The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-08-28

candle and made haSty examination of the
premises. A number.of drawers in the sec
ond-story back room had been broken open
and ransacked, and on the floor lay half of
fresh-looking newspaper. Knowing that
| the old bachelor was not in the aJit Of
spending money for newspapers, it struck
me that the robber might have had it in his
pocket, and possibly used the other half to
wrap up some of his plunder, leaving be-
bind him, in his hurry. what might prove
valuable clue. | therefore folded up the
fragment, and put it in my pocket, A
| moment later Mr.. Collins returned accom-
| panied by several 0 hcers and surgeon
To make this part of the story brief,
will state that the usual formaities followed,
the body being handed over to the coroner,
and the case was placed in the hands of the
detectives. | at first intended to give them
! the bit of newspaper had picked up, but
! had some ambition to be a detective myself
and concluded to keep it, at least day or
| two, to see if | could find a clue from it, L.
| was lucky | did.
On the following afternoon, while of
duty, and walking around in ordinary dress,
| | paused opposite Il well-known hotel, to
watch some painters who were at work on
swinging ladder under the caves, and my
| eyes chnnced to alight on q man who sat by
a third-story window, apparently engaged
in packing valise. The window was open,
and as he lifted some article from the ledge
to store it away, a piece of newspaper on
which it had been lying was carried ont
| over the street by dTaught of air, and
came futtering down into the gutter, near
my feet
might not have noticed this trifing cir
cumstance, but for the manner in which the
paper had been torn-that is, not in
straight line, but almost in the form Of the
| letter V, as though it had been done hur-
riedly. This, | remembered, correspOnded
with the piece had picked up in the muir
| dcrcd mans house, and | snatchcd it up
and went into a1jacent alley to compare
| them. What d leap my heart gave, when
! | discovered that the two halves of the
! paper fitted together exactly. There was
! no doubt of it.
"On his track" | muttered. aha, old
fellow, you don't get off with that yalise so
easily
And being familiar with the interior of
! the hotel, crossed tle street. went in. and
was soon at the door Of Room Twenty-one.
| from whose window the paper had blown.
] raped gently upon the door, 50 as not to
startle him too much.
Come in, said Ii voice within.
| opened the door and recognized, still
seated on chair by the window, the man
whom had seen packing the yalise, a task
he bad just completed. lie was a muscular
nun of forty years, with a clean-~hayen
face that wore an expression of craitiness.
He seemed somewhat confused WI en- | en-
tered, and he said
".Ah, thought it was the porter !!
Haven't you made IL mistata'"
Nv:.ivut replying deliberately locked the
door and put the key in my pocket, while
he stared anase,lly.
Il see you are getting ready to leave" 1
remarked, sarcaSIically.
Eyes, but-bLt-"
.'Snppose you stay in New York little
! longer interrupted.
why, sir, what do you mean?'' he ez-
claimed, rising from his chair.
"Oh. nothing Of any great consequence"
rcp.ie.l coully. Perhaps you wouldn t
object to my taking look into that yali-e,
ell p
"PcrhapS you'll 10 me the kindness to
get out Of my room" he retorted.
lie had taken the valiee from the floor and
| quickly snatchei it from him. | had
scarcely done SO when he dealt me a blow
near the temple with his fist. sending me
reeling across the room. where brought up
against the door. He then snatched up the
valise which had fallen from my hand, threw
it on the bed, and angrily exclaimed:
.Louh here, sir, are yCu drunk or crazy ?
Now hand me tnat key, and get oIt Of my
I room. or | will throw you out Of the WIN
dow.'
Not 80 fast, - said drawing my revolver.
al am an officer, and am here to arrest you
for the murder you committed last night"
lie stared a moment, then change came
over his countenancc, and be sat down again
and fairly roared with laughter.
Come, you can't play that said /.
This is no laughing matter. Where are
the money and silyer-ware you took from
Brndley's house ?
Are you really an oficer?'' he asked,
growing serious again.
"Ccrtainly am. Perhaps you never saw
this bit of paper, sir, said |, displaying the
niece that had blown from his window.
'My friend he replied, Il admire the
earnestness with which you go about your
duties as detective, bat you have by some
means or other got on the wrong scent. |
am very sorry J struck you in moment Of
anger, and hope you will pardon me. am
Charles NJ, Boston detective, of whom
YOU have probably heard. arrived about
daylight this morning, and have since been
taking good sleep, before attend;ns.to a
little business in Brooklyn | registered as
J. Brown for a reason you will readily com
prehend. Here is my card, and here arc
some slight evidences of my vocation
4 l..