The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-02-07
the LITTLE DETECTIVE.

~
of one of our great rivers. The mon
ev taken was chiefly gold, a large de-
post of which had just been made.
In those days the bank safes and
vaults were less secure than now,
and the continuation lock was un'
known. n, ithrr were burglars 81
skillful "A. IA t,.s- dnr; but there
" re- come who very neatly nast-re'i
all the iock- of the "a TX IN question
one dark night, audq Ileily removed
it, piles of god.
The whole Diet. Give force oil TIE
city va on the alert mkt day, snd
the ewes of Argus watched the levee,
the railway stations, the streets ana
by ways.
Over forty thousand d,llars had
been stolen, and a reward oil eighi!
thsu,ard dollars was already Offered
for the capture of the robbers and
the recovery of the money.
There WAS a member of the de-
tectiye force. named Donneiiy, who
had long been a target for the ran
cry of his fellows.
One reason was that he was very
short in stature, his height being
five feet five inches and his weight
one hundred and sixteen, and anoth'
or was that he never accomplished
anything ofimportance. Hehad been
KEEP, down, probably TO a mistaken
notion of his real worth, and had
grnerally been assigned to duty In
petty larceny, where a stolen coat or
cloak was TO be looked up among
the pawnbrokers or dealersi In second
hand clothing.
Donnelly, too, was excitaoie,, as a
detective ought not to be, and on
this occasion he entered the chief 6
Office and nervously said
Il know where the gold isl"
"Where?n asked the chief, smil-
ing. while several officers present
winked at each other.
Il saw them take it on a boat at
the levee."
How do you know? Did you see
the coin itself?"
mo; they didn't have 1t loose IN
a wbeelbarrow, like coal" replied
Donnelly, a little stung. I'm not
Joking. sir, and mean what say.
saw the gold taken on board the
Water Lily"
Pretty name, anyhow" suggested
. detective.
How was it taken aboard ?" ask
cd the chisf, more bravely.
in three carpet bags" =.
swell, hog do you know the gold
was in themY"
They were very heavy, tor one
thing"
"Wel?"
And they were carried by two
well dressed white men. One car
ried two, aud he could hardly walk
with them ; while the other Carried
the third. They must have been
valuable, or they would Eave been
Entrusted to the darkeys."
"When.does tbs Water Lily leave
asked the chief, somewhat inter
esled.
she steams up the river for NJ,
nj four O'Clock. Sine has but a small
cargo"
well, Mr.. Neff, you and Mr.. Vii,
son 20 with him and look 1t these
carpet bags" said this chief, address
sng two of the detectives.
The three left, and IN half an hour
Nefi and Wilson returned in q nigh
state of mirth. :,
We'll, dad you find them 2" said
the chief.
Yes, lying carelessly in a state
room. and the doors wide open. We
examined them and found that they
weighed about three pounds each
The question is, whether they con-
tain four shirts and nine handker-
chiefs, or five boots and seven col,
lars"
Where's Donnelly ?" asked the
chief, very much amused.
w left him at the leyee. He was
ashamed to come back again, nc
doubt"
"Really, you fellows plague him
too much"
yes" replied Neff, we'll destroy
his usefulness if we keep on"
But little Donnelly was not salts
fed. He called at the bank which
had been robbed. and at his sugges.
ton the officers procured a search
warrant, and that afternoon every
nook and corner of the Water Lily
capable of concealing & dime, wal
searched, but no trace of the stOler
money was found.
The captain was indignant ant
the passengers grumbled at being de
tanned half an hour.
The officers Of the bank and th'
law officers who had executed th'
search warrant humbly &pologized
The chief talked OF removing Don
nelly from the force.
= The Water Lily steamed up tn
river at half past four, with half
dozen cabin passengers and one decl
passenger. The latter was a ragged
dirty-faced boy, of apparently sew
enteen. He wanted to 90 to Nj
and had barely enough money 4
take . deck passage.
The black columns of smoke ant
the white wreaths of steam rolled VI
into the SKY ; the green shores glid
ed by on either side. and new pict
ures of nature unfo)ded far up III,
river at every curve the passenger
lounged and smoked ; day faded
night came on, and the lonely pilo
watched the hilltops and the stars
and the solitary deck passer ger, al
ter gazing on the rushing waters an,
the picturesque shores till all wer
swallowed up in darkness, becam,
drowsy, went and crawled into
bunk and snored.
At midnight the Water Lily round
ed to tie up IT her destination
Steam was bowed of and evers
passengers went ashore, but nc
those who carried the three carpe
bags
Most Of the crew ALEC went ashor,
a. though they belonged there, an
things were soon quiet on the w'ats