The Sunday morning news., 1889-08-25

THE WORK OF PROFESSIONAL THIEVES.
This was the strongest expression
Denis could use, for every one knows no
is not Dutchman, and wouldn't be one
for any consideration.
Mr.. Mendelsohn was c0nsoled by this
expression of confidence.
II thank you, Mr.. Simmons" he said
with emotion. Il hope heaven will pros
per you In this work. If the thieves are
not captured soon | shall be ruined in
body and soul, for even my old father in
Germany thinks am the thief"
"Cheer up, said Denis, encouragingly;
well bag the game, and then you can
take months vacation to receive the
apologies Of your suspicious friends"
VI.
If this were q romance instead of a
story based ON facts, it would be easy to
associate Mr.. Simmons name with some
wonderful experiences during his search
4 for the lace robbers.
Real detective work, however, rarely
possesses romantic features Success in
this arduous calling is attained as much
by patient plodding as by keen appreci-
| alton of the habits and methods OF Grim
inals and shrewd knowledge of the
world. Sometimes the most Important
revelations are the result of sheer accident.
AS straws show the drift of a current, so
do trivial incidents often guide detective
skill to the accomplishment of great and
important ends.
When Denis pledged himself to s'bar
the game, he had not the slightest clew
to work upon. Like several of his con-
freres, he believed the robberics were COM
mitted by New York experts, but he was
as much puzzled as they were when 1t
was proved beyond peradventure that no
metropolitan thieves of prominence, men
who were skilled at this class Of work,
had been in town for months.
Consequently, Denis had to ego It blind"
for q time, trusting to Providence to
furnish him clew. And Providence
didn't shirk this grave duty.
Two or three days after his conversa-
tion with Mr.. Mendelsehn the detective
was detailed on petty larceny case in
fashionable boarding house on Michigan
avenue. The job was an easy one, and as
no was about to leave the house lady
asked him If he were judge of laces.
No, madam" said Simmons; why do
you aslz?'
Because / have just made wonder.
! ful bargain, replied the lady. II have
bought several yards of the finest French
hand made lace for 81 a yard. It's worth
at least $40 yard.
"Indeedl' said Denis, his heart giving
a great bound as he thought of thnt
troublesome robbery at Mendelsohn's;
'of whom did you buy it?'
'sOf peddler--a nice looking, curly
haired young man, wearing velvet coat
The detective examined the lace, and,
although not an expert, he had sufficient
knowledge of such goods to warrant him
in tho conclusion that the peddler was
practically giving the laces away. He
made an excuse to take the bargain"
down town and showed it to Mr. Mendel-
sohn, who Immediately recognized it as
a portion of his stolen stock.
| Denis had struck Glow. The descrip-
tion Of the peddler Tailed with that Of
Herman Landgraff, q boy whom he had
arrested for sneak work several years ago,
and whom he thought was leading cor
rect life. Still, the detective did not
think that Landgratf was skillful enough
to commit the lace robbery; the boy was
probably the tool of older thieves, who
had set him to peddle some of the goods
as the safest means Of disposing of them.
But this was great discovery. aud
Simmons was elated over IT,
About the same time another detective
had his attention called to cheap pock-
etbook bought from peddler by brokz
er's clerk. This pocketbook proved to be
part of the stock stolen from Cobb's Cir.
culating library. The peddler who sold
1t answered to the description of Charlie
Mott, q partner of Landgraff's, and the
brother of Mollie Mott, whose thieving
propensitics and profigacy were the talk
Of Chicago for years.
1T never rains but it pours,' remarked
Denis to his colleague. 1--WE arc on the
eve of great haul.
Having got track of portion of the
stolen property. Simmons felt that the
rest Of the work was comparatively SIM
ple He soon located Landgraa and Mott
They lived In an old frame house on West
Thirteenth street with Mrs. LandQaaf.
The detective made cautious inquiries
Us to the habits of the boys, and ascer-
tanned that they were regular night
hawks, as well as street peddlers by day.
They rarely reached homo before day
light, and invariably drove up In a ba2gy,
from which they carried bundles into the
house.
Two other boys, known as Curly and
Herman, often accompanied them, and
stopped with Mrs. Landgraf for days at
stretch.
As these facts developed Simmons
changed his mind about tho connection OF
New York men with the burglaries Ho
had struck an organized gang Of smart
rofuG thieves. who were urobablw solely