The Penn's Grove record., 1882-04-15

A gentleman was leaning over tn
counter, with a pile OF five dollars bill
before him, talking quietly to the pro
prie;or, and when / asked If anything
unusual had occurred, both looked vi
in surprise.
Not wishing to intrude on a private
conversation, 7 went off, feeling ne
little confu.ion at my awkward posi-
ton. l had just reached the Office be
fore the broker, in a most excitec
state of mind, rushed in with the in
telligence that a valuable diamond
ring had been stolen off the counter
about the time I called.
The owner [the gentleman | saw
standing there bad deposited the
jewel as a collateral security on a loan.
He had received his money, and was
getting change for q fifty dollar bill at
the time the larceny was committed.
Of course / knew Harrington and
Collier were the thieves, but where to
find them at that time was a question.
The special l left at the corner follow
ed the men and saw them start for the
hack part of the town. dumped into
a cab and drove around for awhile,
but nowhere in my search, did l
hear of either.
Twas eight ornine o'clock when /
returned and walking up to the street,
TO my establishment, who should | see
standing Immediately ia front of me
but Harrington himself. He approach
ed me Familiarity spoke about the
hardness of the times, the ordinary
topics of the day, and kept so persist
emily near me that L began to be
bored. Ic,ught the eye of an officer,
and nodding to him to look after him,
escaped. There was not much done by
him for the next three or four hours
that was known Of but to the surprise
of everybody he went 10 q lodging
house, secured a bed, and went to
sleep. Having got my man safely
housed, / let to work to recover the
missing gem. His extraordinary
powers as an impromptu tslker at
once suggested a possible confession,
L determined to occupy the same room
with him. Being a temperate man, /
scarcely hoped to impose on him by
feignins drunkenness, but trusting to
his ignorance of my character, / tried
it. There happened to be tGo beds in
the apartment, and about an hour
afterward I was carried up on the
shoulders of two stout walters, sing
ing Justify a melody of Champagne
Charley" and "We won't go home till
morning.
They soused me down with a
thump, tucked me in, boots, and all
and in five minutes | was asleep, APP
parently in a beastly state of intoxica-
ton. 1 supposed no great time would
elspse before my room mite would
commence his sleep talk, and sure
enough he did, He started about his
mother and an old hNuse somewhere
in Pennsylvania, and then he touched
on a girl he went TO school with, and
of course loved desperately. He talked
about going to New York as a clerk.
There was more than one piece of ras-
cality touched on that opened my eyes
and not a few instances Of brutality
that made mt shudder. At last as 1
| knew it would out came all about the
diamond.
He and Collier just as / supposed,
saw the owner of The gem go into the
jewelry establishment to have it
weighed. Heard tie clerk say just
what it was worth. Followed the two
| back to the brokers' office. When the
diamond was lying in an open case on
the counter, the two thieves stopped
up. Collier drew out some city money
to have it discounted, and Harrington
having first put a piece of wax ON the
handle of his cane laid it ~carelessly
across the box. A dispute arose re.
garding the rate of dis count, and both
left in a huff, the diamond fastened
securely on the end of the ane Both
saw the special follow them down
Poyafl street, and when they turned
the corner of Bienville, Collier, who
had the diamond IN his mouth, to
prevent any accidents, swallowed it.
You can imagine my state of mind at
being compelled to listen to all this
and yet lie idle.
For a time l had pondered over the
policy of finding Collier at once and
cutting him open, but a second thought
determined me to try the virtues of
tartar emetic.
TheIe is a bar-room in the Second
Ward well know as the resort of every
thief who comes to town and there l
went. Stopping at a drugs ore, as
soon as | got out, ] purchased a good
strong dose Of the emetic, making up
my mind to take a drink with my
man, and by some hook or crook slip
it into a glass. About six O'Clock / met
him. Pretending to be looking up the
points of q burglary which had never
taken place / engaged him in CONVEX.
sation, and we slowly ramLled up to
the drinking saloon in question. ]
invited him to drink, he accepted, and
both ordered a gin cocktail.
The first glance ut the proprietor
convinced ms / could do nothing
secretly. So taking out the powder
remarking was compelled to tax,
something for a cold, | dropped it int,
the cocktail aud stirred it up. I mad,
up my mind to change glasses with
him, and with this object stood talk
ing for some time. The proDrieto
started to the banquette to bring ii
a lump of ice just left by the cart, ant
drawing Golfers attention to TIVE
men ON the opposite side of the street