Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-04-20
The Village Thief.

The village Thief.
The people of the village of NJ
we're alarmed. They could scarcely !
retire 1t night without being robbed.
Stores, houses, and families we're pill
fered, but who performed the nefarious
deeds could not be discovered. Guns
and other warlike weapons were in de-
mand, but these were Intellectual for the
guilty party still exercised his vocation
with IMMUNITY. Police had been upon
his track, but their efforts to discover
him were unsuccessful no clue to the
appearance Of the thief could be obtain
ed from his victims all of the latter
agreed that they had been plundered
not by an established band, but by one
individual. Some said that Immediate
" before they were robbed they noticed
Ga large fierce looking man. prowling
about their premises others that the
guilty party was "a fine looking fel-
low ;" and lastly, there were few
superstitious ones who decla, ed that the
robber was not man, but the emissary
of certain individual, supposed to
govern the warm regions. With these
conflicting reports it would puzzle the
last named individual himself to discov-
er the thief. 1t was for these reasons
the villagers we're alarmed.
was neither detective or police
man, but as a large reward had been
offered for the apprehension of the
thief, l concluded would attempt his
capture. Accordingly l started for the
village of NJ. That night stop
ped st an obscure inn, some ten miles
from the village. Having slowed away
my baggage and eaten my supper, l
went into the bar-room where l found
an old man conversing with the propri-
etor. I picked up paper and preten-
ded to be reading, but in reality was
listening to their conversation. They
we're talking about the robberies that
had been committed in the adjacent
village. The old man seemed to know
great deal about the subject-so much
so in fact, that my suspicious were
somewhat aroused, and determined te
watch him. They were both sitting
with their backs towards me, and did mo-
, notice the sureptitious glance I cast a
, them above the corner of the paper
} The old mans right arm Was hanging
, over the side of the chair, and held ,
pocket knife in bis hand. l notice.
while he twirled it around, that it wa
e q peculiar one. 1t had two blades an,
d something that resembled q prong
Q While he was handling it in this man
: ner it fell from his grasp, near by m,
n chair. He started hastily to pick it up
y but ere he reached it, I stopped down
d picked it up and gave it to him bu
d not, however, before I had noticed tn
n letters 'B. K.' cut upon the bone han
'e die. The old man thanked me for m
l. trouble, and then placed the knife i
his pocket, while l pretended to resum
my paper. l was almost certain tha
the object of my suspicious was not a
old man as he feigned to be ; for l ha
observed that when he had starte
for his knife he manifested too muc
~ agility for one of advanced years, On
~ besides, he seemed very anxious to con
>. ceal the knife after / had seen it. F.
- these reasons determined to watch hin
~ After remaining a few moments Longer
- he inquired what time the frat stag
, ~ left in the morning for the village {
g NJ. I had not originally intcnde
"a to start at so early an hour, but I no
;. determined to 60 at the same time
T. Accordingly, the next morning l foun
~ myself on the way to the village j
I" company with the old man.
. chad been travelling about an houl
" during which time we had not spoke,
~ At length my companion asked me if
~ thought that the robber would be caugh
Il I answered in the negative and the
: ~ in seemingly boastlng manner, ado
w. ed, s'but I do not fear him, and if
= succeeds in robbiDg me he is welcom
, to his plumber"
- ''1f he knew where to find you,
i might visit you,'' my companion quiet
y ly remarked
~ carelessly answered, "should b
- desire to visit me, he can find me 9
=. the principal hote! in NJ"
- The old man made no reply. w
" arrived at our destination. 1 got on
;, of the coach first to see about my bag
, - gage, and when l returned my compan
i ion was gone. I was sorry he had es
" capped me, but hoping l might ye
!, discover him, I started for the hotel
= which was soon reached
About two hours after, a man VIII
% appeared to be minister arrived. H
= had number Of tracts, which havin,
= distributed, he was shown to his room
!, which was on the same floor and oppo
= site that of mine. He did not sho,
! himself again until supper time when h
; informed us that he was a travelling
minister, and intended remaining II
the village q few days.
The next morning :hree of the board
ers announced to the landlord that the,
!. had been robbed, and among them thu
! minister.
The latter was just narrating the fac
when entered the room. In the course
Of his remarks, he drew handkerchief
from his pocket ; and this action jerk
ed out something which fell on the floor.
Looking down l discovered the same
knife which had seen in the possess