Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-08-28

| ty OF the law; but no sooner were the
officers OF justice gone than something
extraordinary happened. A rush was
made, the gas was put out there was a
crash Of window glass and the sound of a
dull thud far below, and when the aston
| ished volunteers had contrived to strike a
! fresh light and look about them, their
prisoner was individually gone. They
! leaned far out of the shattered window,
gazing vacantly down upon the hard fro
zen earth of November, and remarking
upon the singular absence of remains be
| low; then they turned inward, SURVEYED
| the vacant room, went down the silent
stairways, and made the circuit of the
| building inside, returning just in time to
encounter the disguised officers of justice.
Under the auspices of the latter stricter
search was instituted, but in vain. Their
journey had not, however, proved quite
| fruitless. In the spotless and tasteful
chamber of Mr.. Herrick the officers had
found a pair OF beautifully kept books
where the profits of that gentleman during
his residence in c. were recorded in a
copper plate handwriting, and by new
species of double entry. Each page was
divided into two columns-so much by
trade; so much by profession. The first
column was subdivided to show his rela-
tive gains by his proper handicraft, and
his locksmith's work. Under the profes-
sional column his various larcenies were
scrupulously recorded, with the place and
date and sometimes few descriptive
words attached:
June 2-Took chronometer at Captain
Jinks'"
august Took fine old snuff.box at
Madame Blaise's."
There also were noted in their true or
der the express and postoffice robberies
This unique trophy the officers took away
with them, thereby depriving the archives
OF c. of what migkS have been their
brightest ornament.
Slowly the mind of C. opened to the
full beauty and completely of the arrange
ment indicated above. The mans too ex-
pllcable skill as a locksmith, united to his
unimpeachable life and amiable character.
had given him access everywhere. He
had literally had the run of evervbodyis
penetralia for three years. To most of
the locks he had mended he had fixed
skeleton keys, and in one or two houses
he had ottenest visited some window was
found supplied with an ingenious con-
trivance which enabled the artist, by the
insertion of a knife and the pressure
OF spring, silently to remove the sash
entire, and to enter at will It was awe
some to think Of the range Mr.. Herrick
had had. In the express office by night,
in the post-office at all hours of the day,
in the best chamber, the back-shop, the
wine cellar-where not? The ladies who
had trusted him SO implicitly were seized
his fine face in every dark corner for
many months The injured father and
son were restored TO the post-Office with
the next change in the Administration.
and the expressman was doubly lowered
with the confidence and commissions of
the community, but Mr. Herrick, after the
November night when he literally van
ished in smoke, was seen in the flesh no
more
1t is needless to say that a man of his
wit never jumped out Of fourth-storv
window. He had only to hide airoitly
among the packing cases of which the
factory was full-perhaps in the very
room IN which he was so valiantly guard
ed-and then depart at leisure after the
search for him had been abandoned. 4
legend there was that a man in a tweed
coat, with an open face and simple, at
tractive manners, was observed next dav
upon one of the northern railway trains,
but no more authentic trace of Mr.. Her
rick was ever obtained A certain mvs-
terry also involved the proceedings Of the
men who came to arrest him. The fact
that no effort had ever been made to dis
pose Of any one of the stolen articles in
the neighborhood seemed to point to dis
tant accomplices, and there have not been
wanting those who believed that the self
styled officers Of justice were of the num-
Der. In any case there is good reason
to suppose that Mr.. Herrick may yet be
exercising in other parts his original and
highly cultivated gifts.-Boston -4dcer-
tispr