The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-04-04


That was "a pretty important case
Chlef,' Elmer replied. "and 1 didn't
want TO take any chances of the
ilhuings being lost In the registered
man. Then. grinning, he continued:
understand you've been having a
bit OF trouble out in Columbus?''
Who told you about that?"
growled the chief.
"Oh. you cant keep things like
that under your hat even IL you do
succeed In keeping them out OF the
papers" retorted Allison. "A little
Dlrd tipped me off to IT three weeks
ago and"
And you determined to leap back
mere as soon as you could so that
YOU would be assigned TO the case.
eh?"
You guessed II, Chief. 4 wanted a
try at the Columbus affair and | was
AFRAID ! wouldn't get 1t unless
put me matter personally UP to you.
How bout it?"
"As 1t happens, you lost about two
days of valuable time In coming
here. instead Of wiring for further
instructions from Kansas City" the
chief told him. IL had intended TAX
ing you off that anonymous letter
case by noon TOMORROW. whether
you'd finished 1t up or not, for this
Is far more important detail.
Somebody's gotten away with $780,
600 so far and there's no"
The Poker Face.
Pardon me. sir, but here's n wire
which has just arrived from Rogers.
In Columbus. Thought you'd like to
see 1t at once" and the chiefs sec
retary laid yellow slip face upward
on his desk. Allison, who was watch
ing closely, saw a demonstration of
The reason why official Washington
maintained that the chief of the
postal inspection service had the best
poker face" In the capital. Not a
muscle In his countenance changed
as he read the telegram and then
glanced up at Allison. continuing his
sentence precisely where he had been
Interrupted.
Reason TO suppose that the thief
is going to stop there. This wire from
Rogers the postmaster at Columbus,
announces the loss of a fourth pack
age of bills. Fifty thousand this time.
That's the biggest yet and 1t brings
che total deficit up to 100000.
Rogers says that the banks are de-
manding instant action and threat
ening to take the case to headquar
ters, which means that it'll be spread
all over the papers. Congress will
start aa investigation, some of us
will lose our official heads and. In
the mlXup. the man who's re3ponsi'
BILE for the losses will probably make
clean getaway"
Then, with glance at the clock
which faced his desk, There's a
train for Columbus in 20 minutes,
Allison. Can you make it?"
TITS less than 10 minutes TO the
station" replied the operative. THAT
gives me plenty of leeway."
We'll, move and move fast"
snapped the chief. "Ill wire Colum-
bus that you've been given complete
charge Of the case; but try to keep
1t away from the papers as long as
YOU can. The department has come
In for enough criticism lately with
out complicating the issue from the
inside. Good luck" And Allison was
out of the door almost before he
had finished speaking.
Allison Reaches Columbus.
Allison reached Columbus that
night, but purposely delayed report
ing for work until the following
morning. In the first place there was
no telling how long the case would
run and he felt that It was the part
OF wisdom to get all the rest he
could In order to start fresh. Tho
poison pen" puzzle hadn't been ex-
Washington, though brief, had been
sufficiently long for him TO absorb
some of the nervous excitement
which permeated the department.
Then, too, he figured that Post
master Rogers would be worn out
by another day of worry and that
both OF them would be the better for
a nights undisturbed sleep.
Nine O'Clock the next morning,
however, saw him seated in one OF
the comfortable chairs which
adorned the postmaster's private
office. Rogers, who did not put in
an appearance until 10 o'clock,
showed plainly the results OF the
stra.n under which he was laboring,
for ne was a political appointee who
had been in office only compare
lively short time, a man whose tenn
portment resented the attacks
lauhched by the opposition and who
felt that publication OF the facts
conlected with the lost 100000
woAd spell ruin, both 10 his own
hopes and those OF the local organ
i2atton.
Allison found that the chief had
wirsd an announcement of his com.
ing the day before and that Rogers
was almost pitifully relieved 10
know that the case was in the hands
OF the man who had solved nearly
score Of the problems which had
ariSn in the service during the past
few years.
dow much do you know about
the case2' inquired the postmaster
Only what | learned indirectly
and from what the chief told me-"
was Allison's reply. II understand
that approximately 800 900 is miss
Ing from this postoffice" (here
Rogers instlnctively WINGED as he
thought OF the criticism which this
announcement would cause II Il
wers made outside the office), but
| haven't any OF the details"
No Clues I'm Sight
Neither have we, unfortunately"
was the answer. "Tf we had few
more we might have been able 10
prevent the last theft. You know
about that, OF course?'
"i'he $50 900? Yes. The chief told
me that you had wired"
We'll that incident is typical of
the other three. Banks in various
parts OF the country have been send
Ing rather large sums OF money
through the mails TO their corre-
spondents here. There's nothing un-
usual in that at this time OF the
year. But within the past five or six
weehs there have been four pack