The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-04-23

| EoOu CiuC.
1 did not expect to get much out of the
boy, owing to his youth. Taking him on my
knee, I made his acquaintance, gave him
some pennies, and then asked him what he
saw.
You see," began the child, very gravely,
II heard grandpa talking and getting up,
and then saw big robber jump up and hit
him with the axe. Then grandpa fell down.
and the big man went over and struck
grandma. Then he looked in the bureau, on
the bed, in grandpa's box, in the closet, and
then went off, and then l went to sleep"
l dreaded to ask him how the man looked,
for much depended on his answer. But he
was ready with his reply, and all my cross
! questioning could not alter his statement.
! big man-red collar (necktie) on-great
big breast pin-red whiskers like Mr.. John
son there-shiny ring on his fnger-one eye
most shut up
tried to make little Jack believe that the
murderer had black hair, and was little
man, but he stuck to his story Then one
| of the cOnstableS talked to him about some
| thing else for ten minutes, and then ques-
toned him as to the appearance of the man
/ but the story was the same as he told me at
/ first, Several of US wrote it down, and
| charged the child to remember it.
| / was convinced that the murderer was a
stranger in that part of the country. No
one had seen him come or go no one knew
the hour of his arrival or departure, and he
had left no clue behind-nothing but my
theory that the thumb was missing from the
left hand. l rode out to the toll-gates, but
he had not been seen to pass. L questioned
cto 4vfvr I
isfaction. I went to the railroad station, but
no one could remember having remarked the
presence of a stranger on that night. The
murderer had arrived and departed like a
bird.
I was considerably discouraged in not
striking his trail, but / was determined to
pursue the case until there was no longer
any hope, or until had found the criminal
Visiting Pittsburgh and Harrisburg l laid
my plans to trap him if he tried to dispose of
the watch. l wrote letters to various Off
cials, and then I could do no more. For six
months II had the case uppermost in my mind,
while transacting other detective business,
but had failed to find the least clue. Then
one day got a trace.
I was riding on the cars of the Pennsylva-
MIA Central railroad, when | observed an old
lady shaking a gold watch in her hand and
then holding it to her ear to see if it would
run, Crossing over to her, asked to look
at the watch and she handed it over with the
remark:
TT isn't much good, but don't know as
it ought to be. Ny husband only paid SO
for it"
found out that her.name was Allen; that
she lived within a dozen miles of where the
Anolds had been murdered; that on the
morning after the murder, as near as she
could remember, her husband had purchased
the watch of a traveller on the highway, who
was looking for work and out of money
She remembered that the man was large
man, had red hair and full beard of the same
color, but could not say that's he had observed
anything suspicious in his actions.
I found by questioning that the stranger
had continued on the road to the west, and
that if he kept on he must have struck the
railroad after an hours travelling. 1 was
convinced that this was the murderer, and
that he had made long journey on the
highway in order to battle pursuit and hide
his trail.
But it was little comfort to know it, as so
many months had passed that the man might
now be in Europe or under ground l took
the ladys address, allowed her to retain the
/ watch l knew had belonged to the Arnolds,
and again 1 lost the case for several months
/ wrote over fifty letters, travelled three or
+ four thousand miles on the lookout for a big
man, and nothing came of it. But one dav
when approaching the village of Newfield
! New YoTk, by stage, two suspicious looking
chaps got into the vehicle, and they were my
| only company. l knew them to be clash
as soon as ! saw their faces, and their talk
went to prove it. I pretended to be very
deaf as soon as they got in, not replying to
any Of their questions. l assumed the tone
of voice generally used by the deaf, held my
hand to my ear, and moved over and ex-
pressed my regrets if l had offended them,
saying that 1 could not even hear the rumble
of the coach.
Good exclaimed one of the men, as
sat down at the other end of the vehicle
"NOw you can go on with your yarn
Before proceeding the other one called me
an old fool, thief, a robber and various
other things, closely watching my counte
nance to see if l could hear his words.
''The old smooth-bore is as deaf as a
stone" he remarked, having satisfied him.
self as to my deafness, and then he went on
with narrative which had been interrupted.
L soon ascertained that they were on their
way to Penfield, to rob a merchant. They
had everything arranged to commit the crime
the next night, and the one who ''put up
the plan gave all the details as to how the
robbery was TO be committed, where they
would run" to, and gave guess as to each
ones share.
"What about Luke ?" inquired the other,
after the plot had been fully discussed.
ooh, Luke will be there on time, " replied
the man. "He has kept deviish shady
since that business at L, but now wants
to make a haul and dig out for the far West
You needn't fret-we can depend upon
him"
Before we got into the village the meT
tried me again, but l could not hear except
when they shouted in my ear, and they were
sure that the conversation had been strictly
private While they put up at the hotel,
went to the house of deputy sheriff, intend
, ing to remain concealed all the next day.
had, of course, to state my business to the
officer, as | must have his aid and he tn,
simpleton that he was, related the whO,
story to his wife after they had retired
Thus it naturally came about that next day
2 while 1 was laying shady, but planning how
to capture the burglars, the woman was re
I tailingm plans to the neighbOrhoOd. Whe
D night came there were six of us ready
I pounce upon the criminals, but there wer
b no criminals to be found The fellows hat