The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-07-28
4 CURIOUS CASE.

During the first three years of my career as a detective I had some sim gular jobs given me to work on, and the manner in which one of them was worked and the developments of the case may interest the reader.
 About three miles outside the limits of large city in Pennsylvania stood a large farmhouse. There had been a murder committed there, and whisky had played havoc with an heir, and the house had stood vacant for three years before I saw it. The farm had passed into the hands of a New Yorker on mortgage, and he seemed to have forgotten all about it. Nat urally the cry of "haunted house" was raised, and presently you could not have hired a neighbor to enter the house in the daytime. There were people living within quarter of a mile of the place, and by-and- by they began to tell some queer stories. On two occasions parties of three or four went out from the city to stop in the house all night, but in each instance they were driven away by strange noises before midnight. I lived in a town forty miles from the haunted house, and consequently heard nothing of it.
 had case against an absconding treasurer. He had the funds of large and prosperous lodge in his hands,and got away with $3,000 belonging to it. He furthermore borrowed about $2,OOO of his friends, and got $500 on a forged draft. This occurred in 8 town about thirty miles from the haunted house. The defaulter had bought railroad ticket for Chicago, and left behind him, as if by accident, a parcel addressed to party in the Garden City. It ought to have been reasoned that this party was he under another name, and that he had gone to Chicago as fast as steam could carry him, but reasoned just the opposite. He had gone without his trunk or clothing, but when I came to over- haul his things his landlady figured out that two clean shirts, several col lars, stout pair of boots and an old suit of clothes were missing from the house. The boots and old suit had belonged to boarder who died months before.
 There were three highways leading out of the town. l worked two of them without success. On the third I soon found farmer who had seen a foot traveller resembling my man pass on the evening he had absconded. Five miles farther on became positive of his identity. He walked all that night, with only two brief halts be- fore midnight to inquire about roads :; but once on his trail I soon picked up many pointers. The absconder's name was Kelly, and he was keen, shrewd fellow. He had planned the embez- element and escape weeks ahead, and he followed out regular programme. He left town dressed as laborer, and carrying a valise. He had light felt hat, black felt hat and cap, and about once in ten miles he changed his headgear. He was a smooth faced man, but had provided himself with 8 goatee and side whiskers. I thus heard of him once as smooth-faced young man wearing cap and having one arm in sling; next as a youngish man with goatee and black hat :; again as full whiskered man with a : light hat. I confess that I was badly puzzled and about to despair, when came to a farmhouse where he had stopped for dinner. He was then smooth. faced and wore a cap, and claimed to be an agent for wind mill company whose rights had been in- fringed on and who were taking steps to collect royalty.
 When Kelly entered the kitchen for dinner hired boy of color, who was not permitted to eat with the family, was left in the sitting room. His curiosity regarding the contents of the valise was aroused, and he picked the lock and overhauled them. He was careful not to say anything of this to the family, but when I came along on my errand soon discovered he had secret. The sight of silver piece loosened his tongue. and he told me of the hats and false whiskers. After that had no trouble in follow ing Kelly, no matter which disguise he assumed. There was direct high way from the town he left to the city with the haunted house, but he did not keep it. He would branch of here and there and make half circle