Confused about 宿を取らないで, and usage of 打つ

Question

I am reading 幽霊塔 by 江戸川乱歩 and I'm having trouble interpreting the following dialogue sentence:

長崎からここへ来ていた人が、宿を取らないで打ったものでしょう。打ちにきたのは、本人ではなくて、どっかの薄汚ない小僧でしたよ。

I find most of the sentence confusing. Anyhow here is my attempt at a sound interpretation:

The person who came here from Nagasaki, without choosing the inn, sent it. As for the thing of coming to send, it was not that same person, but it was some dirty looking kid.

I am mostly confused about

宿を取らない.

Since 取る means to pick, take or choose, I think the last option makes the best sense here.

Shall greatly appreciate any help and warm regards to you all.

UPDATE

As chocolate mentioned, the speaker is talking about a telegram. Here are the preceding two sentences for some context:

K町につくと、私は叔父から例の電報紙を借りて、すぐにK町郵便局へ行き、発信人を聞き合わせた。すると局員は親切に調べてくれたが、頼信紙の発信人住所氏名欄には長崎市の聞いたこともない町名と、くるすじろうという名が書いてあった。

If 宿を取らない　means "to not book hotel", then we can read the sentence as:

A person from Nagasaki sent the telegram without booking for the inn. As for the thing of coming to send, it was not the same person, but it was some dirty looking kid.

Most likely I guess 打つ here means "to transmit" or to "send".

Answer 1

In English, one can say "to take a room (in a hotel, at an inn, etc.)" The Japanese phrase 宿を取る is largely equivalent.

Answer 2

According to kotobank,「取る」 in 「宿を取る」 means "Occupy a place".

❽ 場所や時間を占める。 《取》
　① 場所を占める。場所を定めて落ち着く。 「宿を－・る」 「席を－・る」 「会議室を－・る」 「陣を－・る」