The Red Cloud chief., 1889-06-07
ALUCKY DETECTIVE.
Chance Enabled Him to Make
Some Important Arrests.

Chance Enabled Him to Make
Some Important Arrests.
Going for . Shave and Catching . Mur
d~eres-Luck Plays = More Import.
asst Part Than Shrewdness In
Detective Work
The -uck and ill luck of detective
life is something wonderful. The luck
we hear OF every day. The ill luck is
suppressed as much as possible. In the
month OF June. 1867. l was spending
a few days with relatives of mine on q
farm lear Oberlin. Ohio. / had been in
detective business about five years.
| drove into the town ono day. On
the way in l got out of the wagon
and picked up u copy Of a Cleveland
paper which was lying on the highway.
The first thing l saw was an account OF
murder at Peru. Indiana. several
avs before. An cid man had been
murdered and robbed of large amount
Of money. Not the slightest clue of the
murderer had been discovered. No one
could say whether he was old or young.
white or black. or which way he had
gone. 1t seemed a hopeless case. and
l felt a bit sorry for the two Chicago
officers who had been sent for to work
the case out
Tho 6ra< coil 7 -n1o ~N~->oob:--
Oberlin was at the pOst-ofice. then
visited a barber shop. bull the two
chairs occupied. and l had to
wait about ten minutes. Having moth
ing to occupy my mind, l looked the
two BARRIERS over in detail. and then
turned my attention to the customer in
the nearest chair. l began at his feet
first He wore No. 8 CATERS, and they
were q new pair; indeed. they had
never been blackened. His trousers
were frayed about the bottom. and. rs
l came to look closer, l saw that. they
we're old and threadbare. On the left
leg, which was nearest me, between
the knee and the ankle. were several
stains. They might have been made
by either blood or scid. When the
man sat up straight after his shave l
saw that his coat was also old. and I
looked over to his hat on the hook to
find it very rusty. The BARRIERS were
not speaking to either Of the men, so
that both must be strangers in the
town. Ny man had reddish hair. which
he had had clipped close before / came
in. His neck was sunburned and dirty,
and. after looking him over from toe
to crown. I said to myself:
This chap has all the looks Of q
professional tramp. That suit was
probably given him. but ten to one he
stole those CATERS. Wonder if he can
up enough to pay the barber"
The bill was thirty-ive cents. The
man gave me q furtive look as he got
out Of the chair, and while being
brushed he felt in his pockets for
He had two ten-cent shin
plasters, but "a these were not enough
he half turned from me and fished q
out Of his pocket The bar
Der had to 90 out to change it, and the
man was 50 impatient and nervous that
he could not stand still. When the bar
Der returned he had the change for a
twenty-dollar note. He began to count
It Out, but the stranger muttered his
that it was all right. and
reached out for the pile and crammed
into his vest pocket. He was about
10 60. when 1 rose up and said:
my friend. l want to have . few
words with you. II you are not in . big
'But I am!' he replied. trying to
push past me without looking me in
The facA.
but you'll have to wait just the
lame. Iwant to know who you ara"
There "a . back door to the shop. !
He wheeled and sprang for it. but It
Vas locked. As he turned on me again
b pulled . revolver from his bosom
md leyeled It on me and fired . shot
which went over my head and through
he window. Before he could 6re again
| had him jammed against the wall.
,ne hand hold Of the weapon and the
,ther on his throat, and I ch0ked him
until he sank down In . heap. Who
lid he turn out to boz The Indiana
murderer who had been lodging shout
he country for six days. and who had
'un the gauntlet Of . hundred odlcerA
3 vas blood on his trousers, though
70 did not have 70 prove II, - hs made
} full confession. i was simply my
rood luck.
About fifteen years . 60. while con-
with the force In Chicago. .
house on Sssto street Wa
Of $4,000 worth Of jewelry.
Astae from this there Was . package Of
bonds amounting to over !,
(17, 900. which had been deposited In
- safe for security. The robbery wss