The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-02-02

Charley and his pal went up to little sta
tion about three miles north of Glen Spring
and started down at night on foot. 1t was
80 dark when they got TO the house that they
could not see the sign. There wasn't the
glimmer of light about the place. They
were to 90 softly up and try the front door.
If 1t opened they were to step inside quick
ly. One of them was to stay at the door to
keep the egress open the other was to go
up stairs and secure the valuables. They
had two jimmies, coal chisel, and lot of
other traps of Charley's that you can see
down there at the Central Office, in glass
case.
They found the front door unfastened as
before. Charley pushed it open, and they
hoth stepped quickly and stealthily into the
hallway. "Wait a moment" he whispered
to his companion and striking a match; /
want tn see how this thing works" With
that he struck light and took good look
at the door way. 81 see the trick" says he; ;
'give me that screw wrench and be quick.
In less than two minutes he had the groove
in which the steel shutter moved, so pinch
ed that no earthly power could have made
the thing work. "Now go on, says he, and
with that Frost craws up the stairway. He
hadn't any more than got to the top when
the iron shutter began to appear coming
up through the floor, and to Charley's as
constituent it came down from above also.
| He saw in minute that he was beaten. The
two halves of the shutter would come to the
pinch in the iron and leave not six inches
space-throngh which do human being
could escape. So he jams the jimmy up
right into the groove to keep the irons apart
and calls out in hoarse whisper to come
back. Jack was in the upper hall, and, get
ting scared, makes bold rush down the
stairs, catches his foot in something and
lands all in heep at the bottom, knocking
Charley's light into smithereens and making
most Internal noise. Calcott was smart
enough, though, TO hold his jimmy steady so
as to keep the shutters apart, and after Frost
had picked himself up and they had both
listened, without hearing anything, one Of
'em says with an oath, "We're IN a box
let's get out" 1t was Frost. "No you
don't says the other. "We've come for the
stuff this time. l never was beaten yet at
this sort of game, and | amt beat yet.
Take your shooter, follow me up and show
me the way"
They got up to the top Of the stairs. l,
was as still as death, and Calcott lights a
bulls eye. Frost.was getting pretty shaky
So Charley says, "Show me the room," and
with his lamp in one hand and pistol n the
other, he pushes in. leaving Frost in the
hall, watching the square hole in the door
between the shutters, and expecting every
minute that it would close up. 1t must have
been ten minutes before Calcott came back
He had the lamp in his hand yet, and Fros
saw th-t he was white as sheet. All h,
said was Come down--its no GO"
When they got to the bottom, the shutter
separated and disappeared, and the mer
walked out. where's the plunder ?" asked
Frost. 81 haven't got it," says Charley 81
tell you it's no use-the man is burgla
proof If you don't believe it, go back and
try for yourself I'm OFF,
With this cock and bull story they 60
back into their rendezvous. And it was nev
er known, don't believe, till interviewed
Calico Charley up there at the prison, tina
he had met his own father that night. Ac
cording to Charley's story to me-the ole
man said he was waiting for him. And 81
struck was the son with remorse that he los
all his pluck and coolness. Whether he ey
er went back to the old man after he got Ri
of his pal, never heard. But the gang ha
two notions, one was that thoiplace was un
der special charge of the devil, and the 9th
er was that Calico Charley grabbed lot o
plumber and then got up the story to stop tn
mouths of the rest Of 'em.
| But the devil had nothing to do with tn
place. ltwas all fixed by the I'D man's in
genuity. The house was all wires and lever
from one end to the other. He could turn
crank up in MS bedroom aud shu, the Who'll
house up as tight as drum. Then he
slip down into mis- cellar, turn a half ton O
charcoal into his furnace, and kill eyeryboa
in the place, unless everybody cssled out
the one exit, aad tLia the Cd fellow la
them al hi, mercy Que py one.
The la'. time / heard iron. Charley II
warden said ne had !aventsd a new eatci
lock ter the oeIt, i6at could not be opene
by any oie but the keeper without its rim;
ing the alarm bed Atas York World.