The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-11-22
PROVING AN ALIBI.
A par ;cr1vE sroaY.


makes it a mans second nature to be
watchful without seeming to be so at all
and to take notice of what is going on
even when not engaged on any particular
lay" as the rogues say. have two lit
tie stories to tell which will illustrate
this.
One Sunday, about ten years ago, [
found myself at Carlisle, fourishing
town on the Blank and Blank Railroad.
was considerably acquainted there, and
had been there, pretty often on business /;
but my being there at this time was the
result Of an accident merely. | had been
three hundred miles west of this, trying
in vain to find clue to the whereabouts
of an Ascending defaulter and coming
back TO take fresh start, | found that a
food had submerged the track for several
miles east of Carlisle, and that there
would be no getting away till Monday, at
the least So [ made virtue of necessity
and tclegraphing my detention and its
cause to my family, l went up town
After dinner at the hotel, dropped in
at the Office of the district attorney, with
whom was well acquainted. l found
him arranging the details of n number
of criminal cases which were to be tried
at the court which began the following
Monday.
I" Anything of Importance ~ / asked
rather carelessly.
'Onc. at least" he replied. Joe
Slifer, a notorious scoundrel is to be
tried for highway robbery. The victim
was dragged out of his buggy on lonely
road, beaten insensible, and robbed of a
thousand dollars. He Identifies Slifer
positively as one of the ruffians"
"What's the defense?"
. l cant imagine. I don't think there
is any, in reality"
Maybe he'll prove an alibi," / jo-
cosely suggested He shook his head.
They'll hardly try that" he said.
"The facts are too clear"
After some mors unimportant CONVEX
,sation with him, returned to the hotel
where ] spent the remainder of the
day.
The next day was Sunday. | awoke
quite early, and found the promise of a
beautiful summer day so good that L
dressed myself and sailed out for walk
Nobody was stirring yet about the hotel
and the streets were perfectly still. l
walked around several squares, and re-
turned to the hotel, meeting only one
person on the way
That person was standing in the door
way of a basement saloon as l passed. /
looked down casually, and saw him stand
ing there in his shirt-sleeves. His hair
was tumbled, and he was gaping, as if
Just awakened. I did not discover that
he was doing anything particular there !;
| thought aiterward that it was quite
likely that he had been left in drunken
sleep on the floor or on a bench in the bar
the night before, and that waking up at
this early hour, he had taken the wrong
door in seeking for his lodgings and had
come out of doors instead of going to bed.
My look at him was merely side glance
but that was enough to photograph his
face in my mind 1t was thin bilious
face, perfectly smooth, with long nose,
much twisted to one side, and red scar
over the left eye. l marked it instantly
as the face Of rascal. How | could do
that, ] can't explain; our business learns
us to read faces as most men read books,
and the glance that had at that face
told me that the man was lawless fellow
His actions confirmed the opinion. Sleepy
as he looked and acted, no sooner did
he see me passing than he dove back
through the door and slammed it to.
[ instantly understood him. "A
scamp, ON some o lay or other, and don't
want to be seen" was my thought. And
l walked on with his photograph in my
mind, but ceased to think anything of
him OF Of the circumstance before reach
ed the hotel.
The day passed and bright and carly
Monday morning / took my satchel and
went down to the depot. But it was to
no purpose the Office was closed, and a
placaeko the wall informed the public
that t'soroad would not be opened before
Tuesday
| went back to the hotel, too much out
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