The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-08-08

1t was blood on his trousers, though
we did not have to prove it, as he made
a full confession. 1t was simply my
good luck.
About fifteen years a go, while con-
nected with the force in Chicago. q
JewelrY house on State street was
robbed Of $4,000 worth of iewelry.
| Aside from this there was a package OF
Government bonds amounting to over
$1,000, which had been deposited in
the safe for security. The robbery was
committed by professional cracksmen,
who left their tools behind but no clue.
L was at this time at Bowling Green,
kentucky, after counterfeiter. got
a false clue, which led me down to
Franklin, and when | started to return
j took an accommodation train. It
was at night, and there was but one
coach on the train, and that contained
only five passengers beside myself
Three of these were natives, sure
enough, while the other two talked
about coal mine in Tennessee, and
! seemed to own land in that State. l
gave them little attention, being three
seats IN the rear, and was talking with
the conductor on general matters,
when the two men suddenly became in
terested in something one of them held
in his hand. Their heads were to-
gether, and they were evidently deeply
interested, when the report of pistol
was heard, followed by cry of agony
and yell of alarm. The object of
their curiosity was a derringer, and it
had accidentally been discharged, the
bullet entering the leg of one of the
men just above the knee. In his pain
and fright the wounded man sprang
up. and turned fiercely on the other
with the exclamation:
Curse you, but you did that on
purpose! You wanted all the swag to
| yourself"
The conductor and Il were beside
them in a minute. The wounded man
fell back on the seat, and he evidently
regretted the break he had made a
few seconds before, for he said, as we
came up:
Tom, old fellow. I had my own
finger on the trigger, and pulled it off.
You are not bit to blame
''But what about the 'swagP' 1 de-
manded, rs | stood over them.
He meant our coal mine." replied
the one called Tom.
eyes; we are partners in a coal
mine," added the wounded man.
20, that's it. Well let's see what
can be done for you?"
1t was bad wound-so bad that I
knew his leg would have to come off,
as the big bullet had shattered the
bone, and suggested to the conductor
that he make as fast time as he dared
to Bowling Green, where medical at
tendance could be had. To nv sur
prise the men asked to be put off at
some highway crossing, near a farm
house, saying that country doctor
could manage the case well enough,
and that the quietness of the country
would be best for the patient. This
satisfied me that they were suspicious
characters, and assumed the author
lty to remove the one and handcuff
him to a seat at the rear of the coach,
and to search BOTH. The one had a re-
volver and the other the derrinper.
and before l was through searching |
brought to light all the stolen bonds
and jewelry. It was sheer luck again.
-Four of our men were out on their
trail, but on false scents. They were
supposed to have gone East, while
picked them up in the South. The
fellow who was shot not only lost his
leg but his life. The other was returned
to Chicago, and he received a long SEN
tence for his crime. There was a great
deal of newspaper talk about nv
shrewdness, but 1 didn't deserve a
word of praise. The case simply came
to me. The ripe fruit dropped into my
hands. Things fall that way to a lucky
man, no matter what business he is en-
gagged in.
One of the bits of luck which fell to
me several years ago, and which was
much talked about at the time, came
about in very singular way. | had
been sent down to Augusta, Ark, to
Identify man who had been arrested
there, and was supposed to be robber
in Chicago. He did not prove
to be the man we hoped he was. and | |
was making ready to return when a
resident of the town, who was an old |
acquaintance of mine, put forward
a speculation. He had just purchased |
q saw mill a few miles down White
river, and he believed there was big
money to be made in buying large |
tract OF timber contiguous to the mill. |
This tract was for sale at low figure,
but my friend could not raise the cash.
The result of our talk was that we took
4 boat next morning and were left at
he mill landing. While he was over
seeing some change of machinery
started out to get some idea of the
Talue of the timber. The first thing |
Inew was lost in the forest, aud I did
ust what all other people do under the