Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-01-08
A SHARP hseao.
Ons of the Singular Experiences OF .
LoaAssfits ConsEabls.
fI1,afzVffls TFrf.s.s

OAr % tf% singular kAPSEzeness OF
Loalssfite CoE.staDls.
LLoolsvssbe rinns~I
"f<s, 1 VA a constable for ak years.
and yoG can let had zone live skirEnl she's
AZ that Iins,7 remarked Squire Frank
Gcsnen - groop VI frisnds. lit seems
that the life L too hard for most men, for
Il Is next % impossible 70 get good con-
stable nO& adays- / can't blame = man fos
not wanting - be 3 constable, though, for
don't think / would Ike 70 20 through
IL again myself / remember an incident
that occurred about four years ago con-
nected with the great hrn Of Buchanans
that Is now soJOurning in Canada. They
were receiving barge-load after barge
load Of coal, and il was being hauled out OF
their distillery by about twenty Of their
own carts. BY watching Little signs no
ticed, and partially tracing up clews, be-
came satisfied thar the cart-driyers were
~ scientifically robbing the firm of hun
drods Of bushels OF coal / spoke 10 one Of
the 0gerseers about IL, and be advised me
% go tO George Buchanan and tell him
what knew, aud he vas certain be would
pay me well % catch the fellows SO did
go 10 Buchanan one morning, and found
him sitting IN his office with several gen
tlemen. At his bidding 1 told my story
When had finished no looked at me a mo-
ment, and then said ia the most insulting
way;
Il don't Relieve il, sir; don't believe .
word OF it.p
Il had not counted on such reception,
and u angered ME SO that | hardly knew
what ! was doing, bat know that / told
Buchanan In very strong and not very gen
teel language that the negroes could steal
his coal, bis distillery, his business house
and himself for all cared, and walked out
That afternoon, think it was, one of his
men came % me and said that if | would
go ahead and catch the thieves Buchanan
would pay me, but wouldn't listen to him.
he then tried TO get some points from me,
80 that others could trap them, but |
thought when had worked the case up it
was mine, and refused TO give it up. How
ever, the negroes got wind of what was
going on, and next morning three of the
drivers were missing, and have not been
seen I'm town to this day. They had u very
slick scheme and worked it well. AS |
said, there were about twenty carts
hauling the coal to tie distil-
lery. Well they would all go down
and get their load, and each driver would
get his ticket. They would drive to GER
ain point where an outsider would be in
waiting. The driver of the cart would
Jump off and the outsider would take his
place and drive the load of coal off and de-
iver it to some one to whom it had been
previously sold. The real driver of the cart
would accompany the other carts to the dis
illery. They would all unload and then
file in to the clerk to get their tickets sign
ed. The man who had left his cart would
go In with them and get his ticket signed,
too. He would then go back with the carts
10 the place where be had left his own, and
would there find it in waiting and empty.
When he would get back TO the floats he
would present his ticket properly signed,
and never a supicion would be aroused.
The negro who gave the scheme away to
me stated that IN one week they sold eight
cen loads OF Goa, and it was then selling
at - per load. You may say negro isn't
sharp, but If that isn't pretty slick L will
give it up.