Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-03-13
AN AUSTRALIAN DETECTIVES
STORY.

IL am detective in the Victoria police,
and have been one for some years. was
formerly one in Paris and was employed
as such in the Hyde Park Exhibition OF
1851. Since that have been in various
parts of the world in fact there are very
few of the force that haven't knocked about
the world Il COOL deal. However, at last
l have settled in Australia, and hope my
rowing is ended. l have never had but one
crack case entrusted to my care: have
sometimes tracked thieves from the dig
gings into the interior, and found them
boundary riders on stations, or clerks that
did not keep their accounts straight. and
found them bullock driving up country,
but these were small affairs a pair of
bracelets soon settled such but once had
matter to find out on the very slightest
information received, which required all
my skill and all the resources of my long
experience. Some four years ago there
lived about II mile down tine river, beyond
the bridge yonder an oldish man, who was
reported to have made somewhere n good
/ pile
"He was thorough hermit: seldom
stirred out, except to so to the store ard
buy q few necessarics for which he always
paid. and never was ',nown to beat down
or haGgle about the price IF anything.
This naturally led to TIL suynii4 that he
had plenty Of money. Mar him lived
another single mall III 4 Stab ;,n" ark hut;
he was 4 shocmak.r by tr,'.e, but in 4
in small township lie this his Gus lolners
We're but few, ant, his il, lbood proclrious.
He was known to be rs poor as his neigh
DO. was supposed to be rich. and was as
much dependent on the fornearlncc of his
creditors as the other wis on his ready
money. Between these two solitary men,
living on the river side, there sprang up a
strangely intimate friendship; always at
ter breakfast, very often through the day,
and regularly at night. they had their
pipe together. sometimes with a pannikin
of ten only, at others with Il glass of grog
There was dim mystery hanging over the
supposed rich man. history where he had
come from, or how he ha Il made his money.
no one knew, and his churish ways for
bade any one to ask linn he and the shoe
maker were all the world to each other.
and beyond that neither seemed TO care
anything. In this uniform but curious
mode of life, weeks and months passed
away the only difference observable bne,
thnt although Mr.. Stevens, the shoemak.r.
had no more custon.ars than formerly, he
now seemed to have money always at com.
mand, and not only paid off his old scores
but had ready money for all he needed
"Onc morning, howevcr--it was in the
winter season. and the Glcneis WAS rolln.
its turbulent waters, muddy and swift,
down to the seattle old mans hut was
net opened; wood srlittcrs passing bv OBJ
served that the old hermit WIS not si,nnino
himself and smoli ing his 'cutty' Us rsull,
and that night Stevens came running INTO
the township greatly excited, and calln.
on Mr.. II. ut the inn, told him that not
having seen old Jeffrey al the day, he had
forced an entrance into the hut, but that
the old nun was not there, and what had
become of him he did hot know A police
man, for II. is a police station, was i'm
mediately sent to take charge of the hut.
until the magistrates should make inquiry
Some days after the inquiry was made, but
nothing came OF it, further than the sus-
pcion that Jeffrey had met with foul pi,y,
Still nothing was proved, nor could b,
proved, until the body could be found; 70,
eccentric as the old man was, who could
say that he had not got up in the hight,
and as suddenly started from H. rs h,
had once suddenly made his appear me,
there?
"As soon as Intelligence of this affair
reached headquarters at Melbourne, the
matter was placed in my hands, with in.
structions TO exercise my own discretion in
my proceedings, absoiving me from all dis
grace if failed, and promising me one hun
dred pounds if succeeded. My plan was
adopted after much consideration, and |
have no reason to regret the steps l took,
as will be seen in the sequel. I took the
httle steamer Western. Captain Lucas, to
Portland. two hundred and sixty miles, and
alter stopping Il day or two at Macs cele.
brated hotel, started by the mail for the
far interior After three days journey
arrived ut II. rs Il ira, eler. looking for .
Job OF work | had i tolerable heavy swan
and this with my Cannikin and billy gave
me all the appearance of bona.fide one.
went straight up to the bar, had my mob
bier, lighted my pipe. and then sat down
outside to consider my next movement.
1t was necessary that should have some
one in my confidence, but resolved not tc
trust the local police. us in these remote
stations their life of idleness often makes
them loafers and gossips. l resolved to
call Mr. T. the hotel keeper and postmaster
aside-he had been an officer in the army
many years-and tell hlm my errand.
did so-never was secret better kept-and
returned as ifnothing had occurred. Towards
evening the bar was pretty full, and took
the opportunity of saying publicly to Mr..
T. that was out of work, that l was a
groom, that did not want to go on q sta
ton, and should be glad of a chance job.
He at once told me to 60 to his stables and
tell his foreman to take me on as an extra
stable hand gave Mr. r. nv syao to