News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-07-15
HE STOLE THE SILVER PLATE.
One of Sunset Cox's stories of Turkish
Justice.

A few years ago, on the occasion of
the anniversary of Queen Victoria's &C
Cession to the throne, Mr.. j. IL. Skene,
English Consul at Aleppo, gave din
ner. He held an evening reception,
where the creme of the society at Alep-
pc was gathered. A large number of
guests were invited to the Consul's ia.
bic. Great pains were taken TO make
the dinner as pleasant as possible. In
Aleppo nothing speaks so oloquently as
display. Flowers in profusIOn decorated
the table and the apartments. Every
piece of silverware had been brought
out to add to the splendor of the fes
tivity. The table service was soEd sill
ver The cavasses of the Consulate
wore their gorgeous sgold trimmed
clothes and their inlaid pistols and
vataghans. After dinner the party left
the dining room. They went into the
salons, where a large number of guests
were assembled. The party was a sue
cess. The servants of the house had
been occupying themselves with serving
the guests-passing coffee to one, tea 10
another, a narghile to a third, and a
chibonk to a fourth, and so on, so that |
everything in the dining room was up.
parently trusted to the care of the ca
vases. But what was the surprise of |
the Consul when on the day after the |
fete he found that the silvcrwarc had |
disappeared. Search was made in |
every part of the house. Not single |
piece could be discovered. There was
general CONSERVATION, not so much on |
the part of the Consul himself as on the |
part of those in. his service After ma
ture reflection upon the mishap, the Con
sui called the most Intelligent of his
cavasses. He questioned him The |
cavass insisted that he did not steal |
the silver, and that he did not know
who did.
''But the Consul was very good de
tective, and ready in his knowledge of |
men and things. He was also a cool |
tempered man. He said to the cavass: |
There is no use to swear. l have good |
reasons to suspect you to be the thief, |
and / mean that you shall bring my sill |
yer to me within twenty-four hours, else |
you will be put in the hands of the au- |
thorities, and you will not get away I'M
til find my property. There is no 9th
er alternative
I" Mr. Consul said the cavass, i
have already told you that l did not
steal your silver, but still you suspect
me. will, however, do all i'll my pow
er to detect the robber. l only beg of
you to do for me passiyely all | will ask
you to do
% The Consul replied: 81 viii do 50,
provided you bring back my property
1.-The cavass asked for two or three
hours time and left. In an hour he
came back, bringing with him by the
bride a little donkey. This he present.
ed to the Consul stating that the don
key would find the thief if he would al
low the donkey to be placed in one of
the rooms and the window shutters to
be closed, so as to darken the room.
=" do so,'' said the Consul. VINO be
came curious to see what would re-
suit.
CATER the donkey was placed in the
dark room the cavass asked the Con
sui to call everybody in the house, mas
tiers, employees, cavasses, and servants.
They came, and were placed in front of
the door of the room where the donkey
was. When all were present the cavass
said: Now we are to enter this room
one by one, and as soon as we get in we
are to take a pull at the donkey's tail.
The donkey will make no sign, say
nothing unless the robber is among us.
Then you may depend on it he will
bray, and indicate who has stolen your
goods. Oh, do not laugh. l have had
occasion to make use of that remedy.
1t never fails. Now said lie to the
Consul, you go in first and pull the
tail. We will all follow you, one by
ONE
1.-THE singular procession began, the
Consul in the lead. Everyone entered
the room and pulled at the donkcy's |
tail, but the donkey never braycd. AT |
ter the performance was over and all |
came out he asked if all of them had |
really pulled at the tail. Al respond
ed emphatically, 'Yesn
" How strange it is said he, that
the donkey did not bray. 1t seems that
the thief is not to be found among us.
l cannot explain il otherwise
''He then formed them in circle
around him. Now, ladies and gentle
men, he said, hands up, please
everyone obeyed.
I" Here is your man, Mr.. Consul,
said he, all at once, pointing at one of
one who entered the room pulled at the |
tail, and thus got his or her hands |
blackened, while this man did not pull |
on the tail, as he was sure the donkey
would bray. Consequently his hands
are clean.'