Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-04-14
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, 1 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 n man callcl from a sec.
ond story window:
- say, sir, are you policeman"
yes" said. whats the mat
ter?"
81 heard heavy jar in Mr.. Brad
lcy's house, next door, and he may
have fallen and hurt himself. He just
came in a. few minutes ago. If were
you I'd ring the bell.
Mr. Bradley was u wealthy old bach
elor 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 silverware
and money. | rang the bell, but there
was no response.
care you sure YOU saw him go IMP"
j asked.
Eyes, sure of 1t. He hadn't been in
half a minute before | heard heavy
fall. have heard nothing since.
There must be something wrong"
I said, after ringing the bell a second
time and receiving no response. tried
the door, but it was locked.
off / were you l would force the
door," suggested the man at the win
dow.
Il don't like to do that. Is there any
other entrancep"
Eyes, that alley just beyond the steps
leads to back yard, but the gate is
probably locked, as well as the rear
door,"
II will 60 and sce," said l; 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 rear
door was also open, and faint light
shone out. All was perfectly quiet. /
returned to the street and said to the
man:
"The gate and back door are open.
NOllC uONH anu VIC ~ III.
In half minute he joined me on the
sidewalk, when | recognized him rs an
acquaintance named Henry Collins.
"Ah, is that you? didn't know you
lived here" | said.
"Yes, and didn't recognize you when
! first addressed you"
''Well, there may have been foul
work here, said i; 80 we'll go in"
b. We went into the yard and entered
the house. The rear room had evil
IDENTITY been used for Kitchen; and
guided by dim light we passed into a
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 n 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 a fresh looking news
paper. Knowing that the old bachelor
was not in the habit of spending money
for newspapers, il struck me that the
robber might have had IL in his pocket,
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
in my pocket. A moment later Mr..
Collins returned accompanied by sew
eral officers and q 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 q detective myself, and con-
cluded to keep il, at least day or two,
to see II could find clew from it. II
was lucky did.
On the following afternoon, while of
duty, and walking around in ordinary
dress, / paused opposite well-knowr
| hotel to watch some painters who were
at work on scaffold under the caves,
and my eyes happened to light on ,
man who sat by third-story window
apparently packing valisc The win
dow was open, and, as he lifted som,
article to store 1t away, piece of news
paper on which IL had lain came nut
tering down into the gutter near m,
feet.
might not have noticed this triflin!
circumstance but for the manner ii
which the paper had been torn--that is
not in straight line, but almost in tn,
form of the letter V, as though it ha,
been done in hurry. This correspond
cd with tho piece I'd found in the nun
dcrcd mans house, and / snatched
up and ran into an alley to compar
them. What leap my heart CAV
when / discovered that the two parts o
the paper fitted cxactly-thcrc was n
| doubt of il.
ION his track" muttered. III
must not got of with that valisc."
Being familiar with the hotel,
crossed the street, went i'm, and wa
soon rapping on the door of room
twcnty-onc, from whose window III
paper had just blown.
"Como in," said voice.
/ opened the door and recognized
still seated by tho window. tho man
had soon packing tho valisc, task b
had completed. Ho was a muscula
man OF forty, with clcan-shaven fac
that wore nm expression Of craftiness
He seemed confused whom entered
and said;
"Ah, j thought II was the porter
Hayen't you m&do O mIstAkepn