THE CLAIRVOYANT DISCOVERY.
A short time after the detection of the New Haven mail robber, a
gentleman from the town of W. called upon the post master at Hartford,
to say that he had some weeks since mailed a letter at the post-office
in the town where he resided, addressed to a firm in Hartford; and
containing a sum of money, and that the letter had never been
received.
On examining his records, the post master ascertained that no bill had
been received from the office where the letter was mailed
corresponding with the date of the mailing, and that consequently the
letter, so far as his records could show, had never reached his
office.
As the time of this loss happened at the period when the mail robber
was committing depredations from day to day, and as the post-bill was
missing, the Hartford post master expressed the opinion that the
letter had very probably fallen into the hands of the mail robber,
although New Haven was off the route on which the letter should go,
and the package of letters could not have got there without having
been mis-sent.
This theory was entirely unsatisfactory to the gentleman who mailed
the letter, and he left Hartford with the conviction that he would be
compelled to endure the loss of his money with such philosophy as he
could summon to his aid.
But hope soon succeeds fear, as daylight follows darkness, and before
many days the gentleman in search of his money again called at the
post-office in Hartford, that being the important port in his voyage
of discovery.
It was very evident that his mind was somewhat "exercised," and the
ominous tone in which he requested the post master to meet him
immediately, at room No. ---- at the hotel where his name was entered,
made it clear that a revelation of no slight importance was about to
be made.
The post master told him he would accompany him immediately, and
started with his eager friend for the appointed place. During their
walk nothing was said on the great subject-matter, probably because it
was deemed too solemn in its nature to be broached amid the bustle and
jar of a crowded street.
The hotel was soon reached, and the communicator of the "latest
intelligence" ascended the stairs to the room where the gentleman
accompanying him would be called on to listen to the disclosures about
to be made, and take such action thereon as circumstances might seem
to require.
After pointing solemnly to a chair, declaring by such dumb show that
he desired the post master to be seated, and then taking a chair
himself and sitting thereon so as to face the person with whom he was
conversing, he deliberately asked--
"Do you believe in clairvoyance?"
What an unexpected question! And how should such a question be
noticed? Certain it was that among all the laws in relation to the
Post-Office Department, and the rules and regulations for its
government, minute and circumstantial as they were, not one word could
be found instructing the officers of this branch of Government what
they should do in the matter of clairvoyance. Even Ben Franklin
himself, who was "_par excellence_" the electrical Post Master
General, had never issued an order bearing on this subtle subject. And
here, in this hotel room, where, at a great many different times, a
great many different kinds of spirits had entered a great many
different kinds of persons, this official in a great business
Department, dealing constantly with the practicalities of life, and
without law, rules, or regulations to tell him what he should do in
the emergency, was met with the question proposed, in a sepulchral
voice,--"Do you believe in clairvoyance?"
Was it his duty to discuss with the questioner the "Odic force," and
"Biology" and "Psychology," and all the other theories connected with
the doctrines of spiritualism? Must post masters be also masters of
mental science, and of things in heaven and earth never dreamed of in
the philosophy of the great mass of mankind? Because they have to deal
with the transmission of intelligence to different parts of the earth,
must they also take charge of intelligence coming from unknown
regions, "out of space, out of time?"
The question, however, was before him, and the post master replied
that he had heard of some strange things connected with clairvoyance.
Seemingly satisfied with this reply, the gentleman went on to say that
he had been very anxious to know what had become of his letter, and
had therefore consulted a clairvoyant.
Some locations are blessed with a gifted seer, or more generally
_seeress_, whose mind at inspired intervals is a complete "curiosity
shop" of the universe--who can tell the whereabouts of a lost thimble
or teaspoon, who can inform the anxious inquirer who committed the
last murder, and who can describe to eager listeners the manner in
which people conduct voiceless conversation in Saturn, and how they
fight in Mars, and how they make love in Venus. Or the gifted one,
descending rapidly to earth, can prescribe a remedy for any ill that
flesh is heir to,--and all these wonders are performed for a moderate
pecuniary compensation, and with the praiseworthy object of aiding and
enlightening "suffering humanity."
Our inquiring friend was so fortunate as to reside in one of these
localities, and his mission to the post master was that of rehearsing
the discoveries of the Priestess.
He stated that the information given by the clairvoyant lady was so
minute and distinct as to leave a strong impression of its
truthfulness on his mind. That she traced the letter from the time it
was put in the office--saw it placed in the mail bag, saw the bag
taken from the office, saw every station where it stopped--saw it
taken into the Hartford office--saw it opened there, saw a clerk take
the letter, open it, and on finding that it contained a number of
bank-bills, put said letter in a drawer of his, and then lock the
drawer.
Farther than this, the Seeress declared that said clerk wore large
whiskers, and a large gold ring, and that he resided in Front Street.
In addition to these facts the lady declared that the letter thus
opened, with the bills still in it, was yet remaining in the locked
drawer of the delinquent clerk.
Having carefully repeated this train of circumstantial evidence,
pointing so distinctly to a certain culprit, the gentleman then
commenced interrogating the head of the Hartford post-office:--
"Have you, sir," said he, "a clerk in your employment who wears
whiskers?"
The witness was compelled, on the part of some of his clerks at least,
to plead guilty to this first count in the indictment from an
invisible Grand Jury. As whiskers are not an expensive article of
luxury, even post-office clerks can afford to wear them.
"Have you," continued the counsel for the unknown prosecutor, "a clerk
who wears large whiskers _and_ a large gold ring?"
The reply to this query was not equally satisfactory, for the witness
averred that his clerks were decidedly not given to jewelry; and as to
gold, they felt that they could invest it more usefully than in the
purchase of mammoth finger-rings.
"Have you," continued the pertinacious querist, "a clerk who lives in
Front Street?"
Here again the answer was not gratifying, for the witness declared
that to the best of his knowledge, no clerk of his had, whether with
or without whiskers, or whether with or without a stupendous
finger-ring, made Front Street illustrious by residing therein.
Notwithstanding the discrepancy, the gentleman went on with his
inquiries:--
"Have you a clerk in your employment who has a drawer of which he
keeps the key?"
The reply to this question was such as to meet the wishes of the
querist, and he was told that there was more than one such clerk in
his office.
"Then," said the gentleman, "I demand that you have those drawers
opened, and their contents examined!"
Notwithstanding the urgent desire of the person who had reposed such
confidence in the revelations of the female informer, the post master
peremptorily declined to take a single step implying a doubt as to the
integrity of his clerks, on the mere strength of clairvoyant
testimony.
Argument was in vain, and the disappointed letter seeker left
Hartford, thinking in all probability that General Pierce would have
done better to have given the charge of the office there to some
person more willing to accommodate the public!
Some time after this, the Special Agent met the post masters of New
Haven and Hartford, in pursuance of instructions from the Department,
for the purpose of distributing the funds taken from the depredator,
among those who had lost by the robberies.
On examining the money found on the person of the robber, there were
discovered the seven bank-bills, all of one denomination, lost by our
clairvoyant-seeking friend! The bills not only agreed with his
description, but, what made the case still stronger, was the fact that
no other bills of the same denomination and bank were claimed by any
other party.
How it was that "the Spirits" gave the distinguished seeress such a
complete tissue of falsehoods, will probably remain unknown until the
"new philosophy" becomes better understood, or until the Spirit of
Franklin, who it is said presides over communications from the upper
spheres, appoints some Special Agent to investigate the causes of
failure.
The gentleman who unexpectedly regained his money, may still entertain
his old affection for clairvoyance, but he cannot deny that the poet
was right when he exclaimed,
"Optics sharp it needs, I ween,
To see what is not to be seen."