Mr. Cornell" said Haney, when
had introduced myself. I'm glad to see
you. glad to see you, indeed. We've
got q little matter here In this Office
queer matter. that we can't quite
understand. We thought We had. bet
ter have a detective In to look the
thing over"
What is IT." I asked.
For answer he turned to his desk
and drew out three letters and hand
ed them to me.
Those letters. Mr.. Cornell, have
been received In this office In the las,
two weeks" said Haney. "Take 9
good look at them"
did. The letters were simply ad