The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-09-09
A Detectives Experience.

The Airline. or lightning express,
brought these words drawn from Har.
ney
al have a case for you, Mic; come
up /; no hard works real soft job this
time" and leaping on board the 6:30
train, / went mp to NJ. Harney
met me at the station, and says ne,
leading the way TO a dihgy Office in
town, and talking in his old style,
with his teeth gripping the stem Of
his meersctaum.
"NOw for particulars Y0u remem
Der Rolf Donald ?'i
"1he superannuated banker 81
"Bless your soul, yes. Less than B
year ago he fell under an evil. He
married well-kept, scheming widow.
How under the blue heavens she
managed it, to induce him to increase
bis family expenses with his niserly
instincts, is beyond my comprehen.
sion. and unless some famous love-
philter were introduced, I cannot
conceive. Things, it seems, went
fairly enough with them until a few
months since, when ne became out
rageOusly Jealous of her and certain
lAiCnu VI hfiS luCn NiSlttu4 Lucu.
rheu he took sick, off and on, sent
for = doctor, consulted, then had Put
nam up to make his will, and decided
his entire estate, conditiOnally, to his
wife. Donald, however, reserved a
long, narrow metallic box, which was
to be buried with him-unopRned, un-
disturbed. He dwindled on, madame
rather OVERRIDING the assiduOus.
"By-and-by, the doctor, who had
left late in the evening, was hastily
summoned in the morning to pro-
nounee the old man dead, while
madame went into eetasies Of grief.
DR.. Giles shook his head, and said
that he had gone out like a candle, as
It were-sudden, suddep.u
"When was this 81
"He was buried this morning, and
[ want you TO watch inside the tomb
tonight, as am convinced that there
will be an attempt made to rob the
coffin o. the metallic box"
"Who--%
"Sir Mustaehoes, of course, at mad
sme's iBstigation."
"Why not watch there yourself ?D
"rhat's it exaetly-why not Be
cause 1 am in the direct line OF heir
ship, my mother being a Donald so
In case I, unassisted, attempted to i'm
psicate them in conspiracy, robbery,
murder, it would smack of malice
aforethought."
"Your plans then ?" for his reasons
were conclusive.
"Early in the evening We viii 90
out to the suburban cemetery. You
will go into the family tomb of the
Donalds' and silently wait develop
ments. Mark the intruder, so that
you can swear to his indenty and
should you succeed in criniDating the
pair, 1 will Remember you when
come into kingdom meanwhile these
two sAw.hOTses," presenting me with
two ten dollar bills, 'ishould reconcile
you to the unpleasantness OF the sit.
uation."
The night came on thick, murky,
and with anything but an exhilara-
ting atmosphere. / fancied that i
could have lain in the tomb with bet
ter relish could l have pictured q
moonlighted scene outside; but were
Harney's suspicious correct the night
was made to order for the robbers.
We Oat VI IlC Csbl OJ lAAC
western road. crossing the river by
| the way of the covered bridge, and
the gurgle and guzzle of the water be-
meath sounded, for all the world, like
some living thing drinking heavily.
We had deemed it wiser to be on
foot, so as not to arouse suspicion If
any one were lurking around. We
went on silently, as Harney's voice
had 3 pecuiisrity or iBtonstion that
would risk recognition. The eeme-
terry was nearly surrounded by 8
heavy growth OF pines, which, even in
the csimress, had q Eierd rushing
and whispering ia their dark recesses.
We leaped the pailings, and with
| arms stretched out before US, began
our blind walk among the graves
Where tn sTe were tombstOnes we
made safe progress, where there were
mona we stumbled ever tie "cradle
knobs" Cradle kno:ls--happy thought
for in these cradles the sleepers lie un-
disturbed by fitfui dreams. "a
This disagreeabie game OF "blind
mans buff" went on for some time
ere we came to the tomb. Harvey
fitted the key into the rusty lock, let.
ting me through the portal with this
exhilsrating instruction
HFeel along carefulIy-its roomy
and you will find the berths mostly
occupied on the right hand side, bUI
there's a comfortable gap on the left
Hide there. Keep perfectly quiet, fOI
Gods sake, as any unexpected dash o.
his might fAsten the spring lock, ana
no one knows what he might do II
driven TO desperation. I go to Bel
mont on the 9:25 train, but will b
here early in the morning to takC
you out to breakfast"
The doSr was closed and locked. anC
1 was entombed. The air, owing Il
the recent opening. was not bad, be
sides sort of wheei-shaped slide wa
open above the portal. l felt nv wa,
along by the shelves where rested tht
collins OF the Donald family. Their
was 3 terrible suggestive smell o
earthiness, and new yarnish ans
mould. By the fresh scent OF tn
varnish I knew when l passed tn
coffin Of the late banker. A littl
farther on sat down, placing q bit O
broken bier between me SudIthe dam
earth.
. COII yOo ncubaIiy eyaCulaOeO
as the silence and darkness of tina
solemn place brooded over me "if
/, live to get ont again will explail
some things TO Harney.h
had scarcely disposed of mysel
when the disgusting ssgrIt, grii
grste,7 Of gnawing rats began in
2 far corner. The sound and my dis
gust of the sharp-nosed, yellow
teethed vermin, caused me to attemI
springing to my feet. A sharp RI
Z monstrance from the corner OF a co
fin above my head admonished me {
sit down again. But the mcvemeI
has somehow set afIoat q dust of chol
ing. bitter mould, and It was t0rtuI
to restrain q coughing fit.
4 Then followed solemn speculation