The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-08-19
THE HANDWRITING
ON THE WALL
The Case OF the Anonymous Letter
Writer Of Philadelphia

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 SANDER, which is
certain to cause the assailed person
harm, or at least considerable annoy
ance?
There is q certain type OF cowardly
person to whom the anonymous letter
appeals "a does the vengeful stiletto to
the Vicious blackhand criminal. 1t is
means TO harm, and-apparently-a
safe one. What easier than to wrlto
few lines in a disguised hand? 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, adj
mits the letter writer TO hlmself-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. II looks like a
cinch. 1t looks safe. But it isn't
Any crime or misdemeanor that will
place In the hands OF a trained de-
tective piece Of writing, pen or type
writer, or piece of printing, or, in
fact, any physical trace OF a persons
expression. is the least safe sort of
wrong-doing in the world No sort of
wrong-doing is safe, OF course, but the
kind that leaves trace of a 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 cinch 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
20 throw his followers off the track.
But the point is that the detective has
In the letter 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 missives;
Dear Sir:
You wllluever know who this let
ter comes from, but you may be as
sured that 1t is from a friend. You
have a friend named Carlin, who Is
treasurer for the Blank Heating COM
pany. If you will spend more time in
Carlin's company we will reward you
In 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 Office manager If you want
us to find who wrote those letters to
you and why they were written, Wen
be glad to give you man for So 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 n de-
tective." said Blake.
Il thought not" said the manager.
And there the case ended for the time
being
Three months later, almost to n day,
We got n call from a business house
I'm large nearby city TO send a man
over there at once. happened TO get
the case. / found my people to be the
Continental Heating company. The
name of the general manager was
Haney 1 didn't like him from the
start.
Mr.. Cornell" said Haney, when
had introduced myself. I'm glad 10 see
you, glad TO see you, indeed We've
got a little matter here in this office,
q 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 itY" / asked.
For answer he turned 10 his desk
and drew out three letters and hand
ed them TO me.
Those letters. Mr.. Cornell. have
been received in this Office I'm the last
two weeks" said Haney. Take
good look at them"
did. The letters were simply adj
dressed Dear Sir" without the name
OF the firm being mentioned. They
were all about ia the same tone Here
is sample:
Dear Sir.
you are trying 20 land the contrect
for heating the FIVE new school build
ings We know an about &C. You
have made the lowest bid You don't
know that. because you're on the out
side. We know. because we're on the
inside Yes your bid Is The lowest
that has been turned in We don't
mind telling you that It won't do You
any good You think that VIII land
you the contract Well. we don't mind
telling you that 90 won't The figures
in the bids don't settle this contract
by % long light We settle &C. You
know vino we are. Now. The reason
we write this TO you ls this: Come
ncroee