Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-02-22
GENERAL INTELLIGENCE


JOKE ON DETECTIVE.
An accusation was made against a wo-
man residing In - street, for the Of
tense of theft, commonly and more
clearly understood by the name of
.ssbop-liftinC." She was one, like
most of her class of criminals, up0n
whom the eve of suspicion had never
rested till the time when her guilt had
plainly developed itself by some mis-
chance OF circumstances, or when, IN
an unexpected moment Of peril, her
right hand had forgOt its usual cunning.
This suecies of theft is most generally
1,erpetrated by women of good address,
of fair exterior. and always of such emil
nent skill that the suspicion OF shop
keepers are diverted from them. In
this instance the party suspected was
one that had borne a reputable charac-
t,.r. and. to all outward seeming, a
blarneIess life. She was a widow.
She had, rs supposed, enough worldly
goods TO assure q maintenance. This
belief was supported by her manner
of living. She occupied a genteel
house. She employed servants. She
dressed in the fashion of the day, and
enioyed all the comforts that worldly
abundance supplies.
Tt was severe as well as painful ef-
fort to believe that such a woman could
be guilty OF theft. But the relation OF
the prosecutor led directly. if not con-
cIusively, to such a belief. He, too,
who had been a witness of the facts.
possessed a conviction upon the point
that was stronger than he could give
expression TO by any recital OF them.
The character of the party complained
OF only strengthened the oelief and an
chOred the conviction of the prosecutor,
for because of that character he was
the most hesitant in his Judgment and
exercised his reason more closely and
thoroughly, and till il carried him be-
yOnd the verge of doubt.
The warrant of arrest was given TO
officer s. TO execute. He knew
the accused by reputation, aud from
that knowledge had acquired the like
opinion of her that HAD passed others.
He was 10th to execute such a process
against sucn party. He had a sense
of admiration and gallantry for the sex
that at times quite untitled him for the
rigorous discharge of the duties that
his Office required of him. He was ap-
preciated among his fellows as che
whose sentiments in this respect
amounted 20 a weakness unbeftting his
calling, and that impaired his useful
ness, If it did not imperil his Integrity.
But he had, too, in an eminent degree,
the usual ambition of his profession to
acquire 6 reputation for zeal, tact and
success. If the accused IN this instance
was guilty and should prove TO have
been a practical shop litter, the fact of
her arrest would reflect some OF its
fame upon his official reputation. He,
therefore, started upon his errsnd with
conflicting sentiments of reluctance
and desire.
He found the object of his search at
home, and surrounded by ali those
elegancies-of domestic life that instinct
lively repealed the suspicion that their
owner could possibly be other than
honest and virtuous. The suavity of
her oemeanOr, the chasteness of her
address, and the refinement of her
bearing as well aided this assurance as
they aroused the gallaDtry of the officer
to q fOrgetfulness of bis duty in the
magnitude of his doubts. he would
fain have receded from his mission, but
the complaint and the warrant left him
no choice. But he sought to give as
little offence as possible to his own
heart, and TO the sensibility of his !
prisoner. He refrained, therefore, |
from making known the true nature |
of his errand. He cOntented himself |
with politely advising the lady that the |
magistrate desired her attendance at |
court that he might counsel with her |
about some matter, and of the charac- !
ter of which ne, the officer, assumed to |
be wholly inadvised. She expressed |
her ready willingness to grant the favor |
asked for, and with polite grace that |
was IN happy harmony with the suave |
decorum of the officer. The latter was
too blind In the exuberance of his gal
lantry to observe the pallid cheek, the
quivering lips the tremOr of the body
and the confusion of speech, which, To
a mere circumspect eye, would have
given evidence that the visit had startled
guilt from it's lair, and terrified it with
all the sudden fears of detection and
punishment.
The lady, after a moments pause, In
vited the officer TO seat while she
equipped herself for the walk. The
lapse of time that occurred before she
re-appeared to respond to the official
summons, let it have been much or
little, was unobserved by the officer.
It was passed by him In contemplation |
ofithe scene about him, of the improba-
bilitY of the story of guilt, of the beauty
and charms of his prisoner, of the |
renown that he should gather if, by
chance, she should be guilty of what !
she wss charged Eithsi, snd of the |
self-satisfaction that he should enjoy, !
and, possibly, the reward mis- courtesy |
should secure If her innocence should |
be established.
When the lady announced by her
presence her readiness TO go, the officer
broke suddenly from his reverie and
the two started for the courtroom.
The former was darkly veilsd, but that
might have been the fashion of her
attire, or it might have been suggested
BY prudent and harmless sense of
delicacy. On the way the officer, some
what proud of his position, bore
himself with a mien that indicated both
his pOljteness to his fair charge aud his
pride in having such task imposed on