St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1870-02-25
"No, sir"


Sab, but thinking won't dc. Did
mot any one speak TO you, or ask any
question of you -
''Ies, a gentleman did ask me what
time Mr.. Johnson usually came TO the
store, rs he wanted to see him about
some orders"
"What sort of Il man was he? can
you describe him %
''lle was a young gentleman, very
plcaSant-spoken, dark, with a nous
tache, and very well dressed. He said
he came from the country, and was trav-
eIler to Il firm in the same line a ours,
who were going 10 buy largely trcm Us. y
''Was he alone ~
"No. there were two others with him,
sir both nicc-lookil,g young gents"
"Did he come in ~
"Oh yes, he came in; | had just
opened the door, and was sweeping the
floor, 50 he walked straight up TO me,
and-''
''Did his friends come i'll, too -
I'm not quite sure OF that, but |
think they must have, rs ii was raining,
and they wouldn't stand out in the wet. -
"Should you know them again, if y II
saw them ~
81 should know two of them-the one
who spoke to me, and another, who had
"a carpe; bag in hs hand. He walked Il
little lame
"1hatll do, porter, YOU need not say
anything outside, but I'm afraid we have
not learne 4 much
"All right, sir"
AS soon a> he had gone, the detective
turned to Mr.. Johnson and said ''Iou
will soon get your property back, | eX
prct, s'r. Those three men are sneak
thieves, and if they are the same | be
licvc them to he. | think | know them.
They always pursue the same plan.
First OF all they discover from a cOntrd-
crate, generally a female. the place
where tie best booty Is to be most ea-i!y
obtained They thrn rise eaIly in the
morning, and wait outside until the por-
ter opens the door, taking great care that
no one i> observing them One then
enters, and addresses the porter, telling
hun some such tale ~ this fellow told
yours, and while lac Is talking the other
rwo adroitly slip whatever thry can into
bag which they have with them, and
dccamp aS soon IA il Is filled. They are
always well dressed, and would appear
to he thorough gentlemen II those not
ComycrSant with their tricks. and men
ton that they have Just come up from
the country, in order Ia account ior their
being about 50 carly in the morning.
\ Iou will hardly believe it, perhaps but
thieves carry about with them external
marks of their profession, which To Il de-
trctivc officer are uumIStakabic. For
instance. they have peculiar walk and
movement or The arms tney are %enCr-
ally ungloved. and carry nothing in their
hanlS, while they are continually gltuc-
ing on one side or the other, to see if
they are being watched. would GUAR
auty TO pick a tlilt out from among one
hundred honest men, let his general ap-
pcarance he what it may.
DETECTIVE WORK.
The detective then took his departure,
NJ. johnson - soon as hc had anything
otimportance TO tell him, AMI proceeded
to headquarters TO report. He had OBJ
served three yUung men frequently walk
ing about together, and from their gen
cral appearance had set them down in
his own mind us thieves OF some sort or
other, although he knew nothing posi-
lively against them. He was irre-islibly
reminded of the trio by the robbery in
broadway; and the description given
by the porter OF the man who convcrScd
with him coiucidcd remarkably wiki one
of them who had attracted his especial
notice. He determined therefore 10
keep y sharp lookout and trace them
home, should lc again run up against
them.
Mr.. Johnson, meanwhile, after attend
ing to several matters of business. start
cd TO 20 up town, and on the way met
young Vaughan, who seemed strangely
excited at the encounter. He turned,
however, at Mr. John-uu's request, and
listened attcntively to his account of the
robbery, expressing the hope that the
perpetrators would soon be brought 10
Justice. lie did not seem very well
pleased nevertheless, when he heard that
the detective conceived that he already
had "a clue, and was unable to conceal
his agitation when his companion re-
marked in whisper: ''Do you see
that man he is the officer whom
have engaged; it is singular that we
should meet linn"
Vaughan suddenly remembered that
he had forgotten Il commission cntrust-
ed to him by his sister, and hastily
bidding Mr.. johnson "Good-by," hur-
ricd oil in an opposite direction. The
detective Immediately came up and ask
ed his employer who the gentleman
was who had just left him; and, on be-
ing told that he was friend OF the
family gave "a long, low whist, eX-
pressiye of the most intense surprise.
"Where does lie live, sir! I'm sure
have seen his face somewhere"
, AT No. - Fourth street. Why
do you ask !''
O, simple curiosity its way We
: have" and he, too, left the puzzlec
merchant.
The latter slowly continued his jour
ney, and rackcd his brain in vain tC
: elucldate the mystery of Vaughan
sudden departure, but it never occur
l red to him to attribute it to the COM
, ing in sight of the detective. As he
was in good time and was obliged &c
, pass Fourth street on bis way, he made
up his mind to call upon Mrs. Wilson
t and, if he found her brother there, tC