Year: 1862

four months since. Two months ago man paid
to me in the afternoon $500. / pat it in the
drawer and on the next morning before you came
in, looked at your cash accou5t and found only
5000 of that set down. From that time l have
been very watchfu and have detected dozen
similar cases. l have noticed every dollar that
came in after the bank account was made up, and
have also taken note of the amount entered upon
the book, and during that time there has been a
Leakage of over $500 Now who has access to
that drawer and to that safe ?"
l was astonshed. I could ony assure my en-
ployer that 1 knew nothing of s.; and saw that
he wanted to believe pao-e-4z .l.-


asked him If he nau spossf, TO any one else.
Not to living soul but me, he replied l pom
dered few moments, and then said


"Mr. Wharton, could be made to believe,
that even gnorantly had wronged you to the
amount of dollar, should not feel the perfect
consciousness of honor now feel There must
be thief somewhere. Some of the clerks may
find access to the money. But are you willing to
let the matter rest for few days. l will strain
every nerve to detect the evil doer."


He finally consented to let me try my hand at
detecting the thief. He promised not to lisp
syllable upon the subject to any one else, and
also to leave the matter wholly in my hands for
one week. He gave me warm grasp when we
separated, and said he hoped would succeed.


On the following morning l entered the store
with all my energies of mind centered on the
work before me.


There were four clerks or statesmen and one
boy in constant attendance, besides myself, and
all money received had to pass through my
hands, Sometimes l made up my cash account
at night, and sometimes not till next morning.


In the latter case generally put the money
drawer into the safe and locked it up. The key
of this safe was kept in a small drawer, to which
there was two boys, of which Mr.. Wharton
kept, and l the other.


The only other person who helped us in the
store was Henry Wharton, my employers only
son, a youth near twenty years of age. He was
preparing for college under private tutor, but
found time to help us when business was driving
He was a kind hearted, generous fellow and a
strong mutual attachment had grown up be-
tween us.


At first 1 thought of getting him to help find
the thief, but as Wharton had promised to speak
to no one else upon the subject, l concluded to
keep silent also.


That night counted my money, but made no
entry on the account book. There was $34O.
l put in a new calf skin pocket book-put that in
the money drawer, ard locked the whole up in
the safe


On the following morning found $50 missing.
l counted the money over carefully, and was not
mistaken. began to feel unpleasantly. My
suspicious took very unwecome turn.


During that day 1 pondered upon the subject
and finally hit upon the following experiment.


When I had locked up for the night, l
spread upon the knob of the door and upon the
money drawer, some pale read lead, being care
full not to get enough on to be easily noticed. 1
had left the cash account open to be closed up in
the morning When 1 next opened the safe all
was there as had left it.


The next night fixed the knob in the same
manner, and on the morning following found
$40 gone. Upon the pocket book were finger
marks Of red lead and when came to open my
cash book, had learned one thing-the thief
knew enough to see whether any account had
been made of the money before he took it. felt
more unpleasant than before, for my unwelcome
suspicious were being confirmed. There was a
peculiarly in the red finger marks which told me
a sad story. Still wished to try further.


For two nights after this, the safe remained
undisturbed, but on the third night 1 missed S75,
and had now set my trap more carefully The
red pigment was not only used, but had put
private mark upon every bill in the drawer. The
pocket book and cash book were fingered as be-
fore, and the marks were clear and distinct.


When the week was up Mr.. Wharton came
and asked me what had found.


"Ah - said lie, as he noticed the sorrowful ex-
preston of my countenance, "you have failed to
discover anything"


"Alas, l wish I could say so !" I replied" 81
have discovered too much. In the first place the
money has been taken from the safe, and the key
left in its proper drawer and locked up as usual.
Also, the cash book has been examined each time
to see if any entry had been made of the money.
There has been $165 taken in all"


"But how do you know the cash book has been
examined ?" he asked.


81 will show you" 1 said, producing both the
cash book and pocket book. "You see those red
marksP fixed red pigment upon the door
knob of the safe, and also upon the edges of the
money drawer: You see those finger marks ?"


"Yes = he whispered.


"And now,' I continued, 'just examine them
carefully. See how the leaves of the cash books
were turned over, and also see how the strap of
the pocket book was tucked into its place. DO
you see nothing peculiar about ?"


"Only that the finger marks are very plain"


"But cannot you distinguish the thumb marks
from those made by the fngers?"


"Yes, can."


Then tell me this" I returned, (Which hand
did the thief use most dexterously in the work?"


Wharton gazed upon the marks, and finally
gasped: "The left"


$50 he did," l returned and all the marks
have been made the same. The thief is a left
handed one and is acquainted with the store and
the books and gains easy access here. And 1
have yet another mark. The last bills that were
taken were all of them marked with small red
cross on the numerical figure in the right hand
and upper corner. You can follow these up. for