The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-04-09

mans hands IN . strange way" said
another Of the group. a he elevated
his feet . notch higher on the stove.
Two or three years ago one IL the big
distillers at Peoria. Illinois. was robbed
Of goodly sum BY his confidential
clerk. was sent down from Chicago
lo work up the case. The name Of the
clerk was Charles Albright. and he
was described 10 me a. dapper little
fellow without beard. and : voice a.
soft ~ a woman's His photographs
showed him 70 be pretty cookbook
ing fellow. The money had been
drawn TO make purchase Of grain. Il
was to have been paid out on that day,
but was not called for. and the clerk
gobbled II some time between six o clock
in the evening and eight o'clock next
morning.
The first move. as you viii agree.
was 10 ascertain what trains had left
Peoria during this time and seek to
find which one Albright had taken.
The place il quite railroad center, but
In one day ascertaincd that the thief
had not left the town either on freight
or passenger train. Had he gone BY
the highway? visited every livery sta
BILE, but no trace Of him. As a matter
Of fact, ] was up tree. He had gone,
but how?
q. fter two whole days spent in fruit
less search. got desperate. took train
at venture, and brought up al Dcca-
tur. On the train was : young lady
whose home was nj Decatur. A she
had several parcels with her. volun-
teered to help her of the car. As her
feet touched the platform she tr1pped
and fell. and the result was broken
arm. As none Of her friends were
to meet her, It seemed 10 devolvc on me
to call carriage, summon = surgeon
and accompany her home ] found
her to be the daughter Of wealthy
widow having one or two other chill
dren, and their gratitude was such that
could not well avoid accepting an in
vitation to make the house my home
for a few days. l had given out you
see, that I was Boston lawyer look
ing up the titles to some real estate in
Decatur.
ssAt breakfast we were waited upon
by such a trim. tidy second girl, that
nv attention was attracted TO her. The
widow must have remarked It. for she
exclaimed
s'.It Is a new girl, who has been
with me but two days. She is very
awkward. but seems willing 10 learn.
'.The girl was indeed awkward, as
afterward noticed, but the idea that
she knew any thing connected with the
Peoria robbery never entered my head
until the third day. l had been at the
depot 10 make some inquiries about
| trains, and was about leaving when
saw her enter the waiting room. She
was closely yelled, but knew her fig
ure, and l reasoned that she had given
| the widow very short notice. Il was
not impossible that this new girl was q
thief, and / determined to speak to her
and ascertain her reasons for leaving.
As ! started toward her she sprang up
aud rushed out doors. That was q
sign Of guilt which could not disre'
gard. and gave chase. She led me Z
sharp run for half mile. and when
collared her she struck out from tht
shoulder. and gave me beautiful black
eye. In return / put the handouts on
her wrists, and they had scarcel,
snapped together. when she said:
s.Well. old chap. ! suppose the jig !
up. What kind Of a second girl do
make. anyhow
.sYou'll come back to the house. ant
be searched, l replied. not yet tum
bling 20 it.
1.-THE house! I've got the none,
on me. and, Of course, Ihavc TO GO bacl
to Peoria. You don't take me for |
spoon thief, | hope?"
1T was Albright. and no mistake
He had left Peoria in the evening. dis
guiscd as a female. and his makeup
and appearance were so deceiving tina
he made two or three mashes before
reaching Decatur. He knew that n,
effort would be spared TO hunt hin
down, and he had the cheek to TAX
employment - second girl. hoping 4
have q secure retreat until the hun
had grown coIi. Ny coming to thu
house was what had sent him away
He didn't believe | knew him. but h
saw me watching him. and he argues
that l would soon drop on his dis
guisc."
1T wouldn't be strange IL luck Ia.
also helped me out occasionally. for
have been in this business over invent,
years." said the third man Is b
combcd his long goatec with his fin
gers. Zone Of the most striking in
stances occurred last fall. A rich oil
fellow named Sumner, living nea
Louisville, was found dead in his be-
one morning. He had been marrie
twice, and had two sets Of children
and you can readily understand whs
happened. Il was known for : fac
that he had made . will. It was
stranger fact that the will could not b
found. The heirs tainted each othc
with having stolen the will, and prett
soon the law and the lawyers wer
called in, and there was : big fgh
over the estate. valued, 1 believe. 4
about 100000. One Of the heirs b
the first wife engaged my services j
the case. He was sure that one Of III
heirs BY the second wife. who wa
known 10 have visited the old man tn
day before his death. had stolen an
destroyed the will. As he could shoS
that the provisions Of the will left III
bulk OF the estate to the first set Q
children. his charge was rcasonabl
one. and went to work to see what