The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-08-11
TRAPPING A MURDERER.


police force of New York. One summer
night, a few minutes past twelve, was
pacing my beat in quiet part of C
Street, when man called out from a
ond-story window
al say, sir, are you policeman"
eyes" replied "What is the mat
ter?"
"I heard heavy jar in Mr.. Bradley's
house, next door, and he may have fallen
and hurt himself. He just came in few
minutes ago If were you would ring
the bell"
Mr.. Bradley was a wealthy old bachelor,
who had lived entirely alone for years, in
an old-fashioned brick house. His riches
were subject of frequent gossip and it
was said that in his house, to which no out
slider was ever admitted, he kept large
amount of money and silver-ware. / rang
the bell, but there was no response.
care you sure you saw him go in ?'' 1
asked.
YES sure of it. He hadn't been in
Il
have heard no sound since"
"There must be something wrong" l
said, after ringing the bell a second time,
and receiving no response. tried the door,
but it was locked.
"If were you would force the door, "
suggested the man at the window.
al don't like to do that. Is there any
other entrance?"
eyes, that alley just beyond the steps
leads to back yard but the gate is prob
ably locked, as well as the rear door"
al will go and see, said l and walking
up the narrow alley, discovered, by the
dim light of street lamp nearly opposite,
that the gate stood open.
Hooked in, and perceived that the rear
door was open, and a faint light shone out
All was perfectly quiet. l returned tC
the street, and said to the man at the
window:
1.-THE gate and back door are OPEN
Come down and we'll go in"
In half minute he joined me on the
sidewalk, when / recognized him as an ac
quaintance, named Henry Collins.
"Ah, is this you? didn't know yor
lived here,' said.
eyes, and didn't recognize you wher
first spoke"
"Well," said ], "there may have beer
some foul work in this house, and we hat
better both go in."
We went up the alley, into the yard, ant
entered the open door. The rear room wal
evidently used as kitchen and guided by
the dim light, we passed through another
open door into narrow hall with stair
way. Near the street door was an ole
table, on which stood lighted candle, tha
had burned to within an inch of the can
dlestick. At the foot of the stairs lay Mr.
Bradley, quite dead, and a frightful wount
upon his head convinced me that he haC
been murdered.
At my request, Mr.. Collins hurried ava,
to the police station, two hundred yard
distant, to inform the captain, while tool
the candle and made hasty examination
the second-story back room had been bro
ken open and ransacked, and on the foo
lay half Of fresh-looking newspaper
Knowing that the old bachelor was not il
the habit of spending money for newspa
pers, it struck me that the robber nigh
have had it in his pocket, and possibly uset
the other half to wrap up some of hi
plunder, leaving behind him, in a hurry
what might prove valuable clue. there
fore folded up the fragment, and put it IL
my pocket. A moment after Mr.. Collin
returned, accompanied by several officer
and surgeon.
To make this part of the story brief,
will state that the usual formalities follow
ed, the body being handed over to the COZ
ODer, and the case was placed in the hand
of the detectives. at first intended +
give them the bit of newspaper had pick
ed up, but / had some ambition to be
detective myself, and concluded to keep il
at least a day or two, TO see if could fin
a clue from it. 1t was lucky l did.
On the following afternoon, while o.
duty, and walked around ia ordinary dress
! paused opposite well-known hotel {
watch some painters who were at work O
a swinging ladder under the caves, and m
eyes chaneed to alight on a man who 50
by third-story window, apparently Ell
gagged in packing valise. The windov
was open, and as he lifted some articl
from the ledge to store it away, piece {
newspaper on which IL had been lying wa