Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-01-01
MISSOURI, ,THURspAY JANUARY l. $780,

came back he seemed unwilling to re
late the result Of his adventure. sinlpl,
saying, (. I'm IN no humor. for talk to
might; I'll relate what I'veseen and sait
lto-morrow ~ ~ ssss,
My friend had got on well with hi
gardening. His potatoes and onions
his turnips and carrots, had been go
in; and it was clear that if the next two
days should prove fine, he would finish
the job on Saturday night.
1 On Friday night he came to me in the
kitchen, in a corner of which l was
reading, and asked me to take short
walk with him. l got up and went
The night was fine, but dark. We
walked in the direction of the museum
He asked me if 1 could keep a secret for
a day or two. Replying in the affirma-
tive, he said he had a strong suspicion
/ that the old naturalist or his son was
no better than he should be ! that he
was sure that he or they knew more
| about the late robberies than other
folks; and that he believed if he had a
| few shillings which he could call 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 unaccountable
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 had promised him a loan, and
that therefore he would be at his fathers
house next day and make purchase
we parted and came home.
About the middle of Saturday after
noon he set off, and in less than an hour
he came back, bearing a tolerably sized
parcel. Giving me signal as he passed
me, joined him in the back yard. He
said: "I'm on the track of the thieves,
[ believe. Last night but one, ON reach
ing the house, and while looking over
the museum, the old man said that his
son was rather short of money, but
having exchanged frame of moths
and few birds for a lot of provisions,
if l would buy some of the latter might
sell them at profit, or they would keep
me in eatables for a while, and the sale
would relieve his son. agreed to buy
if could raise the money! Now, i am
not without cash, but it would not have.
done to say so; hence I agreed to ask
you for loan. Well, I've got lot of
things to-day, dirt cheap, which l really
believe belong to one of the late robber-
les. l go hence tomorrow on the sly,
but on Monday you may look for my
return Giving me a playful dig in
the side, he left me. His absence du-
ring the night and the day after, sur
prised the landlord, but | said nothing
l was all impatience until Monday
came. 1t came at last. | was busy at
my carving, when heard well known
voice hail me from below. On looking
down from my stage, whom should
see in the road beneath, smiling all the |
face over, but my old friend the garden
er in a policeman uniform! The truth
flashed through me in moment
went down. Grasping my hand, he
said: "The secrets out, you see.
Come along with me and see the up
shot,
| was about to witness q denOuenlent |
had not looked for. Up the road were a
couple of policemen. My old compan
ion was the chief, being sergeant Of |
police. He led the way to the museum,
and was first to enter.
"GOOd-morning, old friend" he said,
on encountering the naturalist. "I've
come to take away few more parcels |
of your cheap provisions.
saw that the old gardener was de-
tected in the speaker, and that the game
was seen to be up. The old mans son
rushed to the door and scrambled off,
only, however, to fall into the clutches |
Of one 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, "I'm
not the thief; the thieves are there"
pointing to the door, and meaning, l
could see, his son and his confederates,
though they were not present.
We went into the museum. The first
hing the old gardener-as I shall still
call him-did was to take hold of
g Bruce" while he desired one of his
to lay hold of "Wonder."
On moving them, a noise of loose metal
was heard. A moments examination
sufficed to reveal the secret. In the off
side of each animal, in the soft part, an
orifice had been made by cutting the
skin in such way as to enable the Op-
orator to replace it with little care A
part of the stuffing had been removed,
eaving a vacancy just like throstle's
lest. This was filled with jewelry-
guards, earrings, and finger
'ings. A further examination of the
museum revealed other and as singular
for example, game
,Ock was found put out of sight; on
aking hold of it, a noise of clinking
metal was heard; on lifting up the
Gathers over the crop, small hole was
een, out of which rolled, when the bird
vas shaken, a number of trinkets. /
Nearly all the proceeds of the two
obberies of the jeweler were recovered,
me watch and few guards only being
Lbsent. And some of the property of
he provision dealer was also found
towed i'll the breeding-box, though
most of it had been used OF sold. /
carcely need say that the parcel sold to
he gardener was 4 part of it, and had
o do with the detection. My friend the
informed me that he had been
Induced to assume the character which
le had SO well enacted, entirely on
peculation. While making a survey of
he neighborhood, few days before he
,egan to play his part, he had observed
he backward state of the landlords
arden; and believing that he would
eadily catch at a chance of getting it
inished off in a cheap way, and being
good hand ut gardening, he
lad hit upon the scheme which had an
wered so well. He had believed that the
obbers were not far from the locality of
he public house, and might come there
low and again, and so, could he lodge
here without being known or suspect
d, he might come at all that he desired.
md as he had hoped, SO did it come to
'ass.
The naturalist, who, it came out, had
ong been a receiver of stolen property,
nd his son, whose first burglaries these
vere, got each five years penal servi-
ude; oneiof the other meA-who came
rom a distant town, and were old hands
was likewise convicted and punished;
ut the fourth, for some forgotten rea-
on, got off. My friend came in for the
ood reward offered in this case; and
or the part which l had taken in the
flair the ieweler gave me cold pencil-