Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-08-14

insist on being allowed to examine his
baggage"
Look here, young man." said Mr..
Williams, II have told you once and
for all that the baggage of no guest in
this house is going to be examined
without due process of law. And
want to say right here that it's evident
that you yourself know a lot more
about this case than you are telling.
If you are an officer and can show me
warrant l am ready to give you all
the aid and assistance l can, but until
you do, I'd advise you to keep your
nose out of things that amt your bust
ness and to stay out of places you
amt got a right to be in"
The suspicion crossed my mind that
it might be he who had discovered me
in the post office the night before.
decided quickly that it could not have
been, for he was in the hotel when I
arrived. l felt sure it must have been
either Crandall or the postmaster.
/ Plainly, though, there was nothing
further to be gained by argument with
the obtuse Mr.. Williams. After all,
there ought not to be much difficulty
in tracing Crandall by the vehicle in
which he had driven away That could
wait until Davis arrived Meanwhile l
pondered on what l could do to throw
light on the case. 1 had it. I would
visit the post office again and see what
could learn about the holder cf the
lock box from which Davis believed
the yellow letters came.
Abruptly leaving the landlord, 1
strolled out into the street, determined
to go boldly to the post Office and
make inquiries. AS l approached the
building l saw little group of vii
layers gathered in front of it, the
faces of some of whom had noted at
the inquest. They seemed to be ex-
citedly discussing some happening. IT
was not without some trepidation that
| came closer. If my visit to the post
office had been discovered and there
was anyone in the crowd who could
identify me, an awkward situation
might develop. put on bold front,
however, and approached closer.
Whats the matters" I asked, try
ing to make my inquiry seem casual.
"The postmaster's disappeared"
some one explained.
"Where?"
Don't know" said my informant
"He didn't come to the Office at all to-
day. When the people come for their
mail after the New York train got in
hn Pn1I oil
brings it up on the stage, and as he's
passing, throws it off on the board
walk and the postmaster comes out
and gets it. Nobody ever goes for
their mail for a few minutes after
that, to give him a chance to get it
sorted. The first persons who got here
today found the mail-sack lying just
where the driver had flung it."
eyes, sir" broke in an old man
whom l heard them call dad" Hutch
inson. eyes, sir, was the first to no.
tice it. l was going to the Office to
see if maybe there was letter for me
from my daughter Mary, who lives up
Boston way, and / noticed the sack
lying right over there. l went into
the Office to tell the postmaster about
it and kind of have a little fun with
him, and bless my soul if there was
hide or hair of him to be seen any
where. Looking through the boxes,
could see that the back door was
standing open, and / went around
there and looked, and l couldn't see
anything Of him, either. 1t didn't seem
right for the mail to be lying out there
on the sidewalk, twas like taking un-
due liberty with government property,
so dragged the sack around and flung
it in the door and went looking for the
constable. Then I heard about the sui
eide and the inquest down to the hotel,
so l went down there to fetch him,
and all the crowd that had been down
to the inquest come trailing along"
81 noticed when l come along here
last night that the post Office was
dark" volunteered another of the
crowd. 81 don't know just what time
It was, but it was just before it began
to rain. I remember, now, thinking it
kind Of funny the Office was shut up
SO early, but I didn't stop to investi-
gate. I'll bet he wasn't here last night,
either"
''It's burglars, that's what it is,'
said an excited youngster. 81 saw
them at work. come along here last
night and there was a flash, like from
dark lantern. Right in there behind
the boxes, it was. They must a been
at work then. I'll bet they killed him
and hid his body and made away with
all the money and stamps"
"How many of them were there?"
did you see them?"
''What time was it?"
Questions poured thick and fast on
the youngster, who evidently had told
all he knew and little more. took
advantage of the Juror his story had
created to slip around to the rear Of
the building, where found self-ap-
pointed committee of citizens and the
constable guarding the door.
,IIMIW