An infected District--A "fast" Route Agent--Heavy Bank
Losses--Amateur Experiments--Dangerous Interference--A Moral
Lecture--The Process discovered--An unwelcome Stranger--Midnight
Watching--Monopoly of a Car--Detected in the Act--The Robber
searched--His Committal--A supposed Accomplice--The Case
explained--Honesty again triumphant--Drafts and Letters--A long
Sentence--Public Sympathy--A Christian Wife--Prison
Scenes--Faithful to the last--An interesting Letter.
The literary reputation of one of the oldest and most celebrated seats
of learning in New England, was once temporarily overshadowed by the
"bad eminence" that it attained in the eyes of all within a distance
of fifty miles in every direction, who attempted to transmit valuable
matter through the mails. The period during which this state of things
existed, was in the months of January and February, 1854. Throughout
those months a fatality attended all money-letters designed to pass
through the place referred to; the like of which has seldom been known
in the history of the Post-Office.
As well might one have attempted to send a valuable letter across the
Maelstrom, as to get it safely past the fatal point. This point was
like the lion's cave in the fable, _into_ which many tracks entered,
but _from_ which none were seen to return. And the lion, whoever he
was, had an insatiable and indiscriminating appetite, for he consumed
the supplies coming from three or four neighboring counties in the
State, and like a feline Oliver Twist, continually "asked for more."
The effects of these numerous losses, of course, were not confined to
the vicinities of the sufferers, but were felt in remote portions of
the country.
But the loss of money and the consequent inconvenience, were not the
only results following this wholesale robbery. Perhaps no series of
mail depredations ever spread so widely the cloud of suspicion over
those connected with the mail service. All the route agents, post
masters, post-office clerks, and mail messengers, whose spheres of
duty lay within the infected district; all these officials felt the
severity of the test of character, which existing circumstances
applied. Such a state of things as that which we are describing, often
serves as a thunder-shower, to clear the moral atmosphere. Half-formed
purposes of roguery are, for the present at least, laid by; those
already guilty of peculation on a small scale cease from their
operations; all wait in breathless suspense for the _denouement_ of
the drama; and when the bolt falls, and the offender is smitten down,
they breathe more freely; and such a catastrophe is not unfrequently
the turning point in the life of some young man, who has hitherto been
vacillating between good and evil.
The arrest and punishment of another inspires him with salutary fear
of similar results in his own case, should he venture upon a like
course.
And the effect of such occurrences upon those who have never turned
aside from the path of rectitude, is no less decided.
These are the times that "try men's souls." It is a hard thing for one
to bear up for weeks and months under a load of suspicion, though
conscious of innocence; but this is a still harder task, if he has
nothing between the eyes of the public and his inward rottenness but
the thin shell of a decent and false reputation. No man can know to
its full extent the value of a good character, until he has been
through some "fiery trial," in which nothing but such a power could
have saved him from ruin.
Yet those who at the time of which I speak, were most firm in
conscious integrity, did not escape the stings of annoying suspicions,
and significant insinuations.
"Could it be a certain Route Agent?" confidentially asked an officious
individual, perhaps quite too willing to start such a suspicion, the
aforesaid Agent having, in pursuance of general instructions, denied
him the privilege of the mail car. "I saw him," continued our virtuous
friend, "sporting a fine turn-out only last Sunday, and they do say
that he is rather _fast_ for a young man on so small a salary. It
wouldn't surprise me much if they should find that the trouble is
there."
Unfortunately for this theory, so well founded on the basis of a
Sunday "turn out" and a "they say," the "fast" young man could not
have had access to one in a dozen of the lost packages.
This is a specimen of the endless surmises and conjectures that were
thrown out in the progress of the affair, much to the annoyance of
numerous post masters' clerks, and other officials, whose honesty,
aided by the strenuous efforts of the Special Agent to arrive at the
truth, carried them through the ordeal triumphantly; and left their
accusers, particularly the man who couldn't ride in the mail car,
rather "chop-fallen," and possibly not a little disappointed.
The banks within the infected district, suffered in the loss of
drafts, &c., to the amount of at least two hundred thousand dollars,
while scarcely a business man in either of the two or three cities
within range of the prevailing disorder, escaped the vexatious and
often injurious consequences of the depredations then going on, for
the robber did not stop to select his booty. Indeed, he could not have
done so, had he wished it, as the reader will hereafter see.
An investigation of the case was ordered by the Department, and
carried on with as much energy as prudence would permit; yet in the
midst of it the robberies continued unchecked. Hereupon some of the
bank officers grew very impatient, as the victims of depredations are
apt to do, if they are not made acquainted with every step that is
taken in the delicate process of narrowing down the investigation.
When I had been on the trail for nearly a week, one of those
gentlemen--an excellent financier, but by no means profoundly versed
in the mysteries of human nature--in his imprudent zeal to find out
_something_, took matters into his own hands, and came near spoiling
all by alarming the robber, without detecting him. He prepared a sort
of decoy letter, as he called it, well filled with pieces of tissue
paper, about the size of bank-notes, and this tempting package he
addressed to a cashier to whom several of the missing letters had been
directed. This fell into the hands of the robber, but the experiment
was rendered harmless by the fact stated by himself after his arrest,
that he never stopped to read or examine any letters, except to
ascertain whether they contained money. It will never be known,
probably, how much good advice the criminal lost, when he committed
this _tissue_ of deception to the flames, for the worthy cashier, in
his well-meant zeal, supplied the place of bank-notes in the decoy
package with what he doubtless considered of more value, namely, a
moral lecture to the delinquent, displaying in vivid colors the folly
and wickedness of his course, and closing with the warning that if he
took _that_ letter, he would surely be detected!
The ingenuity and shrewdness of this device cannot be too much
admired. The threat contained in the letter was so well calculated to
throw the culprit off his guard, that if he had read it, he would no
doubt have fallen an easy prey to such cunning machinations! It was of
course expected by the deviser of this scheme that the package would
be preserved by the person who stole it, in order to afford the
necessary evidence of crime! The pieces of tissue paper could easily
have been identified, and he would naturally preserve the accompanying
document with as much care as Job was ready to show to the "book"
which he wished his adversary to write!
Such interference as this, with an important investigation, is never
warranted by any considerations whatever. The commander of an army
who has laid all his plans for surprising an enemy, would feel under
very slight obligations to any officious friend, who, in his
impatience and ignorance of the course intended, should alarm the foe
by some hasty and ill-advised attack.
Thus is it in the investigations to which we refer. Secrecy is
all-important to the successful issue of the plans that may be
devised; and volunteer services, especially from persons destitute of
experience, are quite as likely to aid the criminal as to assist those
who are endeavoring to detect him.
This digression has been made principally for the sake of protesting
against such interference as that above mentioned, and of inducing
others to abstain from similar unwarrantable experiments.
Notwithstanding the uneasiness of our amateur detective officer, and
the remarkable skill displayed by him (as he supposed) in that
capacity, considerable progress had already been made by means much
safer than those which he adopted, if not more ingenious.
There were but few points to which suspicion could be reasonably
directed, as there were but few places where the stolen packages would
have centered. Each of these points was closely watched. A section of
rail road, some thirty-five miles in length, over which most of the
robbed mails must have passed, seemed, for a time, to satisfy the
conditions of the problem to be solved, but this hypothesis was
overturned by the fact that on one and the same night, packages were
taken from mails which had passed each other on this road, in opposite
trains, on separate tracks, and at a high rate of speed.
The mail messengers employed to convey the mails to and from the
several railroad depots at central points, were carefully looked
after, but all appeared right among them. And as for the post-offices,
there were not more than two out of all affected by the numerous
losses, through which half a dozen of the lost letters would have
passed.
There was however, one man who had not thus far been included in the
investigation, chiefly because in the discharge of his ordinary duties
as baggage-master, at a central station or junction where mail
carriers were provided by the rail road companies, he was not supposed
to have even a temporary charge of any of the mails. But while
watching one of the mail carriers on a certain evening, as he was
conveying a number of mails from a city post-office to the cars, the
Agent observed him placing them in charge of the aforesaid
baggage-master, prior to the arrival of the train by which they were
to be forwarded.
After they had thus been committed to his custody, he was seen to
throw them carelessly into his baggage room, and enter the room,
closing the door behind him. After a lapse of several minutes, he came
out, piled the bags upon a barrow or baggage truck, and wheeled them
to a point upon the platform, opposite which the approaching train was
to stop. The unnecessary operation of placing the bags in the room,
when the train was nearly or quite due, was a very suspicious
circumstance, especially when taken in connection with the other
movements of the baggage-master, and by means of the telegraph the
post master of a neighboring city was requested to be present at the
opening of that mail, to see whether certain letter packages arrived
which were known to have been in the through mail pouch for his office
that evening. The reply was, "opened mail myself, no letters for this
delivery."
An hour and a half had now passed since the train had left, and if the
mails had been rifled in the baggage room, sufficient time had been
afforded the robber to have concealed or destroyed all the direct
proof of his guilt upon this occasion. Hence no open action was then
taken in view of the discoveries made. Besides, there was too much at
stake to warrant the incurring of any risk on the strength of these
facts.
The following evening the movements of the suspected person were again
watched, the Agent having a better knowledge respecting the exact
nature and value of a portion of the contents of the mail bags which
were to be forwarded at that time.
Upon this occasion, the train was "on time," and the carrier a little
later than usual, so the mails were placed directly upon the barrow,
and wheeled by the baggage-master to an obscure part of the depot,
more remote from observation, and less in the way of passers, than
that where they were carried the previous night. After remaining there
a short time, he rolled the truck and its valuable load back to the
usual spot, in readiness for the train.
This strange manoeuvre indicated still another and a bolder
operation, but the probabilities were that he had been foiled in any
attempt he might have designed to make, by a person whom I saw
following him into his dark retreat to make application for baggage,
as I supposed, for they both entered the baggage room, and soon came
out, the stranger with a valise in his hand. This _contre-temps_
excited in my mind no very amiable feelings toward its innocent cause,
for I had concluded to bring the affair to a crisis at once, should
the telegraph report anything missing from the mails. But the dispatch
received that evening was, "All right," which confirmed my belief that
my plans and those of the baggage-master had been frustrated by the
stranger.
Another train from the opposite direction, and bringing mails for
delivery at this point, were due at a later hour, and as there had
also been losses from those mails, I decided to wait and see what
usage they received on their arrival, which, owing to heavy
snow-drifts somewhere on the road, was delayed till near midnight.
When the train came in and the baggage was disposed of, the mails were
all carried to the baggage room instead of to the post-office, and,
after putting out the gas-lights about the depot, the faithful
baggage-master returned to his apartment.
Through a small swinging window designed for ventilation, opening into
this room near the top, I could see a faint light, and from its
unsteady motions, which showed that the lamp from which it proceeded
was in the hand of some one moving it in various directions, I
concluded that the occupant of the room was rifling the mails.
This was an exciting moment. My first impulse was to proceed at once
to the door, demand admittance, and charge him on the spot with the
crime of which I suspected him. But a slight distrust of my physical
ability to cope with him single-handed in case of resistance, which
would almost certainly follow if my suspicions were correct; and the
lateness of the hour, rendering it improbable that I could obtain aid
should it be necessary; these considerations prevented me from
carrying out my first intention, and when the unconscious object of my
scrutiny put out his light and left the depot, I went in an opposite
direction to my quarters, determined, however, to give him but one
more chance to continue his depredations.
The next night he robbed his last mail bag.
Obtaining a private interview with the Superintendent of the rail
road, I for the first time laid the facts before him, for the purpose
of securing some assistance in the prosecution of my plans which he
only could render. I wished to provide a place of concealment in that
retired part of the depot where the mails had been taken on the
preceding evening; and as empty cars were frequently left standing
over night upon some of the unoccupied tracks, it was arranged to
leave a car near the place mentioned, for my exclusive occupancy. From
the "loop-hole" of this "retreat" I could determine with some accuracy
the nature of such mysterious movements as I had before witnessed in
that vicinity.
Lest the baggage room should be chosen this time as the scene of
operation, and thus my plans be defeated, a discreet friend was
stationed near that point about the time that the mails were brought
over from the office, in order to "head off" the suspected
functionary.
For the purpose of allowing as much time as possible, the conductor of
the train, which was to take that mail, had been telegraphed to "come
in a little behind time."
Certain money packages had been prepared, and everything being in
readiness, I took my post of observation in the empty car just before
the mails came from the post-office.
I had not long been stationed, when I heard the familiar rumbling
sound of the baggage truck, and in a moment more the baggage-master
appeared, trundling along his load of mails, and coming to a halt upon
the platform, within fifteen feet of my watchful eye.
That eye saw rapid work for a few moments! Hasty passes of the right
hand between the mouth of one of the mail bags (as it appeared in the
dim light to be) and the capacious pockets of a sack over-coat, showed
clearly for what purpose the mails had been thus taken out of the way,
and the well-known click of a mail-lock informed me that the operation
was concluded, and that the moment had arrived for action on my part.
I think a rail road car was never emptied of its contents in a much
less time than on the present occasion. And my very informal
introduction to the wholesale dealer in goods in the "original
packages," was about as sudden. In fact, he had hardly set down the
barrow, after removing it a few rods to its usual position, before I
was addressing him.
In the midst of the rifling process just described, I had seen him
open the door of a small apartment near him, a light shining out for a
moment while the door was open. And it occurred to me that an
accomplice might be secreted there for the purpose of receiving the
stolen property. Accordingly I remarked that I would like to have him
accompany me for a moment into this room on private business, to which
he readily assented, neither knowing me, nor having any suspicion of
the nature of my "business," for otherwise he might not have so
cheerfully complied with my request.
On opening the door I discovered a person within, who appeared to be
wholly unoccupied, except in smoking a cigar. Thinking it probable
that he was in some way connected with the robberies, I considered it
prudent to obtain assistance before making known the object of this
interview, and accordingly spoke to three or four persons who had been
attracted to the place by the unwonted movements, requesting them to
call one of the police officers, some of whom were generally in the
vicinity of that rail road station.
[Illustration]
During this delay, and in order to prevent any attempt at escape, I
put a series of questions to the baggage-master, calculated to allay
the suspicion which began to be strongly indicated by his looks.
"Did you," I inquired, "find, in this morning's train from H----, a
pocket-book, lost there by a passenger? If we can recover the papers,
the money is less of an object."
This seemed to relieve his fears considerably, and he replied in a
cheerful tone,
"I have found no such thing. It isn't my business to go through the
trains, but this man's," pointing to the other person present.
"Ah, it's my mistake. Did _you_ see anything of a pocket-book," I
asked, turning to the person indicated.
"No," was the answer; "have you lost such an article?"
I was relieved from the difficulty of this question by a rap on the
door from the Chief of Police, who was the man of all others whom I
wished to see.
As he entered, I intimated to him, in a whisper, what was on foot, and
then turning to the baggage-master, without any preamble or formality,
I requested him to hand me the mail-key, which he had in his
possession.
"I haven't any mail-key," was the dull response. "Very well," said I,
"then we shall have to search you."
He turned pale, and remarked, with assumed calmness, "I suppose I know
what you want."
One of the side pockets of his over-coat appearing somewhat distended,
I commenced my investigations with that. The first article that
appeared was the large package of letters made up that evening for
delivery at the neighboring city, before alluded to, and the next dive
brought to light a heavy distribution package for the same office.
Several other packages of less size were afterwards drawn forth. After
the search had been completed, the culprit was hand-cuffed, and lodged
in jail within half an hour from the time when he had committed this
last depredation.
After we had dispatched this part of the business, we turned our
attention to the companion of the unfortunate baggage-master, who had
been observing our proceedings with the utmost equanimity, though not
without interest.
"That's rather hard on Ed," said he, as the door closed on the
culprit.
"Yes," replied I, "it is. But I believe we must search you, for I
think you are concerned in this affair."
"I never was searched in my life," said he, smilingly, "excepting when
I've searched my own pockets, and then I never found much. Perhaps
you'll have better luck; at any rate, it won't hurt me to have it
tried;" and so saying, he laid aside his cigar, and presented himself
to undergo the ordeal. But nothing was found to implicate him in any
way.
I then expressed my fear that he might still be an accomplice, as I
noticed the baggage-master open and shut the door of the little room,
while rifling the mails that night.
An honest laugh followed this remark, and an explanation was given me,
which satisfactorily accounted for the suspicious circumstance.
It seems that his dishonest companion, fearing that he would come out
of the room and detect him in the act, had opened the door, telling
him that he would have to be locked in till the train arrived, and
turned the key on the outside. This passed for a joke, and the
imprisoned person thought little of it, as he would have no occasion
to leave the room until the train arrived, when it would be his duty
to inspect the cars. It also appeared that this locking up trick had
been played several times previously, no doubt for a similar purpose.
Thus, was an honest man subjected to suspicion, by circumstances
beyond his control. A satisfactory explanation of them, however, was
not beyond his power, and his experience goes to increase the array of
testimony, to show the inestimable value of a clear conscience in all
exigencies whatever.
The key of a private desk in the baggage room was taken from the
robber, and in this desk was found about $40,000 in bank drafts,
checks, &c., and more than a hundred rifled letters, which, as their
post-marks showed, must have been the proceeds of one or two nights'
robbery. Everything taken from the mails, except money, had been
committed to the flames, as the criminal himself afterwards confessed.
A large portion of the available funds which he had accumulated, was
recovered and restored to the rightful owners.
In less than a week from this time, he was tried, and sentenced to the
State Prison for the term of _twenty-seven years_.
The discoveries here detailed, gave rise to great surprise and
excitement among all who knew the guilty individual, for he had
sustained a good reputation for sobriety, honesty, and industry.
His innocent family received the warmest sympathy of the entire
community, which indeed they deserved, for the culprit's wife was a
sincere Christian woman;--a living exemplification of the religion by
which she professed to be guided.
Some of the interviews at the prison between her husband, children,
and herself, were painful to behold; yet, after the first terrible
shock, (and how terrible it was, can be realized by those only who
have seen a beloved one suddenly metamorphosed from a fancied angel
into a "fallen spirit,") she became more resigned to the overpowering
calamity which had overtaken herself and her children.
She had no reproaches for her sinning husband, nor did she allude in
his presence to the sufferings which he had brought upon his innocent
family; but her aim seemed to be, to induce him, by means of his
bitter experience, to begin a new and a Christian life.
One day, when I called to see the prisoner, in company with a
gentleman who was anxious to learn the fate of a package of valuable
papers which he had lost, we found the afflicted woman sitting by her
husband,--one arm thrown lovingly around his neck, and an open Bible
lying in her lap. We apologized to her for the interruption. She
looked up mournfully, a tear stealing down her wan cheek as she said,
"It is no matter, I was only reading to poor Edward." Then looking at
him fondly, she continued,--"He has been a kind, good husband and
father, and hadn't any bad habits or companions that I knew of; and I
have often thought that if he only had religion, he would be perfect.
And if this trial, bad as it is, will only make him a Christian, it
will be all I shall ask."
Meanwhile her two little children were thoughtlessly playing about the
door of the cell, unconscious of the ruin which had been wrought in
the hearts and the prospects of their wretched parents. The youngest
one, while we were there, tried to play at "bo-peep" with its father,
but was immediately checked by the poor mother, who cried out in an
agonized voice, "Oh Eddie, don't!"
Ever since her husband was sent to prison, this devoted wife has
visited him twice a month, (having been furnished with a free pass by
the officers of the rail road which passes near the prison,) and to
judge by the report of those who have an opportunity of observing him
every day, the prisoner has commenced that Christian life, to which
the prayers and loving efforts of his wife were designed to lead him.
Nothing can be said that would add to the force of the lesson
contained in the facts here narrated. If a life-time of imprisonment,
and the blighting of the hopes and happiness of loved ones, do not
show with sufficient impressiveness the result of crime, imagination
will in vain attempt to supply the deficiency.
I append a letter received by me from the criminal, some time after
his committal to the State Prison:--
W----, July 18, 1854.
Kind Friend--
For I must consider you as such, because through your
instrumentality I have been saved, perhaps, from a worse fate than
has befallen me. I think through this, I have been taught to see
what a sinner I am. I am truly penitent for this crime, as well as
all my disobedience to the just laws of God. I mean, through the
help of Almighty power, to serve my Creator the remaining years of
my life.
It is strange how I was tempted to do that crime. I never was
inclined to do evil or keep bad company. In fact, I kept no
company hardly, except that of my wife and little ones. Oh! how my
heart throbs to break loose and join them! Look upon yours as you
can in freedom, and think of me. It almost suffocates me to call
them before me in my mind.
Oh, horrors! little did I ever think such a fate would befal me! I
cannot tell why I did it, more than this--to pay my debts. How
they did trouble me--how should I ever pay them? But this was not
the way to cancel them.
I do not love money--not at all. I never desired to be rich, only
to be square with the world. I became indebted by inexperience and
pride.
I would tell you the little story of my life, if I could. My
connections, except my father, are pious people. My mother was a
good Christian, and died in the happy hope of Heaven. She called
me to her bedside about two months before her death. That was the
last time I saw her alive; and when she parted with me, she
clasped me to her bosom, with these words--"My son, obey God and
meet me in Heaven!" Oh! how full of meaning, and a mother's love.
But this is too painful. I cannot write of this.
You can imagine my feelings at this time. But the evil tempter has
left me now, and I pray to God, never to return.
Do warn others of my sad fate, to shun the road to ruin.
God, in his infinite goodness, has looked upon me with compassion,
and calmed my troubles in part. At least all that I have desired,
He has done for me, or how could I have lived?
Will you not call and see me some time? Don't despise the thief;
Christ did not.
Many thanks to your kind heart. Also please thank the Government
Attorney, and the Post Masters of H----, and N---- H----. May God
watch over and preserve you all.
Your unworthy servant,
E. A. S----.