The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-02-03
THE BuRGLAR.PRooF MAN.
A DETECTIVES STORY.

I,lon't suppose you feel much interest
4 in burglars, nor nrG their hnbits very
choice theme in polite literature but
then TINT occurrence Mt Glen Spring was
really an extraordinary nilair. I wis on
tho police force mt tho timc and knew
Calico Charley we'll. His father was one
Of tho best mncbinistS in tho country,
and he took more pains to make nall Of
his boy than the fellow deserved. The
old man nhal little machine shop and
had tho boy Charley with him-a bright,
smart chap lie was then. Wien he WINS
twenty-one he got to he pretty lively
about town, for the old man had snyed
up u handsome property antl let Charley
have more money than was good for him.
Then they got up new safc lock, and it
matlc big stir, and I believe they went
into that sort Of thing pretty heavy.
Any why Charley went over with the lock
to the first worlds fair in London.
There he got tripped mp. Inevcr heard
exactly how it was. They put up ii
wicked job on him Of some kind, antl got
linn mixed up with pretty bad London
"mob." The story TINT we heard was
ethat he picked safe lock for party TINT
shouldn't have been picked. Any way,
lic got in with the wrong crowd anl they
wouldn't let go Of him. He stayed over
there about five yeara aud got to bc Il
regular first-class sneak, and worked half
dozen Jobs in tho most scientific man-
ner. We got wor,l from Scotland Yard
that lie was coming back, and I dropped
in ut the old mans place to try and find
out something. Old Calcott tllat was
his name) Ind got rich. What with his
bank lock and his other inventions, his
mean way Of living, aud his luck in bny-
ing some down town property before
people Ind anNilea how big tho city was
going TO be, he'd come 10 be regular
nabob. I couldn't geta word out Of him
about his boy. He sail he'd given him
mp, and was gning to retire from buSi-
ness. Money must have come in pretty
fast then to the. old fellow. Ho showed
mo half dozen patents TINT he was
going to sell out any one Of 'em must
havc been worth pile of dollars.
Now I think Of It, it was Calc0tt who
put tile first Frauklilite in MI iron safe.
and lie invented tho rubber hiingo which
prevented the thieves from using the mir
pump when they wanted TO blow up n
Bafc. -...
It seems TINT when young CNlcott
started for America he'd male up his
mind to cut his London acquaintllnccS
md tricks, and live honestly by going
back to tho old nan. Nme OF Ills knew
it Mt the time. Well, when he got here
u curious thing happened. We had a
Slnan in the central. OiliCe by the lame Of
Mecllan, who was in with IN cast sitle
mob. He was broke nbout year after.
ward. Meehan Ind got wol,f frum tic
London gaug, aud ho met young Calc0tt
on thelock with facts enough to senl him
mp; and Ito matlc str1light offer TO lin to
stay witll.the east si,le gang il le didn't
want to end his career for usefulness, ulitl
Calcott, frightened ut tho prospect Of
going to prison, forgot his good rcSolu-
. tions, and joined tho thieves.
II waS in the winter Of '6j that the
places along the Hudson river were
broken into by n rivergnn YOn may
-rcc0llcct it Judge Schcrmcrliorn'E
house ut Glen Spring was entered one
night md robbed oi 10000 worth Of
property. The papers made good deal
Of fuss about 4, and We lial three ol
tourm men work. ig ut il, Que day Matti'