The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-03-21
VOL. %.
THE DETECTIVES MISTAKE.
And the Vigilance of a Custom House
Inspector.

casual passer by, but the more discern
ing declared there was something sus-
piciOus ahout it, which suspicion was
especially fastened upon one of the up
per rooms, from the window of which a
dim and dubious light was every even
ing seea Ia giimmer far on into the small
hours of the night.
Nobody was ever known to 90 in or out
of this suspected binding except at
night and then il was always in cautious
and mysterious manner This particular
room was unoccupied in the day time,
and the strange proceedings of its night
ly solitary inmate, warranted careful
watching of the place and its occasion
al frequcntcrs.
| One of those astute and inquiring
minds employed by the government TO
guard the currency Of the nation against
the skill and genius of the counterfeiter,
known as the secret service detectives,
discovered in addition to The light, that
every night immediately after the arriv-
nj of the doubtful luminary, sound
very like "a small hand printing press in
full operation, could he plainly heard
without the carefully locked door of the
suspected apartment. The nocturnal
clicking so regularly and labOuriOusly
maintained night after night until Il late
hour, naturally induced the detective to
believe that il was the den OF some
shrewd and industrious counterfeiter,
and this belief was greatly strengthened
when the mysterious individual who sup
erintended the suggestive clicking, was
seen TO emerge at that portentious hour
when ghosts are said to stalk abroad in
clamorous of revenge, betakc himself
from the vicinity like one who left dis
agreeable secret behind that he was glad
to get rid of.
| He was always accompanied, in COM
ing and going, by an immoral looking
carpct-bag that he carried tightly grasp
ed in his right hand as if both mentally
and physically weighing its importance
and ready at any moment to die in its
defence. On gaining the street he would
| 9ltllNf HtNuNliliN IL WI
being observed, and then walk rapidly
| away, where no one knew The detec-
tive who had ascertained all this, felt
confident that makers of queer
were somewhere about the place, and
many II weary hour he spent in recon
noitering the premises, and specializing
upon the probable amount of stuff
stored away there. He took brother
officer into his confidence, graphically
| explained the situation, and their final
conclusion was that it must he some en-
ergetic coEnterfeitcr mOdestly running
Il one-hOrse mill of his own and print
ing small stuff on very humble and eX-
elusive scale. He was certainly a
"queersman," else why work so secretly
at night with a printing press up three
flights of stairsy Why keep his door
double locked? Why grasp that decay
ed carpet-bag so firmly? Why invisible
during the daytime and a stealthy PROV
Ter mt night? These solemn and unans-
werable questions were of significant i'm
port To the keen detectives, and indica-
ted that successful pull might come
of it. They shifted glory in the breeze,
and sternly resolved to pipe" him
down.
was consulted 1t would not do to
be rash. 1t might be all square, and the
man, the carpet-bag and the printing
press doing a legitimate business with
| (Which thnv had No rirIt IN n,a1Jla Rut
they were sure something could be
caught worth the labor and trouble, so |
told them to go ahead and f;Ithom the
mystery.
Night after night the faithful officers
kept close surveillance near the dis
trusted house, but nothing new was
elected. The man came as usual. The
press clicked, and the light glimmered
its customary number of hours. Evi
IDENTIFY the strange toiler had no accom-
plicc and was sole proprietor of his
crime aud the contents of that ominous
carpet-bag. On leaving the building hC
always went direct 10 No. 81, Ninth ave
nue., IL most convincing argument that ht
WAS 'coneY man." and not the leas
benefit to society or the public welfare
His actions were certainly ambiguous
and not at all like those of an honest cit
izen, and they determined to ''pull'' him
without further delay.
} The night fixed upon was dark and
: stormy, but, undismayed by the inclem
ent weather, the officers bravely took VI
their position near the house, resolved Il
/ unravel the mystery that night, or per
I ish in the attempt. The unconscious oh
, iect of their deep solicitude, seemingl!
regardless of the storm as themselves
had already arrived, and lamp and pres
I were in full blast. He generally lef
} about l O'Clock a. m, and five minute:
I after the light disappeared was on tn
f sidewalk, carpet-bag in hand, striking
r out for bed somewhere at quarter
9 horse gait. The detectives knew hi:
habits, and shortly after eleven the,
a might have been seen pacing the dark
I deserted street oppOsit the house, where
a in the solitary light cleaned like bes
h con, and the press kept clicking as
bidding them to be patient, for the tim
was at hand, and the reward of vigilanc
and patience not far of Thus cheere
r by accommodation, they unmurmu
ingly faced the bitter storm and slee
/ merely admitting its presence by high
. err elevation of collar, and nervousness
of boot-heels more energetic than grace
i, full. Twelve-one O'Clock, passed-sti
the press family labored on, and the dir
light burned as steadily as two hours b,
$ fore. They counted the slow-draggin
If moments impatiently, but did not wav,
y from their fixed purpose to elucidate III
v mystery of that third story. Two o'cloc
ie sounded with a loud clang over Il
n sleeping city, and while the last hollo
A. chime vibrated in the dampair, the ligl
b suddenly vanished and the upper rool
t was dark and silent as the grave.
s Now came the moment of actio
h Coat collars were noiselessly lowere
n gloves removed, and boot-heels STATIC
n airy. The stalwart officers warmed
G. their work, and lowered closer to Il
Is door. Footsteps were heard slowly
ir scending the stairs; the door open,
80 Al.