Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-28
A SLY ROBBER.

II OH llODDEh.
l was a chunk OF boy, living with my
aunt in village on the New England coast.
when series of events happened which
threatened the peace Of mind of hundreds
and caused the jail doors to close on a dozen
different persons. My uncle was captain of
a merchantman out of Boston, and was then
absent on II long voyage My aunt was a
good old soul, liberal, charitable and ever
ready to overlook the faults of others. She |
had hired man named Duncan and hired |
girl named Anna, and both had been with |
her for years
One m rning started Off fishing. and did |
not return until nearly shutdown reached |
home 70 find my aunt in a dreadful stew over
robbery. She had several hundred dollars
In bureau drawer, and that morning had
taken out bag Of silver to pay small bill. !
The bag contained 800, and she left it for a
moment on the bureau. When she returned
it had disappeared. l was away the hired
man in the field, and the girl down cellar.
By no possibility could any OF US be suspected
1t was in June, and the bedroom window was
up, and it was concluded that some tramp had
come along and committed the robbery. He
would have had TO enter a front window in
full view Of the street, and some one should
have seen him hanging about or getting
nssuy; but there was no other way to account
for the robbery. The town constable was
notified, and before night lie had run in
three tramps. Not one Of them had dollar,
nor could it proved that they had been on
our street. As a result they were turned
loose. In that quiet New England town the
robbery made a great stir, and folks would
have it that either the hired man or the girl
had got the money.
Five days later there was another thunder
clap. A family living about four blocks
away was robbed while eating supper. Some
one went through the chambers and took a
lot OF 1ewelry, two silver cups, 5000 in gold
and several trinkets Whoever it was must
have climbed upon the roof of shed and
reached an open window, but there was no
chance for suspicion 10 attach to any one
All the inmates of the house. including the
hired girl were at supper together There was
no hired help outside Not a suspicious char
acter had been seen about the town There
were boys playing few rods away, and they
must certainly have seen a man had one
mounted to the roof There was now as much
excitement in the town as if war had broken
out. 1t was generally believed that both
robberes had been committed by one and the
same person, and that the guilty party was a.
resident of the town. Suspicion fell upon
this one and that, and q well digger and
hostler wero arrested. Each had an abb,
and their release added to the excitement.
Four days later one of the nabobs of the
/.
hung his coat and vest on an apple tree
When ready to resume them he discovered
that his wallet, containing about $50 in cash,
together with his costly gold watch, were
missing, He was positive that no human
being could have approached without being
seen. His wife sat sewing by a window
which overlooked the orchard, and she was
sure she could have seen any one approach.
However wallet and watch were gone in
broad daylight, and now men began TO look
at each other and think of the old witch
days Suspicion was directed here and there.
and this time a stcnecutter, who had rather
bad reputation, and a house painter, who
was out of job, were arrested as the crimi-
mails. The stonecutter proved that he
was az work three miles away and the
house painter had several witnesses to prove
that he was stupidity drunk all that day 1t
was plain TO everybody that the right party
had not bean found, but this only added to
the MYSTERY of the three cases. All were
agreed that each case was a neat piece OF
work. and that the thief was a professional
This conclusion cleared the rest of our towns
people Of suspicion, but made it very annoy
ing for such strangers as paid US a visit.
The fourth robbery occurred in dry goods
store. Near the back door stood one Of the
old bolt head safes. and the door of this safe
was always open during the day. The store
door led into back yard about forty feet
square, which was all rooted in. Two or three
days after the third robbery, and at 3 O'CLOCK
In the afternoon, a citizen rendered a large
bill at the store in making purchase, anC
the clerk had TO 90 10 the safe for change
He found some papers or the floor. Will.
all the money, being about $3.50 in bills, wa
missing. No one could have ''sneakedn tina
safe except from the back way, aud the oul7
opening from the shed to the back yard wa
a chimney hole in the roof of the shet
through which neither man nor boy coult
have squeezed himself The bell in the towe
of the town hall VAS rung and an excite,
crowd assembled. Something must be done
The two clerks in the store were sons of tn
proprietor aud above suspicion, and the mos
imaginative citizen could Lot suspect an
particular resident of the town There wa
talk at the meeting Of anarchy, safety Q
property, condign punishment, and othe
things, and a vigilance committee wa
appointed. This committee consisted Q
ten persons, who had authority t
patrol the streets and make arrest
ii.
ing the next two days. but, as in all othe
cases, they were soon released To say thG
the town was terrorizod was drawing it mil,
Business was almost at a standstill an
many citizens would not leave their HON,
by day or evening. On the fifth day aft,
the fourth robbery the unknown rasci
showed his hand again. This time It was
private house which was robbed A wido
named Stafford, who kept money, jewelr
and valuable papers in the house, collect
everything with the intention of placir
them in the bank. The package was left {
table in the sitting room, while she WEI
up stairs for something, and when she r
turned, after an absence Of only five or s
minutes, it was gone There wasn't n soul
the house. Not person had approached
and yet the package was gone.
There was another public meeting, al
money was subscribed to hire Boston d
tective. One came down and looked d
ground over and said he would soon Ii
hands Oh the robber As my aunt was t
first victim, hs had considerable talk wi
her, and overheard most OF it. 1t W
eight days between the fifth and the six
robbery, and then, oddly enough, it was t
detective who was robbed. He had a secol
floor room at the hotel and during the mig
some one entered his window by way OF t
kitchen roof and robbed him of his gold wat
and purse, the latter containing about S
If the officer was furious, the townspeo
were ready To burn some enc AT the sta
The detective had scarcely eaten his bre
fast when he made the arrest Of young Il
who had Just established a writing school
the town, and heard him say that he wo
wager his reputation that he had the ri
party at last.
Two DAYS subsequent to this ! went fish
again. While skirting the sound two m
from town, it came Oh TO rain, and sou
shelter in deserted house near the bea
but facing the highway. 1t was a small,
story affair, with doors and windows &C
and many leaks 1 tNa roof ! sat down
the large room for =. V nile, and then a b.
curiosity led me TO look into the bedro
As l entered something jumped at me wit
scream, gave me q s. we're scratch across
face and went out of the house with n
ran to the door in time to see Capt
bascois bet monkey, Mingo, going up