Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-08-30
GaIes arro Sketfbes.
faE WRONG UMBRELLA.
Continued from yesterday


eel from me at Whitmore's."
Like him Can you swear it is him 80
The lad took another steady look at the
naughty turnkey. and finally shook his
head and said. mo. he couldn't swear to
him. but it was like him "
The naughty individual was John At
kinson. formerly valet to Mr.. Whitmore.
A few questions, second look at the lad
Price, and one naming of Mr.. Ward. the,
jeweler, disturbed his highness greatly,
but tailed to draw from him anything but
the most indignant protestations of inno-
cence.
decided to risk the matter and take
him with me. He insisted upon my first
searching his room and turning over all
his possessions to show that none of the
articles were in his keeping. felt GER
tain of his guilt. There was in his man
ner an absence Of that furry and excite
ment with which the innocent always
greet an accusation Of the kind but his
cool request as to searching made me
little doubtful of bringing the charge
home 10 him. II coneinced me, at least,
that the articles themselves were far be-
yond our reach. From this | reasoned
that they bad not been procured for the
ordinary purposes of robbery-that is to
be sold or turned into money. The buyer
had said that they were intended as a
present for lady-could it be possible
he had told me the truihP
began to have a deep interest in Al
kinsOn's love affairs, and a strong desire
TO learn who is the favored lady On our
way TO the Office called in at Mr.. Wards
but the jeweler failed to identify Atkinson
as the buyer of the articles. He was like
him he said but the other had Dundreary
whiskers. and this man was clean shaven.
Afterward. when ! had clapped pair Ct
artificial whiskers upon Atkinson. the
jeweler was inclined to alter his opinion
and say positively that it was the man.
but on the whole the case was SO weak
that il never went TO trial.
Atkinson was released, and returned to
his place without a stain upon his char
acter" and so justice appeared to be de-
feated. The first act of the drama had
ended with villainy triumphant.
Let me now bring on 1.-The wrong UNI
brella." A great party was given some
months after in house in the New Town
and, as usual at such gatherings, there
was some confusion and accidental misap-
preparation at the close. All that happen
ed was easily explained and al usted but
the case of the umbrella. Most of the
guests had come in cabs, but one or two
living near had come on foot, bringing
umbrellas with them. The number of
these could have been counted on the fin
gers of one hand, yet when the party was
over the lady of the house discovered that
Il fine gold-mounted, vory-haDdled UNI
brella of hers had been taken, and a
wretched alpaca left in Its place The
missing umbrella was IL present, and there
fore highly priced; it was also almost
fresh from the maker. II was rather sug-
gestive, too. that the wretched thing left
in its place was 4 gentleman's umbrella
IA big. clumsy thing which could not have
been mistaken for the other by blind
man. II seemed therefore more like a
theft than mistake, and after Ruthless
inquiries all round, the lady sent word to
us. and a iull description of the stolen UNI
brella was entered in the books.
The theory formed by the owner was
that the umbrella had been stolen by some
thief who had gained admittance during
the confusion. and that the umbrella left in
its place had simply been forgotten by
some OF the guests and had no connection
with the removal of her own. Reasoning
upon this ground | first tried the pawn
brokers without success. and then, re-
membering that the missing article had
been heavily mounted with gold, thought
of trying some of the jewellers to see if
they had bought The mountings as old
gold. | had no success on that trial either
but. to my astonishment and delight
M'Sweeny, whom had sent out to hunt
on the same lines in the afternoon, brought
in the umbrella. safe and sound AS it had
been taken from the owners house. The
surprising thing was that it had been got
in a jewelers. shop, at which it had been
left by gentleman 10 get the initials f.
ii. engraved on the gold top. 1t was "A
mere chance remark which led to its dis
covery. tor when M'Sweeny called the
umbrella was away at an engraver's and
had to be sent for.
went over to the New Town very
quickly and showed the umbrella to the
lady. who identified it--with the exception
of the initials-and showed marks and
points about the ivory handle which
proved it hers beyond doubt. | kept the
umbrella and went to the jeweler who
had undertaken the engraving of the
initials. He described the gentleman who
had lett tie umbrella, and turning up
his books, gave me the name and address
stated. however, that the umbrella was to
be called for on the following day. and
arranged to be there at least an hour be-
fore the stated time to receive him. When
had been there couple of hours or So
seated in the back shop, reading the
papers-a single stroke at the bell near
me. connected with the front shop, told
me that my man had come. advanced
and looked through little paine of glass.
carefully concealed from the front, and
took good look at him. What was nv
establishment to find that the gentleman
was no other than my old acquaintance,
John Atkinson. the valet
According to the arrangement had
made with the leweler-in anticipation OF
finding the thief to be man in good DO
sition in society-the umbrella was handed
over TO the caller. the engraving paid for.
and the man allowed to leave the shop.
never followed any one with greater
alacrity or stronger determination no, to
let him slip. ] fully expected him to GO
TO his place in Moray Place. and intended
to just let him get comfortably settled
there, and then go in and arrest him be-
fore his master. who had been very wrath