From the Burlington Junction Post, as reprinted in the June 23, 1921 Skidmore News (Skidmore, Missouri), page 1:
Found Stolen Mail.
A considerable quantity of first class mail, most of it postmarked at Maryville, and destined to points south of here on the Burlington railway, was found cached in Nicholas Park Tuesday by Roy Ferguson and Forrest Woods, who were playing there.The boys first found the wrapper of a package, addressed to Miss Mary Dollison of this place. Their curiosity was aroused, and upon looking around, they found several letters, all of which had been opened, tucked away in the hollow of a tree. They brought the mail to the ice plant, and its find was reported by Lon Monk to Postmaster Ferguson. The latter, in company with Chas. Dewyer, went back to the park, accompanied by the boys.
The youngsters began poking in the ashes resulting from a bonfire near where the mail had been found, when they discovered another letter or two in the ashes. Postmaster Ferguson then took a hand and unearthed a large packet of first class mail that had been buried in a bundle under the ashes. Most of the mail was bound south, although one small bunch of it was addressed to patrons of the Burlington Junction post office. Practically all of it was postmarked at Maryville, bearing the date of May 23.
The mail is believed to have been sent over on No. 3, Wabash passenger train, due here at 8:11 p.m. on May 23, and taken from the station platform under cover of darkness. Transfer mail is not handled by the local post office, but is kept at the station until the Burlington trains pick it up. The mail will be marked ‘mutilated’ by Postmaster Ferguson and dispatched to the addresses. — Burlington Junction Post.