Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-07-30

day to me that the unhappy wretch
on whom Inspector Muggridge had laid
his Tell grasp could easily have proved
all alibi had not that worthy officer
continually interrupted him with:
"Better keep all that for your ex-
animation, my good fellow, or I'll be
brought up against you, my man, you
l told him seriously, as soon as
could, In private, that the man he had
arrested was no more guilty than l
was; but he simply smiled incredulous-
ly, and asked who else could be the
culpr;t, as this was the only really
abandoned character of the town, and
1t was plainly the work OF some one
who knew the place.
BESIDES" he added, "it isn't verv
likely that any one could beat me on
my own ground, where know every
body, you know; and if he didn't do
it, who did?"
With which really unanswerable
argument he accompanied me to the
scene OF the robbery, where we were
shown over the premises by the
mistress of the house.
When lsaw the ground floor window
by which access had been gained to
the house quite agreed with the wor.
thy ''locap' that it was not the work
OF a "new hand" and that from the
TACT that his footprints, wherever we
could trace them, showed no hesita-
ton, but rather thorough acouaint-
ance with the grounds, the culprit,
whoever ne was, must have had some
opportunity OF visiting the scene of
operations, and probably lived some
where in the neighborhood.
1t seemed the thief had entered the
house by window in the rear and
carried off a small box of valuables
from the room Of the master OF the
house, who had been stayin at g.
TRENDS that night. Both these facts
showed an intimate knowledge Of the
premises on the part OF the culprit.
and strengthened our former be-
lief.
We were informed that the lost cas-
ket-an ordinary tin cash box-had
been almost filled with various articles
OF lewelry, and, therefore the loss was
rather heavy. OF course the knowl-
edge that there would be a very
good reward offered for the recov-
cry OF the missing property did not
abate my zeal. Still, in spite of nv
eagerness to discover the culprit, !
could make but little of the case, and
might even have to come over to the
opinion OF the '1ocal," but for one
very important fact, namely, the foot
prints in the garden bed were all small
er than those of the prisoner. Now,
although a man may wear boots sew
eral sizes too large for him, on occa-
s1on,yet he can hardly walk with com
tort In shoes an inch or so too short.
Very much annoyed at my want of
success, and dreading the chatf would
De sure to get, when, compelled to give
II up, should return to town, I was
not particularly delighted next morn
ing to see Mr.. Muggridge coming up the
road to the house, accompanied by the
editor of the Barrowtown Weekly
Banner, who had determined, he said,
to write up the account oftherobbery
himself.
But there was no escape; and so,
prepared for host ofquestions, was
walking slowly to meet them, when
my eye was caught by something
bright among the bushes by the road
side. Yes, there could be no doubt OF
1T; there lay the lost box, empty OF
course: Without stopping, however, l.
walked calmly as possible off to tho
inspector, and was introduced to Mr..
Shears, the editor.
1t was simply wonderful how oblig-
ing l had become. I even, when Mr..
Muggridge limited that he was pressed
tor time, volunteered myself to give
Mr.: Shears the information he wished,
and to go over the premises with him.
Once left alone with the jealous repre-.
sentative Of the press, gave that gen
tleman all Of the points of the case,
and few more as you shall see.
The next afternoon, as soon as a
copy Of the Banner came to the house
where the robbery had occurred-Ihad
for the last two days spent from the
forenoon to dusk there-I turned to
the end OF the column devoted to the
"Grea5 Robbery" and read with g.
chuckle the announcement that 1.-the
loss OF jewels would be less felt had
there not been between the two bot
toms of the box almost two hundred
pounds in bank notes, of which un-
fortunately, the numbers had not
been taken" Il
Probably the intelligent reader sees
my plan; but certainly did not choose
to explain to Mr.. Muggridge, when, an
hour later, that worthy but excit-
able gentleman rode, very hot
and very red, up the shadeless
road to complain of my having
n MADE a COMPOUNDED mess of the &C.
count, you know simply advised
him to wait for q few days, and then
| would be happy to explain every
thing. s -: III. 4. 81 ',%:
That evening, as usual, / left the
grounds at dusk, after spending most
Of the day in Watching though Appa-
rentty engaged in something else
whether any one went near the spot,
/ q few hundred yards from the grounds,
where lay the box on which / especial
ly depended as bait to hook the
thief. BY walking slowly ! managed
!. to let the shades OF evening close
I around me before / was far beyond
the spot where I had made up my
mind toWatch and wait Developments.
Eight! Ninei Were they never
coming, and was my trap laid d and
baitsd in vain Tenst Surely they
should have come BY this time. Still,
was that q sound on the road2 Yes,