Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-10-08
ON HIS TRACK.

Over twenty years ago, said Mr..
Whitmire, a detective, with whom
recently had an enterview, was on
the police force of New York. One
summer night, a few minutes past IL
] was pacing my beat in quiet parl
of c. street, when man from q
window called:
81 say, sir, are you policeman
eyes, / said. what is the mat
ter?7
81 heard a heavy jar ia Mr.. Brad,
ley's house, next door, and he may
nave fallen and hurt himself. He lust
came in a minute ago. II were you
I'd ring the bell"
Mr.. Bradley was a wealthy old
bachelor who had lived entirely alone
for years in an old-fashioned brick
house. His riches were subject for
frequent gossip, and it was said that
in his house, to which no outsider was
ever admitted, he kept lot of silver
ware and money. | rang the bell, but
there was no response.
Are you sure you saw him go inl'
| asked.
Yes, sure of it. lie hadn't been
in more than half minute before ]
heard q heavy fall. have heard moth
ing since"
There must be something wrong, y
said, after ringing the bell a second
time, and receiving no response. |
tried the door, but il was locked.
If | were you / would force the
door" suggested the man at the wind.
Ow.
Il don't like to do that. Is there
any other entrancesn
yes, that alley just beyond the
steps leads to back yard, but the gate
is probably locked, as well as the rear
door"
II will go end see, said I; and
walking up the narrow alley / dis
covered by the dim light of the street
lamp Rearly opposite, that the gate
vas wide open / looked in, and per>
ceived that the rear door was also
open, and faint light shone out. All
was perfectly quiet l returned to the
street and said to the man.
THE gate and back door are open.
Come down and Well go in"
In half a minute he joined me on
the side walk, when l recognized him
as an acquaintance, named Henry
Collins.
"Ah, is that youl l didn't know
you lived here, said.
Eyes, and | didn't recognize you
when first addressed you"
well, there may have been foul
work here, said I $50 Well go in"
We went into the yard and entered
the house. The rear room had evi-
IDENTIFY beed used for kitchens and
guided by a dim light We passed into
narrow hall with a stairway. Near
the street door was an old table, on
which was lighted candle, that had
burned TO within an inch of the cans
dlestick. At the foot of the stairs lay
Mr.. Bradley quite dead, and fright
tu wound upon his head convinced
me that he had been murdered.
At my request Mr. Collins hurried
away to the police station to notify
the captain, while / made an examin-
alton of the premises. A number OF
drawers in the second story back
room had been broken open and ran
sacked, and on the floor lay hall OF a
fresh looking newspaper. Knowing
that the old bachelor was not in the
habit of spending money for news
papers, it strbck nae that the robber
might have bad il in his pocket, and
probably used the other half to wrap
up some of his plumber, leaving be-
mind him in his harry, what might
prove most valuable clew. | there-
tore folded up the fragment and put
1t ia nay pocket. a moment later Mr..
Collins returned accompanied by sew
eral officers and a surgeon.
To make this part of the story brief
| will state that the usual formalitles
followed. the body being handed
over to the Coroner, and the case
was put in the hands of detectives. /
at FIRST intended to give up the bit OF
newspaper had picked up, but | bad
some ambition to be a detective my
self, and concluded to keep il, at least
day or two, to see if | could find a
clew from it. 1t was lucky did.
On the following afternoon While
of duty, and walking around in or
binary dress, paused opposite a
Wellknown hotel to watch some
painters who were at work on a scaff-
Old under the caves, and my eyes
happened to light on a man VINO sat
by third story window, apparently
packing a vallse The window was
open, and, as be lifted some article 10
store it away, a piece of news paper
on which il had lain came tutterlng
down into the gutter near nv feet
might not have noticed this trih-
ing circumstance but for the manner
IN which the paper had been torn
that IS, not IN a straight line, but all
most in the form of the letter V, as
though it had been done in hurry.
This corresponded with the piece I'D
found in the murdered mans house,
ana ] snatched Il LID and ran into AZ