The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-04-29

walk with him. got up and went.
The night was fine but dark We walked
in the direction of the museum. He
asked me if / could keep secret for a
day or two. Replying in the affirmative,
he said he had strong suspicion that
the old naturalist or his son was no bet
ter, than he should be; that he was sure
he or they knew more about the late
robberies than other folks, and that he
believed if he had few shillings which
he could cali his own he could come at
the truth, and concluded by asking me
to lend him a sovereign for few days.
I agreed, for had begun to feel an TN.
accountable curiosity growing within
me.
! We had not walked far before we met
the naturalist's son, apparently by ap-
pointment; for my companion told him
that l had promised him a loan, and
that, therefore, he would be at his
fathers house next day, and make q
purchase. We parted and came home
About the middle of Saturday after
noon he set out, and. in less than an
hour he came back, bearing tolerable
sized parcel. Giving me signal as be
passed me, 1 joined him in the back
yard. He said: HI'm on the track of
the thieves, 1 believe Last night but
one, on reaching the house, and while
looking, over the museum, the old man
said that his son was rather short of
money, but having exehanged frame
of moths and a few thirds for q lot of
provisions, if Iwould buy some of the
latter / might sell then: at profit, or
they would keep me in staples for a
while, and the sale would relieve his
son. I agreed to buy, if I could raise
the money. Now, am not without
cash, but it would not have done to say
so; hence / agreed to ask you for loan.
Well, I have got a lot of things to day
dirt cheap which I really believe belong
to. one of the late robberies.C 1 go hence
tomorrow, on the sly, but on Monday
you may look for my return"s Giving
me a playful dig in the side he left me.
His absence during the might and the
dayfollowing surprised the landlord, but
/ said nothing. 5af
Ilwas all impatient till Monday came.
| 1t came at last. I.was busy at my carv-
| ingiwhen we'll known voice hailed me
from below. On looking down from my
stage whom should / see in the road be-
meath, smiling all his face over, but my
old friend, the gardener, in a police
mans uniform! Ihe truth flashed
through me in a moment. Iwent down.
Grasping my hand, he said: ''The Sc
cret's out, you sci Come along with
me and see the upshot."
l was about to witness denoueme,,t /
had not looked for. Up the road were
a couple of policemen. My old com
panion was the chief. being Sergeant
of Police. He led the way TO the mu-
scum, and was the first to enter.
"Good morning, my old friend" he
said, on encountering the naturalist;
| have come to take away a few more
parcels of your cheap provisions"
/ sawithat the old gardener was de-
tected in the speaker, and that the game
was seen to be up. The old mans son
rushed up to the door and scram bled
off, only, however, to fall into the
clutches of the officers who were on the
watch. The old man was utterly help
less, and almost beside himself. Sink
ing into his chair, he cried out: 81 am
not. the thief; the thieves are there,'
pointing to the door, and meaning, /
could see, his son and confederates,
though they were not present.
We went into the museum. The first
thing the old gardener did-as 1 shall
still call him-was to take hold of
"Bruce," while he desired one of his
comrades to lay hold of wonder" On
moving them a noise OF loose metal was
heard. A moments examination suf.
feed to reveal the secret. In the of
side of each animal, in the soft part, an
oritice had been made by cutting the
skin in such way as to enable the
operator to replace it with little care
A, part of the stuffing had been removed
leaving vacancy just like a throstle'.
nest. This was filled with jewelry
watches, guards, earrings, and finger
rings. A further examination of the
museum revealed other and as singular
| hiding places; for example, a game
cock was found put out of sight; or
[ taking hold of it, noise of clinkine
metal was heard; on lifting up thu
feathers over the crop small hole wal
! seen, out of which rolled, when the birc
was shaken, number of trinkets.
Nearly all the. proceeds of the two
robberies of the Jeweler were recovered
one watch and few guards only beins
absent. And some of the property O
the provision dealer was also foun(
slowed in the breeding-box, though
) most of it had been used or sold.
need hardly say. that the parcels sold t.
the gardener were part of it, and has
} to-, do with the detection of it. Ny
friend, the sergeant, informed methat b,
: had been induced to assume the charac
:. ter, which he had SO well personatet
entirely on speculation. While maxim,
L asuryey of the neighborhood a few
days before he began, to play his part
} he had observed the backward state O
t the landlords garden, and Lelievin.
7 that he would readily catch at chanc
: of getting it finished off in cheap way
and, being good hand at gardening, b
had hit upon, the scheme which an
{ swered so well. He had believed tina
the robbers were not far from the local
: ity of the public house, and Nigh
/ come there now and again, and 80, coul
3 he lodge there without being known o
suspected, he might get at all he de-
: sired. And as he had hoped, so did i
: come to pass. I'd ~ s
t The naturalist, who, it came out, ha
r long been a receiver of stolen propert,
4 and his son, whose first burglaries thes
were, got each five years. penal sery
, tude; one of the other menAwho cam
: from a distant town, and were oil
! hands-was likewise convicted and pur
= ished; but the fourth, for some forgo
!; ten reason, got off. My friend came
!, fora good reward offered in this cas-,
and for the part which had taken
the affair the jeweler gave me a goo
: pencilholder, which value as a mt
y mento.
e THERE is now in Germany a man,
70 ,oI, m