Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-10-28
The Man About Town.
By A DETECTIVE.

OeS lCSetl loF TIE tfickS pldteu on IL
bv one it has courted The vota
ries of fashion are not unfrequently
made the victims of the adventurer,
but for the sake of concealiny their
own want of sagacity the wrong
doer is seldom punished. Never
theless, there are episodes now and
then occurring which. if they met
the public eye, would afford a rich
morsel of humor and rilicule. One
of these came under my own obser-
vation few years since. / had done
sore business for well KIN ,wn
merchant. and he was pleased with
the manner / had executed it. | was
not surprised. therefore. when he
came to the Chiefs office one day
and desired to speak with me.
81 have some work for Yourself
and iriend," said he, referring to my
partner.
"What is it ?'' inquired.
He then went on to detail to us
the particulars of a mum DER of sue
cessful robberies that had been per-
petrated recently in the society in
which his family moved. Strange as
it may appear, all Of these were
done at fashionable gatherings,
either at his own house or at those
of his neighbors.
1T would be impossible" he said,
Ito suspect any of the guests; vet
the servants had been strictly
watched. and no evidence could be
found to iinplicate any of them
.iamond bracelets mysteriously dis
appeared from the wrists of the fail
ladies'; gentlemen lost their jewelry
watches and chains, and even gold
headed canes, in the most unac-
countable way. At every house
where a fashionable party met some
robbery of this description ensued
1t bad began to create an intense
excitement. Ladies were afraid to
appear with jewelry about them
gentlemen hesitated to display theil
diamonds. and were restless wher
any one approached them. Suspi
cion had grown up, and . colaness
which began to assume very seri-
ous aspect, had been engendered
between several families. The mat
ter, he said, would have to be sifted.
but how to do it he was at loss t.
know.
l told him he wouisl have to intro
Il -, hi f., i, IL
tances. aud as his guest. l attended
the next party at his house Even
Il stranger could discern the cold
ness and lack of free and genial
kindness that prevaded the assembly
The atmosphere seemed to breathe
suspicion. Everybody suspected
his neighbor. Gentlemen were
watched closely as they paid the
devoirs to fair ladies, and the bellies
to whom devotion was offered freely
were eyed keenly lest they should
spirit away Il more costly jewel than
the gentleman affections. One
gentleman, however. l noticed al
once as entirely free from these un.
worthy .suspicions. His manner
was radiant with gay insouisdnc.
that charmed every one. His rep
artees were brimfull of wit ano
sparkled with fun, while the bright
smile with which every lady greeted
him showed that he at least had no,
fallen on the cloud that had settled
| on the rest. Yet I noted the rapid
lightninglike glance with which ht
surveyed everybody that approached
him. Sometimes the great dark
eyes would darken with a shade O
anxiety. as he encountered a sterr
looking visage, and then flash ou
merfily as he saw it harbored M
suspicion of him. The man fascin
ated even me. I saw he was act
ing. His conduct, apparently con
trolled by natural kindness of dis
position, 1 perceived was the resul
of consummate impudence an(
nerve, and a sang troid that enabled
him to invest it with a genial grac'
and apparent carelessness. Th'
halfs startled, eager look which h
sometimes threw around him, over
looked by his associates was seel
by me.
1 / had settled it in my own mint
that he was the culprit. But to an,
one else my conclusion would hav,
apT cared uncertain and my suspi
cions vague. Still l watched him
! was eager to see how he woult
maEeuver his successful larcenies
For more than an hour he radiatet