The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-08-26

nnally he mad followed the lady IN Vne SILK
dress to her home.
Considering how the ladies were over
dressed, had been fearful lest the pursuit
should lead to a house of prostitution, for
as the inmates of such houses are practised
in deception, it was very likely that if the
clothes they wore really were part of any
stolen goods, it would be very difficult to
prove it and to follow out the traces thus
far obtained. But the ladies lived in re-
spectacle place in Nineteenth Street.
The boy went to his father to tell him
what he was doing and to take him the
five dollars, and then he returned and
passed the night at my house. At a very
early hour next morning we were both in
Nineteenth Street, where surveyed the
house and took q note of the number, and
two hours later when the shops were open,
it was easy enough to go to the grocer's
and a druggists in the neighborhood, and
to learn the names and the position of the
residents.
'At the end of two days had seen the
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William Bruce, in whom recognized an
old acquaintance and who was a speculator
in Wall Street. leave the place twice in the
morning and return twice in the evening.
But had not sufficient facts in hand to
take any decided step in the matter, so 1
went to Mr. Redding to freshen my men,
ory concerning the pattern of the stolen
goods but did dot let him know that /
had even the smallest clue. His partner
and Mr.. Phillips had gone to Cincinnati to
make arrangements with house which
owed them a considerable amount of money,
and had recently failed. Unfortunately
now wanted the assistance of Mr.. Phillips
in directing me to the necessary proofs,
but learned to my satisfaction that both
would be back in couple of days. In the
mean while l received some useful infor-
nation from Mr.. Redding, and the next
forenoon saw me busy with the tools as a
workman under the Croton Water Board,
which was just then engaged in laying the
water pipes and looking after the connec-
tions with the houses.
A sprightly Irish girl opened the door
when went to the house and let me in, as
soon as told her what my pretended
business was. said that she must tell
the lady that after had flushed in the
basement would go up stairs, as we want
ed to examine all the places; upon which
she replied that the lady had been on a
visit to friend for few days, and that
Mr.. Bruce was out. So I found that /
could take my own time, and after doing a
little joking and Irritation with Sarah-for
that was the girls name-all of which she
took very kindly, she let me go over tie
house from top to bottom and examine it
thoroughly. induced Sarah to show me
her mistresses' wardrobe, which, indeed,
was splendid, and made me little envious,
when bethought myself, with what a
comparatively poor wardrobe my wife had
to be contented. And / found, in the
course of this inspection, amonga number
of silks not yet made up, some from which
the private mark Of Mr.. Redding's house
had not yet been removed. These ] con-
trived to get hold of without Sarah know
ing it. And with pair of scissors, which
found in Mrs. Bruce's room, cut little
piece from the silks, also without Sarah
noticing me. But in a closet there were a
dozen more dresses, each apparently hand
somer than the last, and among them l
found the dress with the peculiar pattern
which Mrs. Bruce had worn on the day
when saw her in the street car. now
continued my filtration and bantering with
Sarah for long time, till at last an oppor-
tunity offered to enable me to slip into the
closet, and to shut myself in long enough
to enable me to cut piece of the silk from
broad seam on the inside of the sleeve.
Having finished my inspection-still of
course retaining the character of Croton
Water man-and having found out all 1
wanted, i saw that Sarah had been taking
all my jesting in earnest, and verify be-
lieved that she had discovered a very de-
sirable sweetheart, For, returning to the
basement, 1 found splendid lunch set out
for me, all of which assured me when / left
the house that the damsel would not be
very likely to say anything to her master
about the visit of the "Croton Water man" 4"
After had changed my dress, went to
Mr.. Redding, took him into his private
Office and told him my story; cautioning
him not to let the faintest whisper leak out,
not to mention the least word to anybody,
not even to his partner nor his confidential
clerk, Mr.. Phillips who on the same day
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