Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-08-09
HOW I BECAME A DETECTIVE.

hOW 4 bGOhME a UElE u.
Twelve years ago was in Boston
| had just graduated, and was en-
deavoring, in my effort to establish
practice, TO see how near a mar
could come to starvation, and still
keep alive. | had got as far away
from homo as possible, because | dit
not want any of my own people tt
see or know of my struggles, being
content to fight patiently on until
had made success, and then lei
them know how / had made it.
| had but one relative, | must say
only one friend, in all Boston anc
that was Charley Drake. Charley
was my cousin, and clerk in q drug
store--a retail store--where he had
plenty of work. and very small pay
For him there was no such thing NJ
rest, lie slept in the store, and was
liable to be called at any hour Of the
night, TO make up prescription, OF
retail u dose of castor oil. This may
seem a trife to some, but, to man
who has been going through the
petty drudgery of u retail store from
six 10 the"morDing until eleven at
night, it is no small matter to be
walked from his sleep to mix, and
pound, and spread, and tie up a pre-
scription--a task that requires quiet
ness of head and repose of body.
One morning, quite early, stop
ped in his store, as it was my almost
daily habit to do, to get some small
matter wanted. The proprietor
came out with o look Of anxiety on
his face, and greeted me with
Did you know that Charley is in
trouble? IA.
Trouble? No, | said, what
trouble?
A wrong prescription he put ur
| has killed woman. | wish he'd
killed himself before it happened in
my store. 1t will ruin me.
i looked CONTEMPORARY on the
follow, who only thought of his shop
and his pocket, and made further in
quirie7.
Oh, it happened last night, about
shutting up time, The woman died
within an hour, and Charley is under
arrest, awaiting the verdict Of the
coronor's jury.
felt an utter disgust for this fel.
low but | thought | would give him
a parting shot before / left him. Sc
| said
But why don't they arrest you
They mus. look to you as the prin.
cipal.
1t was almost amusing to SEQ his
expression Of fright.
Arrest me? What had | got to
do with it? Why, | wasn't even in
the store when it occurred
No-the sneak-he was asleep in
bed, while he put all the work and
responsibility off on poor Charley
However, | contented myself with
asking a few questions as to who the
person was that had died, and when
Charley had been arrested and Their
l started to see him. found him il
a very little time, in the custody o
one OF the coroner's officers, await
ing the holding of the inquest, which
would come off in an hour. AS 6
matter of course, Charley was in in
tense mental agony, and it was only
with difficulty | could get him tC
speak to the point. His mind wan
dered, and he was in high fever.
got hold Of his hand, and tried t.
calm him.
Now, my boy, | said, this is NJ
time for despairing. You must plucl
up courage, and look the thing
squarely in the face. All is not lost
as long as life is left. Tell me til,
whole story.
Well, it was about one o'clock thi
morning, and | was walked up from
a sound sleep to put up prescrip
ton, and put it up wrong. ! was s.
sleepy, and had been so tired when
went to bed Oh, poor Nellie
What will she say to this?
No matter about Nellie now, an
swered if she's the little woman
think she is, she'll bear it nobly, and
no matter what the result, she won
think the less of you. Now, then
what was the nature Of your mis-
take ?
Oh, dear cousin Rob very bat
one put in three grains of afro
pia for three grains of asafetida, an,
you know that one sixth of a grail
Of atropia is q large dose. ] knew i
was strange prescription, but as /
came from DIR. Barton Brewster
who knows what he's about, and is
regular customer Of our shop, | pu
it up, and gave it to the messenger
| was so glad to get back to be-
again, that | didn't think about any
thing until about half an hour after
ward, when the doctor himself wake
me up and asked to see the prescrip
ton. hadn't put it in the bool
yet, So handed it to him. He tool
it to the night lamp, read it, an
handed it back, Saying very harshly
Young man, just read that pre-
scription again.
l did as he babe me, thorough,
awake by this time, and, to my hoI
ror, read three grains of asafetids
instead of three grains of atropia.
DIR. Brewster looked fiercely at m
tor moment, and went off, leaving
me with the prescription in my hand
and saying: you've killed woman
by your carelessness you'll have t
settle it with the coroner in Tia
morning.
Well; and they arrested you thi
morning.