The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-10-16
ON HIS TRACK.
A Chance Discovery Which Led
to Important Results.

Over twenty years ago, said Mr.. Whit
mire, detective, with whom / recently
had an interview, was on the police
force of New York. One summer
night few minutes past twelve l was
pacing my beat in quiet part of c.
street, when man called from a sec
ond story window:
IL say, sir, are you policeman"
Yes" l said. whats the mat
torPn
Il heard heavy jar in Mr.. Brad
ley's house, next door, and he may
have fallen and hurt himself. He Just
came in few minutes ago. If / were
you I'd ring the bell
Mr., Bradley was wealthy old bach
elor who had lived entirely alone for
years in an old-fashioned brick house.
Ills riches wero subject for frequent
gossip, and it was said that in his
house, to which no outsider was ever
admitted, he kept lot of silverware
and money. rang the bell, but there
was no response.
"Are you sure you saw him go imp
asked.
Eyes, sure of it. He hadn't been in
half a minute before ! heard a heavy
fall. | have heard nothing since
There must be something wrong,''
| said, after ringing the bell q second
time and receiving no response. | tried
the door, but it was locked.
eff | were you / would force the
door," suggested the man at the win
dow. ; H
al don't like to do that. Is there any
other entranceP"
YES, that alley just beyond the steps
leads to a back yard, but the gate is
probably locked, as well as the rear
door, @
al will go and see," said I; and walk
ing up the narrow alley / discovered by
the dim light of the street-lamp nearly
opposite that the gate was wide open.
/ looked in, and perceived that the real
door was also open, and faint light
shone out. All was perfectly quiet.
returned to the street and said to the
man: ue..
1.-The gate and back door are open.
Come down and we'll 60 in" E
In half minute he joined me on the
sidewalk, when recognized him as an
acquaintance named Henry Collins.
"Ah, is that you? l didn't know you
lived here" said.
Yes, and | didn'trecognize you when
first addressed you"
''Wcll, there may have been foul
work here, said l; $50 we'll 90 in" .
r. We went into the yard and entered
the house. The rear room had evi-
IDENTITY been used for kitchen; and
guided by a dim light we passed into d
narrow hall with stairway. Near the
street door was an old table, on which
was lighted candle that had burned
to within an inch of the candlestick. AT
the foot of the stairs lay Mr.. Bradley,
quite dead, and u frightful 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 examination
of the premises. A number of drawers
in the sccond-story back room had been
broken open and ransacked, and on the
floor lay half of fresh looking news
paper. Knowing that the old bachelor
was not in the habit of spending money
for newspapers, it struck me that the
robber might have had it in his pocket,
81 and probably used the other half to
wrap up some of his plumber, leaving
behind him, in his hurry, what might
prove most valuable clew. | there
fore folded up the fragment and put il
III my pocket. A moment later Mr..
Collins returned accompanied by sew
eral officers and surgeon.
To make this part of the story brief,
will state that the usual formalities
followed, the body being handed over
to the Coroner, and the case was put in
the hands of detectives. | at first in
tended to give up the bit of newspaper
/ had picked up, but | had some ambi-
ton to be detective myself, and con-
cluded to keep it, at least a day or two,
to see if | could find clew from it. II
; was lucky | did.
IS S@ On the following afternoon, while of
duty, and walking around in ordinary
dress, paused opposite well-known
hotel to watch some painters who were
at work on scaffold under the caves,
and my eyes happened to light on q
man who sat by a third-story window,
apparently packing a valise. The win
dow was open, and, as he lifted some
article 10 store it away, piece of news.
paper on which it had lain came hut.
tering down into the gutter near my
feet.
/ might not have noticed. this trifiing
circumstance but for the manner ii
which the paper had been torn--that is
notsin.asstraight line, but almost in the
fort8pf, the letter V, as though it haC
tIeeraaune in hurry This correspond.
ed with the piece I'd found in the muir
dered mans house. and / snatched il
up and ran into an alley to compare
them. What leap my heart gave
when discovered that the two parts Of
the paper fitted exactly-there was nc
doubt of it.
''On his track" l muttered. 'HC
must not get off with that valise."
Being familiar with the hotel,
crossed the street, went in, and was
soon rapping on the door OF room
twenty-one, from whose window the
paper had Just blown.
"Comc in" said voice.
l opened the door and recognized
still seated by the window, the man
had seen packing the valise, task h
had completed. He was muscular
man of forty, with clean-shaven face
that wore an expression of craftiness
He seemed confused when | entered
and said;
All, | thought it was the porter
Haven't you made q mistaken