The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-04-20
ADVENTURE OF A DETECTIVE.
Or the Advantage of Looking like
y Rogue.


home to Vermont for short visit. just as ]
stepped on the wharf at Buffalo, gentleman
tapped me on the shoulder and said
It. "This way, if you please a., -s-r ai- -.
i As l did not happen to please, but was
turning to look after my baggage, he seized
! hold of me, and said, "Ceme along, sir
1 said, "Don't be rude my man. 1 am on
duty now, and cannot attend to your case
whatever it may be-" -,.gsrT -
ri "But can yours" retorted he, $50 come
along without any more ado"
"Claim your baggage Train leaves here
in five minutes shouted the porter
"My trunk. A check for Burlington ~
said 1.
"Check for the station-house," put in my
pertinacious, new-made friend.
"What on earth do you mean? You will
make me miss the train,'' said I.
tBut not the station,'' he replied drily-"so
| come along"
"Will you please to introduce yourself be-
! fore we proceed with our acquaintance ?'
81 am Deputy Crane, of Buffalo, he an
swered.
seAnd I am Deputy Wool, of Chicago. But
the train is Off 1 will see you on my return
| to Buffalo,
There was little confusion sAll aboard'
shouted the conductor. And all aboard they
got, excepting Deputy Wood and his trunk,
which, to my. certain knowledge, were left
stnding in the depot-the one for moment
about as speechless as the other. Deputy
Crane presently remarked that he had never
before had the pleasure of meeting Deputy
Wood, of Chicago; but he thought his friends
Smith, Jones 4 Co. might have been more
fortunate, and, if 1 would have the goodness
to walk up to the City Hotel, where they
boarded such as me for nothing, he would send
for them. | knew there was some mistake
but 1 thought it would hinder only
train, aud, the adventure might be worth
all it cost, would go along without further
explanation.
We were soon at the iron CRATE and gratings
of the getty Hotel" as Crane facetii usly term
ed it; and while lie was gone for Smith & Co,
L had time to reflect. "GTeat robbery in
Buffalo. The store of Smith, Jones & Co.,
robbed of some the usand dollars worth of silks,
besides notes and drafts for some thousands
more. One thousand dollars reward for de-
lection of the thief, &C. This notice had
been published so long before, that should
never have thought of it again, had not the
present episode refreshed my memory But /
had not long to mediate before Smith, Jones
& Co., with half dozen clerks, were on hand
all identifying me from Smith down to the
errend boy, as being the identical man who
was lurking around the premises in suspi |
cious manner the day before the robbery.
DWELL, my man." said Deputy Crane, pat |
ting me on the shoulder, equity or not guilty."
2 "Hungry," replied, "and if you please we
will 90 and get some breakfast"
'fThere is lee ia that. But could you feed |
yourself with your hands tied together? That
Is according to the rules Of the house." an
swercd Crane.
"Now hold on, Crane,'' I exclaimed, s'this
joke has gone far enough. We telegraph |
to the chief in Chicago and get our answer in
holF bo,, oh, mi tba oil
right and in the meantime L will eat some |
breakfast, and be ready for the noon express"
Tearing leaf from my memorandum book,
wrote;
Chief Detective Police Chicago Please
describe Deputy Wood and state where he is"
Crane took the dispatch, signed his own
name to it, and sent it forward Immediately
Shortly the answer was returned;
"Deputy Wood-aged IS years, red hair,
freckled face, five feet eleven, dressed in full
suit Sleeps gray. On way to Vermont, and
probably passed Buffalo this morning. Has
any accident happened z"
Signed, - "Chief Detective Police, |
Chicago"
This was conclusive, and was straightway
escorted, with many apologies, by my new
friend, from the City Hotel to the American,
where 1 was invi ed to eat and drink-not at
the expense Of the city, but of my humble SER
want. While the chicken was broiling, we
tllked over matters, and came to the conclusion
that as I had not been In Buffalo before for
more than year, somebody had who looked
wonderfully like me aud thousand dollars
was offered to any one who would produce
him--which reward Deputy Crane almost felt
nihis pocket when he nabbed me at the rail
road station
After breakfast we walked down to the
store of Smith, Jones & Co., and talked over
the affair. Jones apologized, and said they
"must have been mistaken in the man, which
perhaps was not strange, seeing our attention
was not called to you particularly at the time
and several months have interviewed ;-mistakes
will happen in very good families, however"
Having delivered himself of this doubtful
admission of my honesty, and entirely origin
al joke, Mr.. Jones retired into the counting
room, looking very unconvinced; apd the
clerks, as if by common instinct, began to put
back all the loose goods on the counter, as
though they feared l would grab them on my
way out of the store. Crane, think, was
convinced, before L babe him
goodbye at the depot, that, the so far as l was
concerned, it was all right; but persisted that
it was very natural mistake-begge2 my
pardon, and hoped I would see him on my
return.
For moment or more, while among my
friends in Vermont, l thought little of the |
occurrence. 1t is true the thousand dollar re-
ward would occasionally come to my mind
but, as was not employed in the case, the
of getting it was exceedingly small.
On my return, 1 spent few days in New
York, visiting old acquaintances and making |
new ones, mostly among the detective
branch of the police, as the line of business to
which was devoted can best be learned py
mingling with adopts.
One day, while passing down West street,
same person slapped me on the shoulder in
familiar manner, saying, at the same time:
Chow are you, old fellow When did you
get back? Wasn't you going to speak to a